The city’s culture secretary, Tim Renner, wants the opera houses to steam their work free on the internet as a recompense for public funding.

The German cultural council says free streaming would ‘damage the value of culture’.

They can’t both be right. There can only be one winner.

Renner, ex-music business, has the Zeitgeist on his side.

Read here (auf Deutsch).

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra, imprisoned at Gatwick earlier in the day, brought down to London a thoughtful birthday gift for Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, who turns 80 today. It’s a waistcoat in his favourite tartan.