The Russian baritone, who has cancelled all summer appearances while he receives treatment in London for a brain tumour, turned up last night (Sunday) at the Russian ambassador’s residence to give a recital.

A Russian music site reports that he told the guests that, in 20 years of living in London, he had never been to the embassy and he wanted to repair the omission. ‘I don’t want to tell you about the details and difficulties of my treatment,’ he added, ‘but I wanted to be together with all of you, because I really missed you.’

He went on to sing arias by Borodin, Glinka, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov.

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The US soprano Helen Donath has let it be known that this week’s Wiesbaden appearance as Mrs Grose in Britten’s Turn of the Screw will be her last in that role.

It is not the only milestone she is celebrating this week.

On Friday, her 75th birthday, Helen will have been married for 50 years to Klaus Donath, a chorus master and conductor. We wish them many more years of happiness together.

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