Helga Rabl-Stadler has been president of the Salzburg Festival since 1995. The former tourist office bureaucrat, now 67, has counted in and out several changes of artistic regime. She is due to step down in 2017 but the local political leadership have announced they are supporting safe Helga (centre) for another term.

Helga herself, however, has said in an interview that she ‘sees no reason to stay on’. Confused? That’s how the game is played in Austria.

muti salzburg

In the same interview, Helga says she had to get rid of Gerard Mortier and Alexander Pereira because they couldn;t accept a woman as boss. The director she really liked was the irreproachably mediocre Peter Ruzicka.

A statement by Aspen Music Festival and School, Colorado:

We are deeply saddened over the tragic loss of 2015 Aspen Music Festival and School students Alex Greene, trumpet, and Ben Darneille, tuba, who died in a car accident last night.

Both were members of the fellowship brass quintet Rendezvous Brass, which gave inspiring performances all summer, including in Harris Hall and atop Aspen Mountain. Alex closed his season with a beautiful performance of Mahler 5 in the Benedict Music Tent. Their tremendous talent was only overshadowed by their warm and generous spirits. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Alex’s and Ben’s families and friends, and to all the artist-faculty, students, and others whose lives were made richer by knowing these two young men.

aspen quintet

UPDATE: Aspen director Alan Fletcher told local media that Alex played at brilliant Mahler 5th solo a few days before he died. It ‘made the whole piece,’ he said.