The Mexican-French tenor, whose health has been unsteady, has been ordered to rest until March 20 following surgery for a gastro-enterological complaint.

We wish him better.

The countertenor, accused of sexual assault by two men, has filed a counterclaim against one of them – Andrew Lipian, a graduate music student at the University of Michigan, where Daniels taught until his dismissal.

Lipian’s lawyer has called the counterclaim ‘frivolous.’ It looks like the issue is heading for court.

Read here.

The contralto and conductor Nathalie Stutzmann is among 431 names on the New Year’s list of recipients of the Légion d’Honneur.

Others include the writer Michel Houellebec and the World Cup winning French football team.

Allez les bleus.

Ever since we reported the sale of Operabase to a Danish website, we have been receiving complaints that the engine has lost speed and comprehensivess.

One reader tells us: ‘Since Operabase is in Danish hands they don’t care for updates. So there is still no Gherman in the ROH Pique Dame (premiere in two weeks) And there are a lot mistakes in the names of singers and their agents. The important opening night of the new production of Halka at the Polish National Opera is not mentioned.’

Those Danes need to get cracking.

The Vienna Phil yesterday nominated Andris Nelsons to conduct on New Year’s Day 2020.

Nelsons is a prize property of the Universal label Deutsche Grammophon.

In the same act as choosing Nelsons, the Vienna Phil also renewed its New Year’s Day contract with Sony Classical.

DG are crying foul. Their bid was not considered.

Sony’s boss, Bogdan Roscic, is about to become chief of the Vienna Opera, where he will control pay and conditions for members of the Vienna Philharmonic. Loose tongues are suggesting that the new Sony deal might be a rather nice welcome gesture from the VPO.

Not that we’d suspect anything of the sort.

The incoming chief of Bavarian State Opera has initiated a biennial Mortier Next Generation award in memory of his late mentor, who died five years ago.

The prize money, 30,000 Euros, is being put up by the Berge/Saint Laurent Foundation, the Salzburg Festival and the regional governments of Flanders and the Rhineland. The upwardly mobile Dorny has worked hard to cast himself as Mortier’s Crown Prince.

The first winner will be announced next week.

Any nominations?

The coloratura soprano Maria Bayo was fired at the first rehearsal of Don Giovanni in Bilbao two years ago after the conductor, Kerri-Lyn Wilson, said she lacked volume.

Ms Wilson is married to Peter Gelb, the Met general manager.

Fearing the sacking could damage her career far beyond Bilbao, Ms Bayo sued the Bilbao company for around $100,000 in ‘moral damages’.

And won.

Only now the Supreme Court has overturned her case and all Ms Bayo is left with is legal expenses.

Guess we won’t be hearing her at the Met any time soon.