The German news agency dpa is reporting that very shortly Gerard Mortier will be officially selected to head the Paris opera. The Belgian Mortier, in his ten years as the Salzburg Festival's chief, modernized and revivified the program there--to the displeasure of traditionalists and delight of the progressives. Since last October he's been in charge of the Ruhr Festival and in addition will be in heading a new Triennial Festival in the same area. He will taking over in Paris in 2004 from Hugues Gall. Mortier is controversial, but whatever he runs makes a splash and draws keen interest. That's what has been lacking so far not only at the well-endowed Ruhr Festival but also at the very competent but unexciting Paris opera. (Mortier's successor at Salzburg, Peter Ruzicka, is cutting back on the avant-garde exposure that Mortier gave the Festival.) Denis Fodor