"Everybody" said it's obvious that Patrick Summers will succeed Donald Runnicles in 2009 (or before) as SFO music director. My comment (in http://www.sfcv.org/arts_revs/music_news_9_19_06.php) was not to presume that David Gockley will do the "obvious." Summers has just signed a contract extension in Houston through 2014. The obvious is now a bit less so... In other news, there is an interesting interview today with Martin Bernheimer (another figure in the music world eschewing the obvious), at http://blogs.ocregister.com/mangan/archives/2006/09/post_9.html, including a shocking bit of chronological data. (And, is the use of "tart" in the article meant as a noun or adjective? I ask that because I care...:) Janos Gereben/SF www.sfcv.org [log in to unmask]