Claudio Abbado of late has been doing Beethoven symphony cycles in Vienna
and Rome. They've been a critical success. His health has been less
upbeat. In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung today he
revealed that he had undergone a cancer operation which involved removal
of his stomach. Despite this he went on the road to do Beethoven. I can
imagine no greater tribute to eirther Ludwig, or for that matter, Claudio's
staying power.
Denis Fodor