In Salzburg it was announced today that Gerard Mortier the Artistic
Director of the Festspiele will bow out when his contract expires in 2001.
Mortier has a promising-sounding season coming up, inclusive of a great
deal of new music.  Its this turn of his that has updated the festivals
from the somewhat petrified state in which Karajan left them.  Under his
tenure the festival crowd became noticeably younger and the programming
more with it.

While Mortier was bowing out in Salzburg, James Levine was bowiwng in here
in Munich.  Among the catchier things on his agenda, in 2000 there will be
a cycle of American music as well as a turn to barebones opera, either in
concert form, or with a minimum of fixings.  The Munich Philharmonic has
not been in the opera business for about 20 years, but the reopening of the
Prinz Regenten Theater, a belle epoque jewel, has provided just the right
setting for Levine's intention.  He'll be doing quite a bit of Strauss, it
was announced.

Denis Fodor                     IInternet:[log in to unmask]