'Just read an interesting article about cancellations by big-name artists
of concerts where they'd been featured, called 'What happens when the
lady doesn't sing?'

   http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/21/1063625261626.html

Martha Argerich has, apparently, cancelled a whole slew of concerts
this year.  I know Arturo Benedetti had a bad reputation for leaving his
public in the lurch.  I'd welcome hearing about other famous CM artists
notorious for cancelling.

More interesting to me, though, would be to learn what replacement
musicians gained from such opportunities: getting up on stage to fill
bigger shoes, but thereby earning a name for himself.

Leonard Bernstein is one who replaced a sick conductor, I understand,
and never looked back.  Who else filled an empty soloist's place, and
was thereby catapulted to fame?

Bert Bailey