Out of range

I've in London on business for the past few days, which is why I've disappeared for a bit. A badly timed visit I'm afraid. I wasn't able to get to an opera or concert because of work commitments. I did catch Pinter's The Birthday Party with extraordinary performances by Eileen Atkins, Henry Goodman and Paul Ritter.

While I was away, the big news was the jailing of the donor Alberto Vilar. There has been little comment on this in the blogs I read (apart from La Cieca). There are many reports in the NY Times on his demise. I have to say that although Mr. Vilar made a bit of an art of the publicity of donating, I find the actions and comments by some of the former beneficiaries of his largesse to be distasteful. For once I think that Norman Lebrecht (via Arts Journal) has it right:

"Without Alberto, there would be no Covent Garden, no Kirov, no future. Remember that as he sits in manacles, and remember this, too: he didn’t have to give a cent, let alone pledge quarter of a billion dollars. It was all done out of boyish enthusiasm and the urgings of a lonely heart."

I think it is just too sad.