Barenboim gets his coat

Daniel Barenboim, whose contract as music director of La Scala runs through to 2016, is to leave two years early, in 2014.

"General manager Stephane Lissner informed unions of the musical director's departure plans Monday, noting Barenboim's many other projects, including one to establish an academy for Israeli and Palestinian musicians," say AP.

Coincidentally (or not), Lissner too leaves his post in 2014, when Alexander Pereira takes over the Milanese reins.

Who knows what is really going on. But we may recall the words of Gerard Mortier as he declined to apply for a post (subsequently assumed by Jurgen Flimm) alongside Barenboim at the Staatsoper Berlin: "There can be only one tiger on the mountain."