From Intermezzo: Hey, if the mishap worked, why not advertise it? For its Elixir of Love production, the English National Opera made an 11th-hour substitution for the part of Nemorino; the replacement tenor only knew the part in Italian, however, so the show went on with the rest of the cast singing in English.

But who knew? The multi-lingual production became an instant ENO selling point.

Next week iTunes will release a new recording of pianist Lang Lang performing Chopin’s Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53, “Héroïque"; all net proceeds will benefit children in Haiti via the US Fund for UNICEF. The single also serves as a preview of Lang Lang’s March 21 performance at Carnegie Hall.

From ArtsBeat: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to The Phantom of the Opera opened in London this week, and most critics were far from enchanted - to the point that the new musical, Love Never Dies, may not even make it stateside (or will at least undergo major changes). But with nearly 10,000 Phantom performances in the U.S., we predict it's the money-making brand that will never die.

The month of March marks the inaugural BAM Opera Festival in Brooklyn, New York, as well as the company's 30th anniversary. Of particular interest? Conductor William Christie's and Baroque ensemble Les Arts Florissants' productions of Dido and Aeneas, Acteon and The Fairy Queen - as well as a free archival exhibition of past Christie and Les Arts Florissants showings at BAM.

From Parterre Box: Unless you're friends with Peter Gelb, you'll just have to wait like the rest of us; tonight's final dress rehearsal of The Met's Hamlet, with Simon Keenlyside in the title role, has a tight guest list, to say the least. Ah, the anticipation...

pictured above l-r: Lang Lang, Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess in Love Never Dies and ENO's Elixir of Love