SHOPPING FOR OPERA ...

TESS CREBBIN investigates the largest
classical CD store in continental Europe

The most comprehensive classical CD selection of continental Europe is in Munich, Germany. Situated on the fourth floor of the exclusive Ludwig Beck department store, which is Munich's answer to Harrods in London, it processes orders from all over Europe. Each year, international visitors from as far away as Japan come here to shop for rare CDs that cannot be found elsewhere. And you will never guess whom one might meet there ... let me give you an example.

Some months ago, my dog and I went to Ludwig Beck, took the elevator up to the fourth floor and made our way into the classical CD department. Music journalists like myself, famous performers and pretty much anyone in classical music tend to frequent that store. As for the dog: this Pekinese is no ordinary dog but a 'classical music expert'. For instance, he was the only dog ever in Mariss Jansons' history as a conductor to attend one of his rehearsals and he sat through four hours of it without as much as a bark!

Continue >>