By Michael Roddy BUDAPEST (Reuters) - The flood-cresting Danube outside Budapest's Bela Bartok concert hall threatened to drown audience, singers, chorus and orchestra alike, but it couldn't dampen the high spirits inside for a new production of Wagner's "Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg". The crowning glory of conductor Adam Fischer's eighth annual "Wagner Days" festival, in Wagner's 200th birthday year, was described as a "masterwork" by Hungarian critic Miklos Fay in Hungarian daily Nepszabadsag following Saturday's premiere that had the audience cheering every act of the five-hour-long ...
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By John Russell LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr put snapshots of his musical and creative life on display in a new exhibit, "Ringo: Peace & Love," which opened on Tuesday at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. Starr, 72, was on hand at the exhibit, which offers an in-depth look at his career as he rose to fame with The Beatles. Highlights include Starr's Ludwig drum kit, used during The Beatles' appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show," and the outfit he wore during the era of the "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album, between 1966 and 1967. ...

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