The deal, which the paper first reported in June, was apparently nearly finalized when I.C.M. was approached by another interested party who offered a "more attractive offer" for the firm's classical business. I.C.M. then tried to renegotiate the price with IMG, a person close to the deal (who spoke on condition of anonymity) told the Times.

The paper writes that officials at IMG Artists did not return phone calls, and I.C.M. was also tight-lipped, only saying, "We continue to pursue a number of strategic options as it relates to I.C.M. Artists."

IMG's impressive artist roster includes (among others) such high-powered singers as Ren_e Fleming, Karita Mattila, Deborah Voigt, Anna Netrebko, Susan Graham, David Daniels, Andreas Scholl, Thomas Hampson and R_ne Pape; instrumentalists Leif Ove Andsnes, Murray Perahia, Piotr Anderszewski, Lang Lang, Joshua Bell, Hilary Hahn, Evelyn Glennie and the Emerson String Quartet; conductors Franz Welser-M‹st, Vladimir Jurowski, Ivšn Fischer and Yuri Temirkanov; and composers Steve Reich (with his ensemble), Thomas Ads and (the company's newest acquisition) John Adams.

Among the musicians ICM represents are Yo-Yo Ma, Midori, Nadia Salerno-Sonnenberg, Wynton Marsalis, Emanuel Ax, Radu Lupu, Daniel Barenboim (as pianist), Ian Bostridge, Nathan Gunn, the Hagen and Tokyo String Quartets, Marin Alsop, Mariss Jansons, David Robertson and Robert Spano, as well as composer Osvaldo Golijov.

ICM focuses on movies, book publishing, television and popular music; classical music is something of a sideline.

Texas financier Barrett Wissman, a former pianist married to cellist Nina Kotova, bought control of IMG Artists in 2003.