Happily, Boston Symphony music director James Levine, who two weeks ago was himself obliged to withdraw from performances at the Verbier Festival, is able to return the favor. Already on hand to conduct a full BSO program the previous evening, Levine will take over the August 4 Dvoršk concert, which will feature the Cello Concerto (with Yo-Yo Ma) and the "New World" Symphony (No. 9).

Ludovic Morlot, the rising young Frenchman who serves as the BSO's Assistant Conductor, will take the podium for the Koussevitzky Memorial Concert on Sunday afternoon (August 5). The program, part of this summer's series titled "NL: A Season of Dutch Arts in the Berkshires," features the world premiere of composer Robin de Raaff's Entangled Tales for orchestra (a BSO co-commission) as well as Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 3 and Dutch violinist Janine Jansen in Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto. (More information and tickets are available at www.tanglewood.org.)

Just last week de Waart was appointed the next chief conductor of Santa Fe Opera. He is also artistic director and chief conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra; in 2003 he completed a very successful decade as chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.