Opera director collapses during performance

Vienna: Vienna state opera musical director Franz Welser-Moest collapsed while conducting a Wagner opera in the Vienna State Opera, according to an official statement. The 52-year-old director suffered a severe attack of lower back pain at the end of the first act of the four-and-a-half hour long `Parsifal`, reported Xinhua citing the statement issued Monday. He was taken to hospital. The Austrian musician conducted the traditional Vienna New Year concert 2013, and has worked with some of the most respected orchestras around the world. IANS