Conductor in hospital after fall

The world-famous conductor Kurt Masur is recovering in hospital in Paris after he fell off a podium during a concert.

The 84-year-old, who was conducting the National Orchestra of France at the time, lost balance during a movement of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6.

President Nicolas Sarkozy sent the former director of the New York Philharmonic orchestra his best wishes, calling the German-born Masur a "legendary musician" in a statement. Masur is also known for his human rights work, helping reconciliation between his native East Germany and the West in the 1980s after playing a leading role in demonstrations against Soviet rule.

AP