LACK of space prohibits mention of all the many different recitals and master classes organised by Lake District Summer Music in its first full week.

This report concentrates on just four of the many events on offer.

LDSM never shrinks from presenting something new and challenging and, for the first time ever, animated opera appeared on the programme.

Visitors to the Kendal's Brewery Arts Centre heard a fascinating talk on the making of the BBC's animated production of Jnacek's opera, The Cunning Little Vixen, which was followed by a showing of this award-winning film.

The production was colourful, entertaining and imaginative, without diminishing the power of Jnacek's music; whether the technique of animation linked to serious opera will act as a means of attracting audiences for opera, as the producers of this film hope, is an open question.

An almost capacity audience gathered in Ambleside Parish Church to hear a cello recital by the distinguished cellist Robert Cohen.

He began with J.S. Bach Suite No 2 in D minor for unaccompanied cello. The individual movements of the cello suites take their names and character from baroque dances, but in this performance all sense of the dance rhythms was lost in some movements by Cohen's excessive speed.

The music sounded scrambled, losing all sense of rhythmic shape and making it impossible for the ear to follow the implied counterpoint. Following the Bach, we heard Kodaly's solo cello sonata, a work clearly inspired by Hungarian gypsy music, in which Cohen gave full reign to his formidable technique; this was an amazing display of virtuosity.

Two children's workshops, under the able direction of Rachel Moore and Penny Sterling and their team of tutors, revealed the talents of young string players, aged between six and 15.

The concerts revealed a wide spread of ability as the large audience of family and friends heard pieces for string orchestra and various small-scale string ensembles.

The playing of some of the youngsters revealed a degree of sophistication way beyond their chronological years.

Another recital by the Chilingirian quartet brought the week to a close.

Two Beethoven string quartets, an early and a middle period work, framed the performance of Michael Berkeley's Mirrors, written in 2002.

In this work, the players were joined by Robert Cohen to form a quintet in which the viola was used as a fulcrum between the pairs of violins and cellos.

Viola player Susie Mszros showed what a fine performer she is in the very demanding viola part. Clearly, this is a work which does not reveal all its secrets on first hearing, but the programme note revealed the composer's intentions: the symmetrical disposition of forces and the reflection, fragmentation and distortion of musical ideas.

Chordal structures of great beauty alternated with dramatic outbursts, which seemed to hold the audience's attention.

The concert concluded with a fine performance of Beethoven's Quartet in C major Op.59 No 3.

As on the opening night of the festival, the players impressed with their sheer musicality, attention to detail, dynamic shading and technical virtuosity. Their performance of the fugal finale, played at breakneck speed, was rhythmically secure and yet breathtaking in its excitement.