By Richard Morrison [Times Online, 17 February 2006]

After La Scala, Covent Garden holds no fears for Daniel Harding

The stage-door staff at Covent Garden don’t recognise him. Nor, it seems, does the man from the Royal Opera press office. A slightly awkward moment, because this callow-looking kid is about to conduct the Royal Opera in Berg’s Wozzeck. And also because, after winning thunderous acclaim for rescuing the first night of La Scala’s season, the 30-year-old Daniel Harding is suddenly one of the hottest properties in classical music.