The official re-opening of the refurbished Usher Hall in Edinburgh was launched with a charity concert given by José Carreras. The concert came about as a result of a letter to the Spanish tenor from a Scotswoman from West Lothian, Betsy Stirling, who lost her husband when he died of leukaemia. Carreras, who won his own battle against the disease following a bone marrow transplant, accepted the invitation. The sellout concert raised 312,000 pounds for leukaemia research - the largest amount ever raised in Scotland in a single charity concert. Scottish opera singer Lisa Milne had her dreams come true when she was asked to sing the duets with Carreras after he had heard her sing on tapes which she had sent to him. Lisa is under contract with Scottish Opera and recently received an honorary doctorate in music from the university in her home town, Aberdeen.

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