A&E briefs | Bellingham Festival of Music returns

Bellingham Festival of Music returns

The Bellingham Festival of Music, in operation for 15 years before its cancellation this year due to a fiscal shortfall, will return in 2008. Under the leadership of its previous artistic director, Michael Palmer, the festival will take place from July 5-20, 2008, with orchestral and chamber concerts in Western Washington University and the White Salmon Lodge at Mount Baker.

The 2007 cancellation was due to a fiscal shortfall; for 2008, a "new financial, administrative and operational model" is planned. More details: www.bellinghamfestival.org.

Symphony staff

appointments

Seattle Symphony Executive Director Thomas Philion announced the appointment of Elena Dubinets as artistic administrator and Nancy Gosen as director of education. Dubinets, who has been with the organization for five years, will work closely with the orchestra's music director, Gerard Schwarz, to select artists and repertoire; Gosen, who has been with the Symphony since 2005, has recently served as interim education director and "brought our education programming to new heights," according to Philion.

Melinda Bargreen,

Seattle Times music critic

CBS cancels

"Viva Laughlin"

LOS ANGELES — The music has stopped for "Viva Laughlin," an offbeat song-and-dance drama that drew such low ratings it was canceled by CBS after two airings.

Even having film star Hugh Jackman ("X-Men") aboard as executive producer and cast member couldn't save the series. It was the second cancellation of the young season, after CW's "Online Nation," and the first scripted show to be yanked.

It will be replaced next Sunday by a "CSI" rerun, with reality series "The Amazing Race" then taking over the time period, CBS said Monday.

The Associated Press