Freak flooding of a railway track nearly stopped a Ukrainian conductor from performing in front of hundreds of people at the Hall for Cornwall.
But for Moscow City Ballet conductor, Igor Shavruk, it was a case of the show must go on.
The maestro, who does not speak any English, had been travelling non-stop from Odessa in the Ukraine via Istanbul to London and was on the train to Truro when a landslide at Westbury near Bath put an end to his journey.
Martin Taylor, the Moscow City Ballet company manager, was in touch with the conductor and organised a taxi to pick him up from Bath and drive through last night's howling gales to Truro.
Mr Shavruk arrived at the Hall for Cornwall at 7.20 and was on stage 10 minutes later for the start of the show, Romeo and Juliet.
The company had already performed to recorded music on Monday and Tuesday night as Mr Shavruk's arrival in the UK was postponed due to visa problems.
Mr Taylor said: "I was convinced he was not going to get here. It was very exciting anyway."
