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The recent clinical availability of the PARP inhibitor olaparib (Lynparza) opens the door for potential therapeutic repurposing for non-oncological indications. Considering (a) the preclinical efficacy data with PARP inhibitors in non-oncological diseases and (b) the risk-benefit ratio of treating patients with a compound that inhibits an enzyme that has physiological roles in the regulation of DNA repair, we have selected indications, where (a) the severity of the disease is high, (b) the available therapeutic options are limited, and (c) the duration of PARP inhibitor administration could be short, to provide first-line options for therapeutic repurposing. These indications are as follows: acute ischaemic stroke; traumatic brain injury; septic shock; acute pancreatitis; and severe asthma and severe acute lung injury. In addition, chronic, devastating diseases, where alternative therapeutic options cannot halt disease development (e.g. Parkinson's disease, progressive multiple sclerosis or severe fibrotic diseases), should also be considered. We present a preclinical and clinical action plan for the repurposing of PARP inhibitors.Linked articlesThis article is part of a themed section on Inventing New Therapies Without Reinventing the Wheel: The Power of Drug Repurposing. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v175.2/issuetoc.

Both the Handel & Haydn Society (HHS) and the Cantata Singers aim to revive appreciation for Baroque music in Boston, MA. The HHS' rendition of George Frideric Handel's pastoral ode 'L'Allegro, Il Penseroso ed Il Moderato was exemplary. They performed the music using period instruments to give the audience a taste of how the music had been originally heard in the 18th century. The Cantata Singers' rendition of Johann Sebastian Bach's cantatas was less majestic. However, it succeeded in imparting the right amount of vivacity in the opening portion.

The Marilyn Horne Foundation and Juilliard School jointly offered a music master class program to promote the solo vocal recital. Marilyn Horne participated in some of the classes, with mezzo-soprano Christa Ludwig also presenting songs and participating in panel discussions. Both women were relaxed in addressing the crowds and instructed the students in vocal techniques. Horne and Ludwig were inspirational and injected new life into tired phrases.

Les Arts Florissants' new opera 'King Arthur' released in March, 1995 is a combination of newly developing London commercial theater, music and dance. The opera has a collaboration with John Dryden that was first witnessed at London's Dorset Garden theater in 1961. Henry Purcell has made excellent composition and the performances of Petteri Saloma and William Christie are splendid. The reason for Les Arts Florissants' fame is the team work of its composers and soloists.

The new Seiji Ozawa Hall, which opened in July 1994, is an adequate replacement for the earlier inadequate Theater Concert Hall at Tanglewood, MA, and is uniquely designed for combining the contrasting aristocratic and egalitarian concepts and for serving utilitarian and spiritual purposes. The architect William Rawn has designed the hall in such a way that the sound from all points in hall is undistorted, rich and easily diffused. The team has selected the site carefully and has striven to offer good aural and visual access to all concert goers.

The Marilyn Horne foundation launched in Jan 1994 helped promote the waning art of solo vocal recital and to bring it to the public's notice. However, four performances held in New York between Jan 1, 1994 and Mar 31, 1994, testify to the popularity this art form still enjoys in this city. The singers were Brigitte Fassbaender, Sergei Leiferkus, Helen Donath and Jennifer Larmore, all of whom are accomplished vocalists. The recitals were of a uniformly good standard and were highly appreciated by the audience.

Presenters of symphonic music concerts have been using cultural events such as lectures, exhibitions, film shows and panel discussions to attract audiences. Dwindling attendance at music concerts has prompted organizers to present music in its cultural context and create an audience need to add concert attendance as part of intellectual identity. The New York Philharmonic has chosen additional aggressive marketing strategies such as rate reduction and rescheduling performances to suit audience availability.

John Corigliano's opera, The Ghost of Versailles, and Symphony No 1 has been commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera and Chicago Symphony for their centennial seasons. The Ghost of Versailles was very successful in its six performances that the Metropolitan Opera extended it for its spring productions while Symphony No 1, which was composed for those who died of the AIDS virus, stayed for several weeks as one of Billboard magazine's best selling musical recordings in the country.