The 2012 Cultural Olympiad contained plenty of events that might have happened quite normally without the 2012 badge. The Olympics themselves may even have contributed to a 40% drop in museum attendance over the summer, as recently reported in some newspapers. But Birmingham Opera Company's production, starting on 22 August, of Mittwoch, the ‘unstageable’ third part of Stockhausen's Licht, at the Argyle Works in Great Barr Street was a Mo Farah moment. Not only for the Olympian commitment and talent required, but also because without Olympian funding (something in the order of £1 million was rumoured) it simply would not have been possible. Director Graham Vick had co-opted the varied talents of Ex Cathedra, London Voices, Paul Brown as designer, Giuseppe di Iorio in charge of lighting, Ron Howell as choreographer, and Kathinka Pasveer as musical director.