"I told myself to combine the study of commerce and my passion for music," says French producer Rene Martin, who has built on those foundations to pursue his vision of democratizing classical music through the annual spectacular he's named La Folle Journee (Days of Enthusiasm).

Since 1995, when Martin launched the event in his hometown of Nantes, northwest France, it has delighted millions by offering first-class performances at surprisingly low prices.

The LFJ concept has been re-created in Lisbon since 2000; in Bilbao, Spain since 2002; in Tokyo since 2005; in Rio de Janeiro since 2007; and in Kanazawa, Japan, since last year.