As La Cieca first reported back in March, Jeffrey Vanderveen, recently split from IMG, will now head up Universal Music Classical Artists Management and Productions, a division “meant to provide management services for and produce live events for prominent classical musicians.”

IMG has responded by filing filed suit against Vanderveen and other Universal honchos, claiming criminal conspiracy and theft, specifically the improper soliciation of certain clients who have made the move from IMG to Universal. Among these clients are Anna Netrebko, Elina Garanca, Karita Mattila, Joseph Calleja and Thomas Hampson.  A story by Steve Smith in the New York Times this morning adds that Rolando Villazón is also considering jumping ship to Universal as soon as his IMG contract expires.