April 1993 Volume 44 No 4

Founded by the Earl of Harewood Editor 1953-86 Harold Rosenthal, OBE

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Editor Rodney Milnes Associate Editor Max Loppert Assistant Editor John A llison Administrative Director Deidre Tilley Editorial Board Alan Blyth Hugh Canning Andrew Clark Andrew Clements Richard Fairman Elizabeth Forbes oel Goodwin Arthur Ja cobs Charles Osborne Andrew Porter Desmond Shawe-Taylor John Warrack

Ediro rial Offices la Mountgrove Road London N5 2LU Telephone: 071-359 1037 Fax: 071-354 2700

Advertising orders and copy to Jackson-Rudd & Associates (London orth East) Ltd 2 Luke Street London EC2A 4 T Tel: 071-613 0717 Fax: 071 -613 1108 Advertisem ent Manager Brian R. Hook

Front cover: Jeffrey Lawton and Anne Evans in the ti tl e roles of WNO·s Tristan und Iso lde· (photo: Clive Barda)

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A proud Welsh 'Tristan' Hugh Canning Readers' Letters People 188: Ian Judge Elizabeth Forbes Opera Newsdesk ew Year Competition: Answers and winners Constance ShacklockHappy Birthday! Ponchielli and 'La Gioconda' Julian Budden Opera on the Gramophone 56: 'La Favorite' part 2 Max Loppert Obituary Opera Around the World: reports from America. Argentina, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, etherlands, Sweden

COMI G EVENTS SUPPLEMENT including plans for the UK houses, Glyndebourne, Opera Factory, CBTO, New York Met and City Opera, Paris; Festivals; 'We hear that .. .'; Opera calendar home and abroad British Opera Diary: WNO's 'Boheme' and 'Ballo in maschera'; 'Rigoletto' and 'Don Pasquale' at the Coliseum: 'Barbiere', Stiffelio' and 'Turandot' at Covent Garden; English Touring Opera's 'Cosl fa n tutte': Monteverdi at the QEH Opera on the fringe Opera at the colleges Opera on disc Classified advertisements