Letter: Opera turn-off

Sir: As the nation's money has made possible our magnificent new Opera House at Covent Garden, one could be excused from thinking that those who constructed the operatic first half of the opening evening, to be shown on TV, were at best out of touch or at worst arrogant.

This was a TV evening for the nation to view and maybe a few converts to come aboard a worthy art form that most find inaccessible. With what they saw it probably remains so. For you don't expose the nation to Weber, Wagner and Beethoven on their first night out at the opera.

The second half of dance took full advantage of its contribution to a historic evening but many viewers would have turned over by then. I spoke to several who did.

JOHN HAYWARD

Buckhurst Hill, Essex