LETTERS / Stop carping about Cardiff opera

From Mr F. Harris-Jones Sir: Discussions about the choice of opera house for Cardiff continue to be reported. Of course it would be wonderful to have an impressive and elegant new landscape in Cardiff, making an architectural statement but its appearanceseems of secondary import. What does matter is the auditorium. Will it be a good place for musicians to play and singers to sing? Of equal importance, will it be a comfortable place for an audience to sit, with good sightlines and excellent accoustics?

The only mention I have seen is that there will be about 1,750 seats which is far too big. It will rarely be filled with paying customers. The new house at Glyndebourne accomodates about 1,400. Should not these responsible in Cardiff consult with those who have so recently built an opera house that appears to work well.

What we should be seeking is a world-class setting to hear opera; not a monument. If we can have both, all well and good.

Yours sincerely, F. HARRIS-JONES Cardiff