... In the City THE FIRST London perform ance of Thomas Bullen, an opera by Timothy Higgs, is being presented by the City Music Society at Goldsmiths' Hall, Foster Lane, E.C.2 on December 18. Libretto is by Ian Grant, David Ritch is the producer and musical direction is by Timothy Higgs. ...

... Giordano's 'Siberia' THE STAGING of little-known operas is usually the province of the smaller companies, among whom Hammersmith Municipal Opera has a commendable record of premiferes in just over five years of existence. Their latest, Giordano's beria, was staged at Fulham Town Hall on December 7. This is a work dating from 1903 with a libretto by Illica which is influenced by Tolstoy, ...

... Revival of Taverner' THE DIFFICULTIES inherent in staging Peter Maxwell Davies' Taverner are more apparent at a second viewing, and Covent Garden has sensibly revived Michael Geliot's production while it is still fresh in the minds of those who took part in the original four performances during July. At the revival on Septem ber 26 the action was less effi ciently co-ordinated than before ...

... Patricia Kern's Rosina HOWEVER RICH in variety an opera company's repertoire, a season is that much poorer if Rossini's Barber of Seville fails to put in an appearance. Sadler's Wells Opera are evidently aware of this and their twelve-year-old settings were on show again at the Coliseum on November 1 in a production that now bears little resemblance to the original for which the sets were ...

... 'Jephtha' THE HANDEL Opera Society has more experience than most companies in translating Handel's oratorio-like works to the stage and in their new production of Jephtha, at Sadler's Wells Theatre on October 31, they have been larly tortunate in tne results achieved by the Swedish pro ducer Leif SciderstrOm. Jephtha was the com poser's last major work and deals with the tragedy arising ...

... Scottish Opera plans first visit to Portugal SCOTTISH OPERA have announced their plans for the coming Spring season, with a total of 62 performances planned in eight different centres During January they will be paying their first visit to Portugal, with three ances ot ine lurn oi ine Screw in Lisbon and one in Oporto. The total cost of the Spring tour, from March 12 to June 9. is expected ...

... LACK OF BALANCE IN 'DIE FLEDERMAUS' GLEN BYAM SHAW'S production of Die Fledermaus, which came to the London Coliseum again on December 15, retains its glittering charm, especially in its gay second-act groupings of singers and dancers and ranks as one of Sadler's Wells Opera's happiest spec tacles. It was a pity that the performance, though it had many good things about it, such as an ...

... Information AN INFORMATION service has been formed by the Royal Opera House to improve enquiry facilities for the public. The service is available for personal, telephone and postal enquiries concerning performances of opera and ballet, at Covent Gar den and on tour, booking and details of seat prices. The tele phone number for the service is 240-1911. Postal enquiries should be addressed to ...

... Magnetic Fonteyn FONTEYN has an incomparable quality of magnetism that touches most of her rftles with magic. Odette-Odile in Swan Lake has been one of the corner-stones of her repertoire for over thirty years and she returned to it for the first time this season at Covent Garden on November 20. The magic is still there, and always will be, but she now has less spring in her steps and her ...

... Nan Markey THE modestly ambitious Nan Markey Dance Group presented a new work of merit during their short season at St Mary Abbots Theatre on November 22. Built on Poulenc's Gloria and bearing the same name, this short ballet shows a consistency of style and is the most completely satisfactory all- dance piece Miss Markey has yet devised. The girls dance on demi- pointe, but at least one ...

... 'Don Pasquale' returns DONIZETTI'S Don Pasquale returns to Covent Garden for the first time since 1937 in a new production by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle opening on February 9. Geraint Evans is in the title role, with Elizabeth Harwood as Norina and Gabriel Bacquier and Ryland Davies as Dr Malatesta and Ernesto. John Pritchard conducts. A revival of last year's production of Nabucco opens on ...

... D'Oyly Carte JOHN REED celebrated his 21 years as principal comedian of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company with yet another impersonation of the Duke of Plaza Toro at Sadler's Wells Theatre on December 11. He could be forgiven if it seemed somewhat perfunctory and unfunny. It is not his fault that the Duke is one of Gilbert's most tedious and least humorous characters. But Mr Reed brought to ...