... Last Tango On The North Circular/Caedmon/The Menaced Assassin DONMAR I Ht tirst opera in tnis, tne seconu Carden Venture programme intended to assist young British opera composers, is something of a tour de force, con ducted by Peter Wiegold who also composed and wrote the libretto. The beguiling title for surely London Underground and British Rail suggest not a tango, but a dance of death ...

... Les Malheurs d'Orphee/Genevieve de Brabant/Renard QEH PERFORMED by the Matrix Ensemble, in collaboration with The Little Angel Marionette Theatre, this ingenious triple bill of miniature operas simultaneously pleased and left one unsatisfied, providing perhaps a perfect pleasure. Much of the interest of the latter scores, written for puppets, was in the expert handling of the very human ...

... Cosi Fan Tutte SADLER'S WELLS A VERY satisfactory account here from Travelling Opera of Mozart's sublime comedy, carefully and imaginatively directed by Peter Knapp, and well characterised by the -entire cast. Knapp's own translation neatly and effectively scores the comic points, even though its Edwardian updating gents in linen suits sometimes makes it resemble, as do most English versions ...

... Pilobolus SADLER'S WELL THE AMERICAN Pilobolus is a popu lar group. This is its third visit to Sadler's Wells since 1985 (plus a season last year by the satellite ensemble Momix), and the audience invariably catches on to the idea that crescendo-ing applause at the final curtain begets encores. By far the best piece on the five item programme was the opening, Bonsai, which we have seen each ...

... Lost in space PETER HEPPLE on the admirable but disconcertingly large opera EARL'S COURT Carmen I REMAIN to be convinced that any type of entertainment, be it grand opera or Michael Jackson, is seen at its best in an arena holding many thousands of people, for it inevitably becomes an event in a venue rather than an experience in a theatre. wnen, in wnat is one oi me oetter seats behind the ...