Re the comment about seat prices for opera - don't take Covent Garden or the Met as typical. Welsh National Opera are among the best companies and they have one of the very best theatres at Wales Millennium Centre. Tickets for the current production of La Boheme are priced at £5 to £40. I've been to folk concerts with higher prices, and I wish I could watch a Welsh Rugby International for £40!

We belong to an opera group, watching DVD on a big screen. Our programme for this year includes Puccini, Mozart, Jancek, Gershwin, Mascagni, Ravel, Verdi, Donizetti, Giordano & Mussorgsky (Boris Godunov - one of my favourites).

BTW, I liken Wagner to a poor fruit cake - you have to plough through a lot of stodge to find the sultanas!

Phil