11 AUGUST 1973, Page 5

Opera Department, BBC, London WI Will Waspe writes: I am

as delighted to learn that the Bayreuth tapes are free as I was surprised when their availability was mentioned as an excuse for not taking the Coliseum cycle when the matter was first broached. Mr Sudden is right in saying that the four Coliseum productions were broadcast individually. Not all, however, were conducted by Goodall, who does — as the BBC finds it hard to appreciate — make a difference.