14 FEBRUARY 1987, Page 36

First night

Sir: Frank Johnson's admirable article on the first night at Covent Garden of Verdi's Otello (Domingo — free for some', 24 January) brought back to my mind Robert Browning's lines:

Verdi looked through all the roaring and the wreaths Where sat Rossini silent in his stall.

Graham Greene

Antibes, France