19 JULY 1963, Page 14

'OUR M . 4N IN HAVANA' SIR,—In the course of his friendly

and highly en- couraging review of Our Man in Havana, Edward Greenfield stated that my original libretto had been 'cut to shreds.' May 1 be permitted respectfully to point out that this is news indeed to me?

SIDNEY GILLIAT Broadwick House, Broadwick Street, WI [Edward Greenfield writes: 'I am sorry if my phrase exaggerated the radical cutting inevitable when a composer sets a libretto. To his other great qualities as a librettist Mr. Gilliat adds an unusual modesty in coping with the composer's require- ments.'—Editor, Spectator.)