Paris:-Thursday, 28. November 1996:- Admittedly it is getting less rare to receive letters from readers, and even if they come via the Internet - the certain ease of needing neither envelope and nor stamp, does not reduce the time necessary for composition - so, I salute all letter-writers for taking the time to write. The feedback is very important.

From: David Littlefield, via the Internet Date: Mon, 25 Nov 1996 15:08 Subject: Just returned from a week in Paris

For the past couple months, I've enjoyed reading your publication in preparation for my just completed one-week vacation in Paris. Received some good tips and you certainly helped set my mood for a wonderful week.

Favorites: 1. Seeing Veronese's Marriage at Cana in the Louvre. It was under renovation and repair during my past two visits. And the new Louvre in general. Although the Richelieu wing lacks some of the charm and opulence of Denon, the better lighting alone is a fine improvement.

2. The celebration/remembrance of Andre Malraux. I tried to imagine how anything like that could ever occur in the U.S. Of course, we haven't created many of his stature to honor anyway.

Disappointment: 1. The strike by stagehands at Opera Bastille which resulted in a concert version of Lohengrin on Friday the 22nd. But even then, the reimbursement of part of the ticket price helped my vacation budget. And the performance was still grand.

I'll continue to check in on Metropole Paris periodically. I don't intend to let another four years pass before I return!

David -

I asked an Opéra buff about this sort of 'wildcat strike.' He said that they are fairly common and regular audiences live with them. There are something like four to six unions behind the curtains; and weak management in front. About two years ago there was a 'Gala-evening' sponsored by one of the Rothschilds, with considerable proceeds to go to the ballet school, and the corps de ballet went on strike for the occasion.

There are a number of people who live in and around Paris for no other reason than to be here in the Opéra season. It means that practically every performance of every production is already half sold-out as soon as the annual or season program appears. These people are just as disappointed by canceled performances as a visitor, whose anticipated high point of a rare trip to Paris, is attendance at a production of the Opéra.

About letters to Metropole Paris: All letters received are answered. If I think the writer's comments might be of interest to Metropole's other readers, I ask the letter-writer for permission to run the letter, with the reply that I have already sent privately. You will only see letters here that the author has given permission for Metropole to publish. Without it, no publication.

The exception was last week, when I ran a handful of letters. I had sent replies to all of them, and all of them 'bounced.' The letters were published in the hopes that their writers might be reading this section of Metropole, and attempt a re-contact. If you have written, and you have received no answer from me, then it is likely that your return e-mail address was incorrect, or that the Internet was in a tizzy that day, or - who knows? Give it another shot.