Sir, Glyndebourne Touring Opera has decided not to vist Oxford at all next year and the Welsh National Opera will perform for five nights, compared with its usual 15 nights. Thus, within a two-year span, Oxford is having its high-quality opera performances reduced from 20 to five nights. This matters because Oxford should be a major cultural, as well as business and shopping centre.

These things all reinforce each other. Educational links with world-class theatre, opera and dance are also dramatically reduced. The New Theatre is seriously inadequate and that's what the two companies have said for several years now. Nothing of any substance has been done to improve facilities for either artistes or audience. A new (really new) theatre for opera, musicals,dance and conferences is not on any planning horizon; West End, East End or any other end. Shameful.

Margaret Maden Oxford