I am not a fan of opera. I've been to The Opera twice, and have fallen asleep each time. I cannot understand why they don't just sing normally, instead of screeching and bellowing.

However... I think I've dicovered an opera I'll like: Oliver Knussen's "Higglety Pigglety Pop!". If you've got today's Guardian, turn to page 15 of the Review section. Just stare at that picture for five minutes - a woman dressed as a dog, carrying a bag down a giant flight of stairs. Genius!

Now read the synopsis: "the heroine of Higglety is a white Sealyham terrier, Jennie, who has everything a dog could possibly want, but is sure there must be more to life than having all that her owners can provide, and sets off to find it. In the big wide world she has a series of increasingly bizarre encounters - with a pig in sandwich boards, a cat milkman, a baby who refuses to eat, and a talking ash tree, before becoming the leading lady of the Mother Goose World Theatre. Jennie has found herself and become a star."

Double genius!