Peter Slater played Music While I Work at a recent meeting. He likes to play opera while gardening or decorating and, after estimating how long the task will take, he selects an opera of similar length.

Among the famous voices featured were Benjiamino Gigli, Carlo Bergonzi, Elisabeth Schwardzkopf, Jon Vickers, Frederika von Stade, Rona Ponselle, Ezio Pinza, Christa Ludwig and Victoria De Los Angeles and, rarely heard these days, Lauritz Melchoir.

Mr Slater began his programme with the death scene in La Triviata, followed by an unusual, orchestral version of the prayer to the Evening Star from Tannhauser.

There were arias from Logengrin, Madama Butterfly, II Travoatore, Andrew Chenier and Les Huguenots and one of the most popular arias, Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix from Samson and Dalila sung by Rita Gorr and Jon Vickers.

Jessye Norman was heard in the Libestod from Tristan and Isolde, and the aria sung by Liu in Turandot - Signore Ascolte, was sung by Montserrat Cabelle.

The programme ended with Pavarotti in the closing scene to Lucia de Lammermoor, and the final chorus from Marriage of Figaro, with the dream cast of Thomas Allen, Kiri Te Kanawa, Lucia Popp, Frederika von Stade and Samuel Ramey.

The 39th annual meeting will be held on Friday, May 25 - members are asked to bring a contribution to the buffet, which will follow the business meeting.

Pianist Sarah Beth Briggs will be making her second appearance in Kidderminster as guest of the Classical Music Society on Friday, June 8. Her first visit was in 2002.

She will appear in Kidderminster Library, the recital to start at 7.30pm. Tickets are priced at £8, or £6 to society members. Her programme will include Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata, Liszt's Nocutre 3 from Liebestraume, and Haydn's Sonata in C major, plus music by Chopin and Debussy.

Sarah Beth was a pupil of the late Denis Matthews, husband of CMS president Beryl Chempin. The York-based pianist made history as an 11-year-old by becoming the youngest ever finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, making her Fairfield Hall concert debut within a year.

She drew international attention when she was 15, becoming the joint winner of the International Mozart competition in Salzburg.

Her US concert debut was made at the San Francisco Midsummer Mozart Festival, to which she has returned several times.

Her globe-trotting career includes recitals in Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria and Italy. Highlights have included giving the world- premiere performance of newly discovered pieces by Benjamin Britten at the Chester Festival, as well as numerous international radio and television recordings.

her regular haunts as a concert soloist include London's South Bank auditoria and Barbican Centre, as well as Manchester's Bridgewater Hall, while she has played with numerous orchestras including the Halle, London Mozart Players, London Philharmonic and the English Chamber Orchestra.

In 1987 she branched out to develop her chamber music skills when a Hindesmith Scholarship saw her study under Bruno Giuranna at an International series of master classes in Switzerland.

For tickets for June 8, or further details, contact Von Stewart on 01562 755990.

VON STEWART