BUST BOWL

The Hollywood Bowl has lost its responsibility to provide worthwhile summer programs to its huge audiences. I have noticed a decline in the last five seasons and this July 4th concert was an embarrassment.

There are easily 8,000 children at the Bowl on the Fourth--a rare opportunity to introduce classical music of fine quality to potential future concertgoers. The selections this year were mediocre and super boring. The quality of the Long Beach Symphony, conducted by Murry Sidlen, left a lot to be desired, but I’ll let the experts explain that one. The fireworks, which are normally wonderful, also fizzled.

The hours of picnic preparation, the traffic, the restless and increasingly bored and tired children, the cost of the tickets requires that the Hollywood Bowl provide us (your faithful audience) with a performance worthy of this kind of effort.

Frankly, the bald eagle was a giant turkey this year.

MRS. AVIVA SOKOL MONOSSON

Los Angeles