While Bill Harpe’s obituary for Peter Moores (Other lives, 18 June) covers some of this remarkable philanthropist’s achievements, much is missing. His passion for opera led him to finance the Royal Northern College of Music’s vocal programme for very many years. His close relationship with the musicologist Patric Schmid led to his financing a cornucopia of recordings for Opera Rara.
His belief in the importance of a listener understanding the texts of opera not only resulted in the many Opera in English recordings Harpe mentions but also in his annual financing the Batignano Festival in Italy so that young British singers could sing in Italian to Italians.
His final act of operatic philanthropy was financing one new production for each of the main British opera companies. Among his contributions to various museums was the painting of Nancy Storace (the first Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro) to the National Portrait Gallery. Peter spent his time and money wisely and well.
Adam Pollock
London
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
