Gentlemen:  This is not a very important question, but one which has
bothered me somewhat for some time.  Perhaps someone can set me
straight on this.

The usual pronunciation of calliope is as it rhymes with "tree".
I have been told by people in the business (including my mentor, the
late Rice Berkshire) that the correct pronunciation of calliope is as
rhymes with rope (with a long O and the e being silent).  Can someone
tell me which is correct?

Best to all of you.

Jim Cook

By the way, this is in plain ASCII text.  Is that easier to post?

 [ That's just as I like it, Jim: plain ASCII.  By the way, you
 [ should use your web browser to check the Cross-reference MMD
 [ Archives.  There are 47 entries for "Calliope", and in Digests
 [ 980120 and 980121 is the thread, How to Pronounce 'Calliope'.
 [ Tommy Forney's explanation is cute:
 [
 [> ... He called it "callie-ope", explaining that, "You don't eat a
 [> cantillopy for breakfast, now, do you?"
 [
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 [ -- Robbie