exhibition circuit, it's now back to business as usual for the National Gallery.

Not content with taking a well-earned `breather', the Gallery re-opened at the end of January, not with one show, but five. These include special exhibitions on local artist, the late Charles Lloyd Tucker; a retrospective of Catherine and Ethel Tucker, artist sisters who also operated the famous Little Green Door tea room; highlights of the Masterworks Bermudiana Collection selected by Lady Waddington and Lady Swan; a selection of 20th century art, rather quaintly titled `Modern Art', and finally, the permanent collection of European art is now back in its own Watlington Room.

In addition, the list of Gallery events between now and May suggests that the Gallery is making full use of its salubrious surroundings to encourage cultural evening events as well as staging another impressive list of special exhibitions.

The first of these will be a retrospective, attended in person by sculptor Bill Ming, which opens at the beginning of March.

Appropriately titled The Home Comin', the Bermuda-born artist and sculptor left here in 1971. Having lived in Britain ever since, he was the first recipient of the Liverpool John Moore University Fellowship, which is funded by the Henry Moore Foundation.

English sculptor Henry Moore, who died in 1986, is recognised as one of the greatest sculptors of this century, and the Fund was established to help other artists.

Mr. Ming will be giving a lecture during his visit here, in the Board Room of New Hall at the Stonington Campus of the Bermuda College on March 7.

To assist in the cost of the Bill Ming exhibition, the Gallery will host a Jazz Evening by the popular group, Legacy, on March 10. Featured players include Mitch Looby on bass, Lionel Trane Edwards on sax, trumpeter Winston De Graff, with Derek Simmons on guitar and Denton Leader on drums. Tickets are $20 (members $15).

Two lectures will be given at the Gallery during March, the first another in the series by Mrs. Maurine Cooper, on March 15. This time, she will be talking and showing slides of Artists and the Dance. Tickets $15 (members $10).

The second lecture takes place on March 20, when Mr. Arthur Hodgson will talk about the life and work of Charles Lloyd Tucker. Organised by the Masterworks Foundation, tickets are $15 ($10 for members).

A major fund-raising event takes place on March 18 and 19 when Mrs. Marjorie Pettit produces and directs Four Centuries of Song.

Some of Bermuda's best-known musicians will take part in a programme of music that ranges from 16th century composer Thomas Weelkes to Andrew Lloyd Webber.

A special, eight-part chamber choir has been assembled, with soprano Akiko Murakami and tenor Brian Semos returning to Bermuda for the occasion. Margaret Fox and William Duncan will be at the piano, with Lisa Wyatt on clarinet, Jonathan Palmer on double bass and Glynn Quarterley on percussion.

"This will be a very varied programme,'' promises Mrs. Pettit. "We have been rehearsing since January and I can promise you this is a top-notch choir.'' The programme includes Bach By Jove, and songs by Schubert and Mendelssohn.

The choir will be singing the Pie Jesu by Andrew Lloyd Webber and a selection from his Phantom of the Opera, as well as The Weather Song by Mozart and Die Nacht by Schubert.

Other solos include excerpts from Mendelssohn's Elijah, a set of four gypsy songs by Dvorak, and The Tale of the Oyster by Cole Porter. After three spirituals, the concert ends with the choir, led by Akiko Marakami singing the Badinerie from the Suite in B Minor by J.S. Bach.

Tickets for this event are $40, but this, says Gallery director Mrs. Laura Gorham, will include a champagne reception. Seating is limited, so early reservations are advised. Telephone 295-9428 for further information.

SCULPTOR RETURNS -- Mr. Bill Ming pictured at the National Gallery yesterday, where his exhibition, The Home Comin', opens on March 5.