May 25, 1998

New York Mets defeat Milwaukee Brewers, 8-3, Shea Stadium; photo (M)

New Shakespeare Co to begin its summer season of Shakespeare in the part in London's Regent Park with A Midsummer Night's Dream; Annenberg collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterworks, paintings, watercolors and drawings, is returning to Metropolitan Museum of Art for fifth year, from May 26 to Nov 8; photo; Chicago Symphony Orchestra to present new version of Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio; pianist Oscar Peterson, one of giants of jazz, will play his first New York club date in five years, at Blue Note in Greenwich Village, this week; photo (M)

John Cardinal O'Connor gives homily opposing proposed New York City bill to make domestic partners legal equals of married couples as violation of natural moral law and blow to traditional marriage; couches criticism in nonsectarian terms, holding Roman Catholic Church has no right or desire to impose its teaching on others; bill would cover heterosexual and gay couples who have registered with city as partners; Mayor Rudolph W Giuliani defends bill, news conference; photo (M)

Most of some 200 refugees infected with AIDS virus who fled Haiti five years ago and were belatedly admitted to United States have still not won political asylum they seek; some have sickened and died; others are poor and unable to get work; most are struggling alone, cut off from support of Haitian immigrant community by AIDS stigma; most hide condition; HIV-positive immigrants comment, interviews; photo (M)

Article in series Early Steps. The Gubernatorial Campaign, on race for governor in New York State, focuses on candidacy of City Council Speaker Peter F Vallone, clear favorite of Democratic Party leaders; Vallone heads into this week's state party convention in Rye Brook as only candidate assured of getting 25 percent of delegates' votes needed to win automatic place on primary ballot; but some of party's strategists wonder how well Vallone, little known to voters outside of city, will shift from what has been an insiders' game, courting party officials and raising money, to broader campaign, courting Democratic voters from Niagara Falls to Montauk; photo (M)