November 25, 1998

Bernard Holland reviews Metropolitan Opera new production of La Traviata, designed by Franco Zeffirelli; photo (M)

Betting on Wired Future, Internet Pioneers Combine Envisioning a networked world in which the Internet is a limitless marketplace of information, entertainment, products and services, America Online laid out the details of its agreement to buy Netscape Communications for $4.2 billion. America Online hopes that by moving quickly toward what both companies have recently come to see as the inevitable convergence of technology and media, it will secure a solid lead in a battle for market share that will pit the merged company against giants like Microsoft and I.B.M. [Page A1.]

International Paper Co, nation's largest paper maker, will acquire rival Union Camp Corp for $5 billion in stock in one of first consolidations in industry that has consistently lost money because of overproduction; merger will greatly expand International Paper's leading market position in office paper market and make it No.2 supplier of containerboard, used to make boxes; will be followed by $300 million cost-cutting program; moribund paper industry shares surge on move (M)

Eat the Document, 1966 documentary on Bob Dylan, to be screened at Museum of Television and Radio in Manhattan, in connection with release by Columbia Records of Dylan's Live 1966 CD's; photo; Steven Spielberg's Righteous Persons Foundation makes grant of $500,000 to create Steven Spielberg Digital Yiddish Library at National Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Mass, which has recovered nearly 1.5 million volumes that serve as record of Jewish life before Holocaust; Julius Rudel to conduct La Boheme at Metropolitan Opera in performance that will commemorate his 20th season at Met; photo; Canadian country singer Shania Twain leads balloting in 26th annual American Country Music Awards, with five nominations (M)

Georgia's pecan nut harvest will be only about 50 million pounds this year, about half of what is normal, as result of adverse weather conditions; harvest is now going full bore and is likely to continue well into December; photos (M)