January 27, 1999

Gov George E Pataki says that for next five years New York State should use 75 percent of its share of national tobacco lawsuit settlement, or $1.5 billion, to help reduce state debt; says that in first five years of 25-year settlement, 25 percent, or about $100 million a year, will go to state's share of health care; health care advocates had hoped for more money for coverage of more than 3 million New Yorkers who are not insured and for anti-smoking programs (M)

Dave Anderson Sports of The Times column describes scene at Joe's Stone Crab restaurant in Miami, Fla, as Denver Broncos offensive linemen, assistant coaches and several family members dined; photo (M)

Atlanta Olympic organizers are preparing for International Olympic Committee investigation of possible fraud and other unethical behavior in their winning bid to host 1996 Summer Olympic Games; photo (M)

Warner-Lambert to Acquire Agouron for $2.1 Billion Warner-Lambert, one of the hottest companies in the drug industry, said that it would acquire Agouron Pharmaceuticals, a small biotechnology firm, for $2.1 billion in stock. The deal enables Warner-Lambert to add Agouron's Viracept, the nation's leading protease inhibitor, to its pipeline along with several other anti-viral and cancer drugs. Although the deal was announced after the market closed, shares of both stocks climbed steadily throughout the day before they were halted in afternoon trading. Shares of Warner-Lambert rose $1.625, to $69.125, while Agouron jumped $3.65625, or 6.9 percent, to $56.8125. [Page C4.]

Bernard Holland comments on musical phenomenon of the 'master class,' whereby opera singers, often retiring divas, are able to give such public classes, and keep themselves before an admiring public; raging success of Terrence McNally's 'Master Class' on Broadway a few years back, with Zoe Caldwell as McNally's version of Maria Callas, has made the real thing more attractive to everyone concerned: organizers able to win new audiences, audiences themselves hoping to bask in insider wisdom, and the teachers, too; photos of Callas, and of Marilyn Horne and Leontyne Price giving master classes (M)