On the beat: Licia Albanese dons her kimono once more at her Foundation's annual gala; Denyce Graves goes for a Latin beat; the wonderful world of Walton at Yale.

Ever wonder where the hardcore opera fans went? One place you're sure to find them is at the annual LICIA ALBANESE-PUCCINI FOUNDATION gala concert. For one glorious afternoon each fall, this event turns Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall into a big nostalgia wallow. The Foundation was established in 1974 to help young artists develop via scholarships, grants, coachings and master classes, and the pretext of the annual gala is to present the top winners of the Voice Competition in concert. At this year's festivities, a tribute to the centennial of Polish tenor JAN KIEPURA, there were some outstanding talents, including a young contralto who performed "You'll Never Walk Alone," MEREDITH ARWADY--a still-developing singer, but definitely one with potential--and soprano EGLISE GUTIERREZ, who offered a fresh approach to "Qui la voce." Particularly impressive were two of the top prize-winners, soprano LATONIA MOORE, who gave a ravishing performance of Edgar's "Addio, mio dolce amor," and tenor JAMES VALENTI, who was splendid in L'Arlesiana's "E la solita storia." There should have been a bow for the voice teacher, too, since Gutierrez, Moore and Valenti are all students of the estimable WILLIAM SCHUMAN at Philadelphia's Academy of Vocal Arts.

But it isn't the chance to hear exciting young voices that makes the diehard fans come out of the woodwork. This is one awards gala where the presenters steal the winners' thunder. Each year, Albanese corrals a stunning lineup of veteran stars for cameo appearances. This year's guests included TERESA BERGANZA, LEYLA GENCER, ANNA MOFFO, ELAINE MALBIN and JANE POWELL. Then there were those who sang: LUCINE AMARA opened the festivities with "The Star Spangled Banner" and returned for a gorgeous rendition of "Marietta's Lied" from Die Tote Stadt. FEDORA BARBIERI, who received the afternoon's most frenzied ovation, welcomed the audience with a booming "Reverenza," a memento of the many Mistress Quicklys she sang at the Met and elsewhere. Then she pulled a ROBERTO BENIGNI Academy Awards number, calling out "I love America! I love everybody!" Kiepura's widow, MARTA EGGERTH, offered a lovely medley from Emmerich Kalman's Czardasfurstin in three languages and, as a tribute to her husband, "The Anniversary Waltz." She was rewarded with a standing ovation. ROBERT MERRILL gamely croaked Irving Berlin's "Always," mistress of ceremonies PATRICE MUNSEL offered "Lydia the Tattooed Lady" with her own lyrics ("You have a voice glorioso/And a torso even moreso"). Best of all: the incomparable MARGARET WHITING, who sang a deep-toned, soulful "It Might as Well Be Spring."

There was also plenty to satisfy the high-camp camp. Champion whistler MICHAEL BARIMO took the stage and whistled his way through "Der Holle Rache" from Die Zauberflote. (This must have pleased Munsel, who got her show-biz start as a six-year-old whistler.) That was only a warm-up: Barimo returned with a back-up chorus to whistle Puccini's ...