Michael York is ready to relinquish his crown ... but not just yet. He ends 26 weeks of touring as King Arthur in Lerner and Loewe's "Camelot" here in Pittsburgh this week.

The 65-year-old British actor rose to fame on screen nearly 40 years ago, notably in "Romeo and Juliet" (1968), "Cabaret" (1972) and "The Three Musketeers" (1973). He's been reaching new audiences in recent years as Basil Exposition, Mike Myers' boss in the "Austin Powers" films, plus making use of that smooth, suave voice of his in animated fare from "Family Guy" to "Justice League."

With "Camelot," for Pittsburgh CLO Tuesday through next Sunday, he's tackling his first musical.

"My M.O. is to do everything. It's so much more interesting that way," he says by phone recently from Aspen, where he was participating in the Colorado city's annual Ideas Festival, expanding a workshop he'd done previously on Shakespeare and leadership.

Still, he says the week offers the first free time he's had since January, and he seems eager to chat about his "Camelot" experience.

Charming even over the phone lines -- you can tell why he's in demand for voice work -- he explains about dabbling in all aspects of entertainment. "In the same way the Renaissance actor was expected to be a musician, a dancer and a playwright ... I just hate that we're all sort of shoved into pigeon holes and labeled this or that." He pauses, then chuckles. "So singing actors are not that farfetched."

Certainly not for the team of Lerner and Loewe, who perfected the practice for Rex Harrison in "My Fair Lady" and Richard Burton in "Camelot."

York was already considering the role when he came across a persuasive point: In a Sotheby's catalog, he found a letter written by Burton while he was rehearsing "Camelot." It said "what a great acting role had come his way. He didn't mention it was a singing role, but as an acting role it had lots of opportunities, as is the case."

"Another factor was that this version was a slight revision that was being supervised by Alan Jay Lerner's children," York continues. "They'd been wanting to do it and his daughter, Liza, was a producer, and his son, Michael, did some of the tweaks in the writing, going back to his father's paper more often than not, to see where the intentions were.

"So it's trimmed, it's fast-moving, it's not your parents' four-hour 'Camelot.' The intention was to make it move."

Audiences who are familiar with the musical, which debuted on Broadway in 1960 with a cast that included Julie Andrews, haven't complained about the changes. In this version, "the magic realism is gone" -- Arthur doesn't have a reunion with Merlin, for example. York describes Guenevere (played by Rachel York; not related) as more pro-active than we've seen her.

Also, Lancelot's "great aria," as York calls it, "If Ever I Would Leave You," no longer begins the second act. "It's now in the second act where it's actually saying something dramatic, rising out of the situation, not gratuitous. And we've done another thing -- we've presented Mordred earlier. He doesn't just pop in in the second act. He's there as a sort of threat hanging over everything."

Another factor for York was the message in "Camelot" -- that "might for right" debate begun in the book that spawned the musical, T.H. White's "The Once and Future King" -- and the political climate here and abroad.

"I felt the timing for this was so right, that we were living in a pretty gray time ... and people need to be reminded of the power of charismatic leadership, of when you have an inspired leader with great ideas," he says. "Now, it may not last. It may be a 'brief shining moment' for civilization, but it's there. And that's why this legend has attracted so many writers and poets and musicians down through the centuries."

There's this serious side to York, and there's the side that brings out Basil, as befitting an actor who likes to try different things. He knows the "Austin Powers" fans because "They bring pictures. But I don't mind that. I did lecture at the Chautauqua Institution on Shakespeare, and a whole bunch of kids came to see Basil, but they stayed to see Shakespeare, which I think is great."

York travels to discuss classical theater and literature, including to Pittsburgh, to speak on Rudyard Kipling for the International Poetry Forum, and "I came back to do a Shakespeare thing" for the Poetry Forum again, in 1999.

"And I know there's another reason for coming," he says. "The city seems to get more and more handsome and beautiful as time goes by."

There's that charm again. It may also have to do with the anticipation of a good thing coming to a satisfying conclusion. "We'll all be in a wistful and celebratory mood because it's the end of the line and the end of a joyful companionship."

York will hand his crown over to Lou Diamond Phillips for the remainder of the "Camelot" tour, which goes into next year.

"And then I'm off to do a movie," says York, who politely says he won't give details because contracts are not complete, and he's superstitious that way. He will say, "It's an interesting change of pace."

That would be right in line with his M.O.