UP, UP, AND AWAY

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34128, 14 April 1976, Page 6

UP, UP, AND AWAY

(N Z. Press Association) SYDNEY. An American cellist, Miss Charlotte Moorman, suspended by helium-filled balloons, wafted about the Sydney Opera House at the week-end intermittently playing her cello. To the cheers of about 2000 spectators, she ascended at 2.12 p.m. and after 78 minutes alighted gently, to much acclaim. Miss Moorman’s husband, Mr Frank Pileggi, said that the happening was entitled

“Sky Kiss.” It had been designed for the artist in the United States, and was the grand finale of Charlotte Moorman’s contributions to the Australian-American festival. Dressed in black leotards, a wliite satin cape trimmed with swansdown, and a white feathered headdress symbolising the Opera House roof sails, Miss Morman drifted at heights between 10 and 15 metres. As she floated, attached to her bright, tiered balloons by parachute harness, she played sonorous snatches of melody from the song “Up, Up, and Away,” or plucked at her cello strings in a pizzicato effect.

In between the sporadic wielding of her bow, she waved to the crowds, blew kisses, and called greetings. Three times she descended for an enthusiastic exchange of kisses with admirers, before soaring aloft again. Intrigued, if somewhat bemused, the crowd followed the trail at walking pace, exhorted by Mr John Moulton of the Opera House staff to keep clear of the cables and three men holding the tugging guy ropes.

“Fantastic,” "Stupid,” “She's up there because she’s not allowed to practise at home . . But most people watched with a smile in silence.

A short time later, having recited a list of credits to her supporting cast, and. wished the crowd a happy Easter, she descended. Today, Miss Moorman and retinue fly to Honiara, capital of Guadalcanal in the British Solomon Islands, to enact a landing. As she struggled from her harness. Miss Moorman explained it would commemorate the American troops’ landing there in the Second World War.

N.Z. fashions in Sydney. : — Wool fashions designed Iby Peter Rigby of Wellington met an enthusiastic response when shown in Sydney. A spokesman for Rigby said he was considering breaking into the Australian fashion market, and would certainly be pleased with the showing. One of the models was Miss New Zealand Show Girl (Sarah Gatti, of Whangarei). who is in Sydney for the Royal Easter Show. — Sydney (P.A.).