Listening

Press, 25 September 1980, Page 15

Listening

‘Lulu’ The Austrian composer, Alban Berg, died in 1935, but the first performance of his complete three-act opera, “Lufu,” was not given until 1979 at the Theatre National de I’Opera de Paris. The incomplete opera was staged in 1937, and orchestration for the third act was completed subsequently by Freidrich Cerha. The “heroine” of the opera is a prostitute who typifies female sexuality and the story was based on two tragedies of the eminent German dramatist Frank Wedekind. The recording to be heard on tomorrow’s programme was' -made iir conjunction with the 1979 first performance of the completed Berg opera, and stars Teresa Stratas in the lead role of Lulu. The Paris Opera Orchestra and soloists are conducted by Pierre Boulez and the opera is introduced for Radio New. Zealand by Peter Walls. Concert programme, 7.40 p.m. tomorrow.

‘Jazz Scene’

In “Jazz. Scene” tomorrow a recent release from Ronnie Mathews, who has worked as a jazz musician for 20 years, can be heard. This is followed by a track from Ron Carter’s milestone album, “Parade.” Also on this recording are Joe Henderson and Chick Corea. Then music from Bobby Shrew, a trumpet player from the American West Coast who has become well known in New Zealand through his visits in the last two years, brings the programme to an end. National programme, 9.15 p.m. tomorrow.

Baxter memories The leading pacificist, Millicent Baxter, now in her nineties, is the mother of the late poet, James K. Baxter, and in her own right a woman whose life has had unusual significance and purpose. She was the daughter of two outstanding intellectuals of their day and wife of a noted author and conscientious objector, Archibald Baxter.' Tomorrow in the second part of a'twopart interview Peter Drake talks to Millicent Baxter as she looks back on her life. Concert programme, 7 p.m. tomorrow.