The living arts Gamba back for third N.Z. tour

Press, 2 June 1981, Page 24

The living arts Gamba back for third N.Z. tour

The visiting Italian conductor, Piero Gamba, will conduct the New Zealand .Symphony Orchestra in a concert at the Christchurch Town Hall on Saturday in which the: soloist will be the veteran Russian . pianist, Shura Cherkassky.' Two symphonies will be featured in the programme — Douglas Lilburn’s Third, composed in 1961, and Dvorak’s Eighth. Cherkassky will play Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1.

Gamba, now aged 44 has been conducting on the international circuit for more than 35 years and has given well over 5000 concerts in 300 cities of 40 countries. He has also made numerous recordings. His travels have given Piero Gamba fluent command of eight languages, and a versatility of repertoire difficult to match.

Born the son of a violinist in Rome in 1936, Piero Gamba started his musical studies at the age of eight, and made such. swift progress that he was able to conduct his first concert six months later at the Opera House in Rome.' In 1948 he made a dramatic London debut with the Liverpool Philharmonic, conducting without a score. By the age of 14 he had finished his training in harmony, counterpoint and fugue, composition

and instrumentation, and soon afterwards he composed three symphonic poems which are” still performed. Gamba was a founder of the Symphonicum Europea in 1964, and in 1971 he accepted the musical directorship of the Winnipeg Symphony. He resigned this post last October to return to full-time guest conducting. Gamba is making his third tour with the NZSO. which he conducted in 1969 and 1979. Shura Cherkassky, one of

the veterans of the concert platform, is also making his third tour with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. He played with the orchestra in 1961 and 1969. Shura Cherkassky, born in 1911, left Russia in his early life and went to the United States, where he studied in Philadelphia under Josef Hofmann, a pupil of Anton Rubenstein. He made his

first major European tour in 1946, and a Hamburg concert launched him as one of the leading pianists of the day. Shura Cherkassky appears regularly in festivals at Salzburg, Corinthia, and Vienna, he has played on every continent and with every major orchestra, under such conductors as Guilini, Karajan, Kempe and Sir Charles Groves, and he has made numerous recordings, although he dislikes doing so because, he says, he wants to

make every performance different.

At 70. Shura Cherkassky still fulfils international concert engagements for nine months of the year, and practices at least four or five hours a day. For the other three months, “in order to live a little longer,” he abandons the piano and pursues his passion for travel. In the last northern summer he toured China and Indonesia. On his return from these travels he always insists on a full month of practice before undertaking any engagement. Cherkassky will perform Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 in all his concerts with the NZSO. He will also give three solo recitals, playing works by Mendelssohn. Schumann, Chopin and Stravinsky, but none of these will be in Christchurch — they will be in Invercargill, Auckland, and Napier. New look

An Auckland artist who has become very well known in Christchurch through his “guest appearances" will open his first one-man show in the city at the Brook/ Gifford Gallery today. He is Richard Killeen, winner of the 1976 Benson and Hedges Art Award. The exhibition will show a new aspect of his work, because Killeen has moved away.from what he calls the “constrictions” of

the conventional framed painting, and his most recent work has been made of cutout and sprayed aluminium. His exhibition features five of these works, the smallest containing 12 pieces, the largest 20. Killeen uses aluminium to achieve the effect of working “flat on the wall.” and has . developed a style which combines abstract and pictorial elements. The shapes used include those of insects, birds, leaves, and abstract symbols, but the pieces are. not arranged in any specific. order. Thus an clement of chance enters the work Richard Killeen’s exhibition will continue until June 19. Loose ideas Coinciding with the Killeen exhibition is a show at the Robert McDougall Art Gallery which illustrates a former new direction in New Zealand art. Entitled “Loose Canvas,”, it Includes works by six well-known artists who show a variety of approaches to the practice of dispensing with the traditionaal stretcher and frame. The frame began to disappear from some of the work of many New Zealand artists from the late 19505. Some continued to paint on canvas while others preferred rough jute, large ,sheets_ of paper, or sheet

plastic. The absence of frames and stretchers- allowed. artists to work more rapidly, as ideas developed, and in time irregular, loose canvas edges and gentle movement in the air became an essential part of works. By working on loose canvas artists were able to increase the size of their works, bv joining large sheets of canvas together. The exhibition includes paintings by Philip Trusttum, Colin McCahon. Phil Clairmont. Ralf Hotere, Don Driver, and a very large recent work by Don Peebles. Each work shows how the

artist approaches and uses the selected loose painting medium and how he chooses to manipulate this loose support to extend the concept of the painting. Ask and receive A temporary reversal of

roles during a visit to the Court Theatre by Peter Hawes, front man of the TV programme. “Yours for the Asking,” led to the creation of a new play which will open tonight in the Court’s intimate theatre, the Studio. When Hawes visited the Court Theatre to gather information for the programme. Elric Hooper, the artistic director of the Court, said to him: “You’re a witty chap. Y’ou’ve written novel's

and things. How about writing a play for our new Stuio Theatre. Three people. Two hours long.” Hawes said, “You’re on,’’.and six weeks later the play, now called “Alf’s General Theory of Relativity,” arrived. “Alf’s Theory” is described as an hilarious nightmare — part Goon Show, part Kafka, part Monty Python, part Beckett, but entirely Peter Hawes. The plot recounts the efforts of Stanley McVicar (played by David Copeland) to escape from the office in which he finds himself trapped. Alf, a philosophical signwriter who has a variety of amazing theories about science, art, and life, and the tea lady, who is also the champion short-story writer of Spreydon, are his only contact with the outside world. Alf is played by John Curry and the tea lady by Gwyneth Hughes.

Through the bizarre humour peeps a sinister element. The play often refers to Herman Melville’s short story, “Bartleby, the

Scrivener," in which Bartleby the law clerk slowly opts out of life by saying, when asked to do things. "I would prefer not to.” Stanley McVicar, the hero of Hawes’ plaj r fears he may be going the’ same way as Bartleby. Elric Hooper is directing this addition to the list of original New Zealand works presented by the Court Studio.

In the other new play at the Court Theatre this week Hooper will return to acting after an absence of nearly three years, during which he has been fully occupied in production. He has the central role of George in Roger Hall's new play, “FiftyFifty,” under the direction of Stuart Devehie. The season will open on Saturday. Martyn Duffy plays George’s over-educated and under-employed son and Tomascita Edgerton his irreverent and affectionate daughter. Yvonne Martin plays the new tenant of the flat which is being vacated bv George. ' Also in the cast is a newcomer to the Court company — Bruce Philips, whose work at Downstage Theatre in Wellington has been highly praised. Simon-Allison has designed the sets for both plays, but they will be his last for a while. He is about to leave for further study in stage design in Australia.

Song contestants Thirty-six singers, including 11’ from Christchurch have been chosen to compete in the broadcast elimination rounds of the 1981 Mobil Song Quest, beginning on June 7. They were selected from more than 200 entries. Dame Joan Hammond, the

internationally acclaimed Australian soprano, will judge the finalists — selected from the radio broadcasts — at a concert to be held in the James Hay Theatre, Christchurch, on August 5. The members of the preliminary judging panel were Maurice Till, the pianist; Lin Saunders, the “New Zealand Herald” music critic, and Helen Young. Radio New Zealand's Concert Network manager. A feature of this year’s Mobil Song Quest is the introduction of a ?5000 scholarship for the most promising singer under the age of 26. Entitled the Dame Joan Hammond award, the prize will enable the successful singer to study for two years

under Dame Joan s direction at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne.

As an extension of the contest. Dame Joan will conduct master classes in Auckland and Christchurch on August 3 and 6. The Christchurch contestants are John Harker. Jillian Bartram, Diane Low, Janette Riley, Brian Reddington. Rosemary Ellis. Gillian Riseley, Richard Cooper. Judy Bellingham. James Baines, and Raeleen Donald. Top drawer

A play which has been presented annually at the Old Vic Theatre, London, for the last three years, and which was used to launch Britain’s contribution to the International Year of the Child, will be presented by the Canterbury Children's Theatre in the spring. It is “The Gingerbread Man,” by David Wood — an imaginative work whose setting is a Welsh dresser in a corner of a large kitchen. Auditions to choose a cast will be held on Thursday evening.

The play is a musical one, and the holders of the main roles must be able to sing as well as act. The parts include Herr von Cuckoo, Swiss-made clock cuckoo who is constantly being threatened with-the dustbin; Salt, a baritone in a sailor suit; Pepper, a "red-hot chanteuse”;the Old Bag, a shorttempered contralto tea-bag; Sleek the Mouse, a villain; and of course the Gingerbread Man. Rehearsals will start in mid-June, and the play will run in the Repertory Theatre from August 22 to September 5.

Scores wanted The South Brighton Choral Society is looking for. copies of full scores for a proposed presentation of “Merrie England.” The society’s librarian, Mrs M. K. Inglis, says all care will be taken of any scores lent to the society. Auditions Auditions will be held in the Ngaio Marsh Theatre on Saturday for two Edward Albee plays which . will comprise the next production - by the University. Drama Society. The plays are “Zoo Story” and “The Death of Bessie Smith,” and they will be directed by Mervyn Glue. ■ Two female and six male factors are required. 7