Billboard

Press, 5 April 1989, Page 24

Billboard

Sound of Music “The Sound of Music" is 30 years old this year. It opened as a musical on Broadway in New York in 1959 and ran for 1443 performances. The film broke all-time box office records. The Rodgers and Kammerstein musical is to be staged by the Christchurch Gilbert and Sullivan and Light Opera Society at the Theatre Royal from April 8-22. Performances start at 7.30 p.m. The early start time reflects the number of children in the show — and the number expected in the audience. The cast includes Diane Lowe, Phillipa Mcßride, Sharon Howells and John Milligan. The director is Bryan Aitken. He says he has drawn together concepts from the original production, the film and the revised version which Richard Rogers did for the 1981 West End revival, in which Petula Clark played the role of Maria. The musical director is Sue Eason. Organ recital A German organist, Christoph Lorenz, will give a recital at Christchurch Cathedral in the Square on April 10 at 8 p.m. Lorenz was born in Duisberg and studied organ, harpsichord and conducting in Cologne, Paris and Cracow. He is director of music at St Peter’s Cathedral in Dusseldorf and a professor at the Papal Church Music Institute in Rome. He has had visiting professorships in the United States and Mexico and has given organ concerts in Europe, Africa, North and South America, Asia and Australia. His programme will include works by Vaughan Williams, Raczkowski, Lachner, Sir Nicholas Jackson and Alfonso de Elias. Hanmer festival An Autumn arts festival is being field by the Amuri Community Arts Council on April 15 and 16 in Hanmer Springs. Workshops in painting, craft and sculpture will be taken by Michael Eaton, a retired tutor from Christchurch who is now painting full-time, and Bing Dawe, who is at present co-ordinator of the craft design course at Polytech. • On the Saturday evening, Michelle Hine will give a performance of her solo show, “Women Alone." The avenue of oak trees in the centre of Hanmer will be the site for Installations of arts and crafts on the Sunday. A market and a Madhatter’s Teaparty will also be held. Further information is available from Rosemary Seyb, Hanmer 7149, or Roger Simpson, Hanmer 7384. Braggins concert Liz Braggins returns to the Great Hall on April 7 at 1.10 p.m. The Arts Centre is familiar territory for this solo vocalist and pianist: She has played at almost every performance venue there, as well as in restaurants and nightclubs in the city. As well as performing live, Braggins has worked on radio, taken part in "McPhail and Gadsby” shows and worked as a musical director. A graduate of Canterbury University, she teaches private pupils in clarinet, piano and theory and has taught music part-time at Linwood High School and Kingslea Girls’ Centre. Her most recent teaching position was at The Christchurch Academy tutoring an Access Cabaret module. Painting workshop A live-in painting workshop is to be held at Living Springs in Governors Bay on April 10-12. The workshop, is to be run by the Town and Country Art Group but a limited number of places will be open to non members. The cost of $5O to non-members will include meals, accommodation, tutoring and videos. Anyone interested in joining the group is asked to ring the Secretary, Valerie McClatchy, on Darfield (0516) 88-247.