The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 9

The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday, January 31, 1983 ffZ-ZE JJKffS BUD ETJViilrtH'iiSWIVJErJ'H' Page 8 Viva Woodward Star-crossed lovers shine in' Gounod's Romeo et Juliette early in 1982. In its bravura writing and enormous technical demands, this and the Third Scherzo in Sharp Minor (Opus 39) which followed could almost amount to recital in their own right. As the number of his encores testifies, however, Roger Woodward never shirks the impossible, and bis performance of all 12 Etudes of Opus 10 after interval was another miracle of stamina, memorisation and musical discipline. In case that sounds too forbidding, it should be emphasised that this was a celebration not only of the technical feats implied in these Studies but also of the quicksilver shifts of mood and key within and between each Etude. Who could forget the fleetness of No 4, the brilliance of the scurrying semiquaver patterns of No 8, the way the Major (No 3) moved along while losing none of its song-fulness (aided here by a skilful use of rubato) or the palpable agitation of No 9 in Minor? The overall shape of the third recital was equally skilful with the opening five Waltzes (Opus 64 Nos 1 and 2 having been reversed in performance), two Mazurkas, the Nocturne in Minor (Opus 72 No 1, Posth), the shimmering bell sounds in the Berceuse in Flat Major (Opus 57) and even the Barcarolle (Opus 60) all contained within one vast, subtly controlled sound world.

Against this, the Third Sonata la Minor (Opus 58) acted as a magnificent contrast. If there seemed to be a slight loss of concentration towards the end of the finale, this only served to remind us that behind this memorable Chopin series is a truly outstanding pianist who must not be taken for granted. Last week's recitals reaffirmed Mr Woodward's real following in this city. We await his return eagerly. By PATRICIA BROWN Roger Woodward (olanlaO In recltalf 3 and 4 of tha complete work of Frederic Chopin.

Sydney Town Hall, fja and 1.30 pm, January 29. THE sheer mental and physical stamina which has characterised Roger Woodward's marvellous contribution to the musical events of this Festival of Sydney were nowhere more evident than in his two recitals on Saturday evening. Like a great opera singer who conveys a clear sense of the shape of an operatic role in performance. Woodward moulds every piece, not just in relation: to its immediate neighbours, but -also in proportion to the total recital. With each of Saturday's concerts consisting of well over a dozen works, this process became enthralling as the recitals unfolded.

For sheer generosity and musical scale, the final concert of this year's series stood alone. It began with playing of great tonal control in the evocative Fourth Ballade in Minor (Opus 52), and moved into three Mazurkas in which Woodward revelled in the equivocal nature of Chopin's treatment of this form. Indeed, the Mazurkas seemed to have the effect of calming the pianist's performance before his leap into the concluding works of the first half. The first of these vast pieces was the Allegro de Concert (Opus 46), derived from Chopin's earlier Third Piano Concerto which Woodward introduced here at an ABC concert evening, without diminishing the appealing loveliness of Juliette. Gounod's opera is in several ways an odd choice for production in the looming spaciousness of the Concert Hall.

The essence of the opera consists of four duet scenes for the lovers, expressed in warmly flowing, lyrical music of intimate scale. The performances of Glenys Fowles and Anson Austin would have had much more impact the impact they deserve, in fact in the Opera Theatre. The delicate nimbleness of Mcrcutio's Queen Mab song went for almost nothing on this occasion. John Pringle, who sang it would have needed far more help from the producer in order to make it register (in French) with an audience that plainly, for the most part, didn't know what it was about. There is an alternative ending to Act III scene I (Gounod's original Act IV) which provides for a grand nuptial procession (for Juliette's proposed marriage to Paris) and ballet music to follow.

This production, perhaps wisely, omits alt that; which leaves it with just two scenes in which to justify the staging in the Concert Hall on grounds of size and spectacle. In the first of these, the Capulets' ball, it seemed to me that Sir Robert's hand was rather loose and flaccid. Much tighter and stronger (as is also the case with Gounod's music) was the street scene with the duels between Romeo, Tybalt and Mercutio. The fight arranger, Tex Clark, earned his fee with an unusually good operatic sword-fight. John Pringle as an admirable Mercutio threw himself into it with notable fury.

The designer, Kenneth tering of her lower jaw, is very much a womanly instrument; and there need be no apology for that. Even when she sings that lively but rather inane waltz song in Act I (so much at odds with the honeyed lyricism of the rest of her music), which some sopranos manage to turn into a kind of musical canary- pecking, she gives a soft edge to its hiccupped accents and sings the florid sections as part of a billowing legato. Anson Austin, the outstandingly personable Romeo, takes longer to become a persistent image of the character and is given less help by the designer and much less help by the producer. He looks out of focus in his domino at the Capulets' ball. Although Juliette plays beautifully to him (in the so-called madrigal of their first encounter, for example) Austin's efforts to play to her are hindered by the impression he gives of shutting his eyes to the merest slits when he is engaged in close duelling.

He does present himself boldly for his cavatina, Ahl leve-toi, solcil (Arise, sun), at the beginning of the balcony scene, holding his arms out stiffly in an attitude that simultaneously represents adoration and commands applause. I should guess that the producer, Sir Robert Help-mann, told him that some such gesture was necessary. If so, the advice was not wrong; but it should be carried out more flexibly and organically. The applause, however willed or commanded, was thoroughly deserved. Austin's singing went from strength to strength as the performance proceeded.

It was so expressive and stylish, supplying in itself the ardour only intermittently projected by the singer's presence, that in some ways it was Romeo's has hidden the Concert Hall organ with colonnades and a well-lit townscape representing one of those Italian cities that seem to tumble picturesquely down the side of a steep hill (though Verona, as it happens, is not one of them). The costumes belong to an appropriately magnified Renaissance style; and some folding, wheeled pieces of scenery (trucks) help make the final tomb scene outstanding scenically as well as musically. The third person whose contribution to the pleasure given by this highly interesting revival ranks with the two leading singers is Bonynge, the musical director, who communicates his affection and respect for Gounod's distinguished and melodious score with the help of a willing orohestra and solid, as yet undeveloped performances from Paul Ferris (Tybalt), Capulet (Donald Shanks), Gertrude (Heather Begg) and Friar Lawrence (Clifford Grant). Anne-Maree McDonald gives a graceful performance as Stcphano, a young, non-Shakespearean hanger-on of the Capulet faction. So congenial and sweet-toned a score is bound to prompt some people to ask: Why has Romeo et Juliette been shouldered out by Gounod's Faust, with its occasional cheap and lurid touches? History may be about to redress the balance.

On the other hand, those same lurid touches in Faust may be part of the reason for its more vigorous life on the stage. Fine and sensitive as Romeo et Juliette is, it is at times a very genteel and Victorian version of the Shakespeare story on which it is closely modelled. Opera never has and never can turn its back on those circus-like elements in it which are part of its universal vitality. 9 3 ii I By ROGER COVELL GOUNOD'S ROMEO ET JULIETTE The Australian Open Opera Home Concert Hull Romeo Aruon Auitln Julielle Glenya Fowlei Mcrcutlo John Pringle Tybalt Paul Fen-la Capulet Donald Shanks Cert rude Heather Beg Friar Lawrenca Clifford Grant Stepbano Anne-Maree McDonald Conduetort Richard Bonynge Prodoceri Robert Hclpmann Dealtnert Kenneth Rowell lunar; 19, 311 February 4. 11.

15, IS. 24, 26. THE asset that any production of Romeo and Juliet (spoken or sung) most needs is effective and luminous casting of the roles of the two lovers. That asset is possessed by the Australian Opera's first staging of Romeo et Juliette (the French form of the title helps make it clear that we are talking about the opera, just as the Italian form, Otello, usefully identifies Verdi's opera rather than Shakespeare's play). All other virtues and defects of the production are of lesser consequence.

The enchanting Juliette of Glenys Fowlcs is the joint creation of singer, designer and producer. Her hair flows; her costume is all white filminess; she is ardent and absolute. She can move as fleetly as a girl, but her figure and voice are those of a beautiful woman. A Jennifer McGregor with her slight figure and slim (even thin) voice might make Juliette seem nearer the 14-year-old that Shakespeare imagined. Miss Fowlcs's creamy soprano, its sympathetic vibrato seemingly defined by the flut Bert Jansch dazzled with live-siring banjo.

Exuberant Wagner Anson Austin as Romeo and Glenys Fowles as Juliette in The Australian Opera's production of Gounod's opera Romeo et Juliette. The Pentangle: not so much a concert as Wagner centenary concert for the Feetlval of Sydney. Sydney Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Stuart Cballender. Robert Dawe tbarltone). Sydney Town Hall.

January 21. IN ONE of the headiest weeks of music-making experienced in Sydney for some time, Friday evening's Wagner concert to mark the centenary of the composer's death provided the special kind of fare eminently suited to a festival setting. We can probably largely thank conductor Stuart Challender for the Wagnerian choice, having lived and worked as he has in the heartland of Mastersinger, and indeed of Wagnerian, territory for some years. Under his clean and spirited direction the Sydney Symphony Orchestra re-created the rich sonorities of the Mastersingers of Nur-emburg prelude and the overture to Tannhauser. Not even a slightly unsteady stretch in the Pilgrims' theme entrusted to the cellos in the Tannhauser overture could diminish the first half of the concert's air of extrovert orchestral triumph.

v. 1 i i i a folk club Blue Monk; and Bert Jansch, who put his guitar aside for one number and dazzled the audience with five-string banjo playing on House Carpenter. But, no doubt, a large amount of credit for the show's success and the band's punch, must go to the drummer, Terry Cox, who is still forced to use a wooden cane and chrome walker following a car accident six months ago that left him with two broken legs. As Bert Jansch said: "He still can't walk very well, but he sure as hell can play the drums." The Pentangle, who broke up in 1973 and didn't regroup until six' months ago, left their audience wanting more despite two encores. One would hope they stick together for at least another tour in the near future.

Triple tie By PETER PARR, Chess Correspondent The Australian Junior Championship which finished in Canberra on Saturday evening resulted in a triple tie and a play-off match for the title will be arranged in a few months. Paul Broekhuyse, of Sydney, the defending champion, was the early leader. Conrad Hornung. of Adelaide, overlook him but lost his vital last round game. Leading final scores: (31 players.

When this instrumental exuberance was combined with the singing of the Adelaide baritone Robert Dawe (who admirably stood in for Bruce Martin who was ill), the ensemble results were not so happy. The woolly acoustic of Sydney Town Hall is a far cry from the clarity of Bayreuth and it became difficult to hear the singer for long stretches. In Wotan's Farewell from The Valkyrie, it was only when" Mr Dawe reached the more tenderly accompanied strains of Der Augen leuchiendes Paar (Thy brightly glittering eyes) that any kind of a balance was struck between orchestra and soloist. The same lack of balance was apparent in Sachs's monologue from Act III of Master-singers. By the time of his exhortation.

Verachtet mlr die Meister nicht (Do not disdain the Masters). Mr Dawe sounded vocally weary of t.hc to be heard. The most sensitive playing of the evening came in the Siegfried Idyll, showing Stuart Challender to good advantage in drawing forth a luminous performance of this inspired birthday tribute from Wagner to his indomitable wife. Cosima. PATRICIA BROWN Commonwealth Championship above grandmaster Kcene.

The City of Sydney Championship and supporting events starting at the Chess Centre. 275 Pitt Street, on Saturday, arc expected to attract more than 100 players. Three olhcr events slarl next Monday al the Hakoah Club. Bondi, Rootv Hill RSL Club and Fair-licid RSL. Results of the Coolwa (Adelaide) weekend event (80 players, very strong field) and Newcastle (40 players) will appear tomorrow.

in junior championship Film-makers' year of living dangerously II rounds): P. Broekhuyse (NSW). C. Hornung (SA), M. Drummond (Vic) 8: H.

Stankovic (SA), M. Hopewell (NZ) S. I.ee (SA) M. Robertson (Qld). I.

Pitt (NSW), R. Scbcrry (NSW). D. Prcntcr (SA), R. Scrcnczi (ACT) 61.

Nineteen-year-old Gregory Hjorth, of Melbourne, scored his second international master result by finishing first equal in the British with frequent feedback at high-pitch levels. But, it was still a magic night. After a 45-minute bracket by the Adelaide-based group Tansy's Fancy, England's legendary folk-rock band. The Pentangle, took the stage in true folk club style slowly, slouchy, sloppy, and taking an unusually long time to ready themselves for an evening of giving music. And the audience, somewhat restless, grew even more so as singer-songwriter-guitarist Bert Jansch gave a false start to the opening number, Bruton Town, from the band's self-titled debut album release in 1968.

But once in motion, The Pentangle put their audience to rest and held them captivated for 17 songs movie with a $900,000 budget to be produced by Ross Matthews and directed by Ken Cameron, is being marshalled by Jones Grice. The prospectus is 40 per cent filled. The Wild Duck, a Henri Saf-ran-directed film version of Ibsen's play, is being underwritten by Commercial Continental Securities, according to an advertisement for the prospectus in Friday's Financial Review. The financier is Film Bancor, whose chairman Neil Ohlsson says half the $2.2 million budget has been raised. But Film Bancor has withdrawn the prospectuses for the $5.7 million film Outpost, which was 60 per cent financed and the $5 million movie Getting On, which was to have been directed by Ted Hamilton who also directed The Pirate Movie.

Also, Mr Ohlsson said the film Pentathlon for which Film Bancor is arranging finance is "getting very tight for money." Where East Meets West, a series of four one-hour TV films on the Philippines, is being marketed to potential investors by McCabe Enterprises which has mailed information on the project to 14,000 people. Dick Bennett, manager of McCabe's investment consultancy division, said the prospectus issued by Horizon Films and Eaton Investment is 40 per cent filled. The budget is $1,017 million. The principals of Eaton are accountant Gilbert Furzer and former ABC employee Bob Hill, the director of the proposed series. Mr Bennett, who McCabe Enterprises had raised $400,000 for the film, believed that "at the moment everybody seems to be having second thoughts about film investment." One of the dampening factors has been the injunction taken (FtMIWHo) followed: The Pentangle, Sweet Child, Basket Of Light, Cruel Sister, Reflection, and Solomon's Seal, From these the audience on Thursday was to Pentangling, Light Flight, Train Song, House Carpenter, Cruel Sister, Sally Free And Easy, I've Got A Feeling, and People On The Highway.

And from Bert Jansch's solo albums, A Rare Conumdrum, Conundrum, and most recent album. Heartbreak, The Pentangle expanded well the tracks Spvay, If I Had A Lover, and Blackwater Side. Highlights of the evening included Jacquie McShee's vocal solo, A Bold Young Farmer; John Ren-bourn's no less than brilliant guitar work on Cherry; Danny Thompson's humorous vocal work and superb bassmanship on his solo, Mr Stern stressed that CAC had always required a prospectus to be issued when an offer was made to the public. The film Puberty Blues, for example, for which advertisements were published offering shares to the public, should have had a prospectus, Mr Stern said. There is no prospectus for Undercover, the film based on the history of Berlei, now in production.

Finance for this movie, which has a budget of S3.5 million, was raised by Filnico, which is controlled by Ron Brierley's company, Industrial Equity. Russell Stern of CAC said there had been "a discussion" about this between Corporate Affairs Commission chairman John Cooke and Filmco's chairman Richard Toltz who is a partner with law firm Hall and Hall. As he was not at the meeting, Mr Stern could not comment on industry reports that Filmco had told the CAC it did not need a prospectus and had backed up this opinion with written support from two QCs. Despite the problems in the industry, Dick Tanner of Jones Grice says he now has more films to finance than he has shares to sell. Many directors had been to see him in the past fortnight even though the Australian film industry "just hasn't been commercial.

It's been a litany of disasters. Investors are getting practically nothing back." "We got 120 per cent back for investors for Winter Of Our Dreams but Norman Loves Rose has returned about 5 per cent to investors but we are hopeful of an American market for that and of sales to TV. We have had a couple of minor sales of Dead Easy to satisfy the tax legislation but Star Struck still hasn't returned very much so far." noise action week about noise level at Luna Park. "Offensive noise is anything which is five decibels above the background noise in the surroundings," Mr Ryan said. 'The loudness of the noise at Luna Park often depends on the direction of the wind.

Miss Parker said the park was keen to co-operate with the public and comply with the designated noise level. A magic night, despite defects over one hour and forty-five minutes. The Pentangle, which had its inception in 1967, released six albums during the six years that out by Neil Ohlsson against McCabe Enterprises, Eaton Investment, the Corporate Affairs Commission and Horizon Films. Settlement out of court involved McCabe writing to the 14,000 potential investors to say that slight changes should be made to statements about tax advantages claimed in the prospectus. Neil Ohlsson told The Herald: "We had to take out that injunction because statements were made which were totally wrong." The legal exercise had cost Film Bancor $15,000.

As for raising the remainder of the money necessary to shoot Where East Meets West, Gilbert Furzer said: "We have found January a particularly quiet month." McCabe Enterprises' prospectus for avocado investment and Brick Securities' property trust prospectus were also slow in filling. Time is running out for Mr Furzer. Shooting of the TV series is supposed to begin on February 28 and the series must be completed and earning income by June 30. Despite the shoals financiers are floundering upon some film directors are proposing new deals to the money men and some major films are being completed. Careful He Might Hear You, Phar Lap and Undercover are three major films in production now.

The backer of Phar Lap, Michael Edgley, told the Corporate Affairs Commission that the money for this film was raised "mostly" before June 30, according to the CAC's senior solicitor in the securities section, Russell Stern. Mr Stern, who said the CAC was now considering three or four film trust deeds, denied industry speculation that Mr Edgley had a fight with the CAC about the necessity of issuing a prospectus. cause for complaint, although we occasionally receive complaints about the loudness of the p.n. system at the park," Mr Evans said. Miss Parker said the notice was revoked because the council believed it was up to the State Pollution Control Commission and the park's management to determine an acceptable noise level.

Mr Peter Ryan, of the Stale Pollution Control Commission, Noise Division, said the commission received one or two complaints each By LES GIESLER The Pentangle Sydney Town Hall January 27 BY ALL standards it was far from being a concert on Thursday evening as The Pentangle took the stage. Instead, it was a giant folk club with more than v.l, 400 members. It had almost every element of the folk clubs from the late 1960s and early 1970s era including poor stage lighting, hissing and humming sound systems, often mushy sound frey, Barry Smith from the Department of Home Affairs and Mike Carmody from the Taxation Office were appointed by the Government to form a committee to look at changes. The package proposed and accepted by the Government was that tax deductions should be taken in the year that an in-vcstpient is made and that the time limit on the film being completed and used for income-producing purposes be extended from one to two years. This legislation is expected to be introduced in the autumn session of Parliament.

The change means financiers are thinking of withdrawing some prospectuses for films not yet fully financed but which were to have been completed and earning income by June 30. They blame the Corporate Affairs Commission for financing delays. CAC chairman John Cooke told the Herald that, the problems it had earlier have all been "ironed out." To begin with, the film financiers had "lodged their trust deed and expected it to be registered in 10 minutes. Now registration is gained in a reasonably quick time. We still have one regular complainant.

The others are happy enough." Such optimism makes the film industry laugh. Financiers say they have had to wait four or five months for CAC approval of their proposals. (See Today page column, page 10 for a cast history of one film project's bumpy life.) Bush Christmas, a film produced by Paul Barron in six weeks, is the only completed film so far for which money was raised by way of prospectus. Three prospectuses out now for the films Fast Talking and The Wild Duck, and the TV series Where East Meets West, are all slow in filling. Finance for Fast Talking, a service 'broke Springs, were not represented last week, and the magistrate was forced to cancel the court." The service decided at a meeting on Friday to cut hack all services to outlying areas, and called for an urgent meeting with the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Mr Wilson, to settle the crisis.

Lack of funds to pay barristers has also forced the service to stop Supreme Court work even though 25 Aborigines are to appear before the court over two-week period from February 14. From Page 1 Because of the introduction last July 1 of the Companies Code administered by the Corporate Affairs Commission, the raising of finance for films has become! subject to more sringiv government-controlled requirements than previously existed. As shares are being offered through a prospectus to the public, the financiers must comply with a number of sections of the new code and this can involve them in expenditure of up to SI 00,000. Now, according to Dick Tanner of Jones Gricc, when brokers offer an interest in a film to the public they must set up a public management company with a capital of S50.000 and a performance bond of $20,000. Then, he says the management company has to obtain a security dealer's licence costing $5,000 after which a prospectus has to be approved by the Corporate Affairs Commission.

As well, there has to be a separate representative company (which will probably be. a trustee company) to administer the money from investors to the production company, and later to handle returns to investors. In addition, the legislation requires a deed between the management company and the representative company. One can imagine the delays in obtaining CAC approval considering that this legislation is new to both the public servants and the film industry. Dick Tanner planned to complain about all the bureaucratic necessities in a speech he prepared but did not deliver to a film industry seminar last year.

Instead, the speech was used by director John Weilcy as the basis for lobbying the Federal Government for tax legislation changes late last year. Mr Wei-ley, another director Tom Jef Black legal aid CANBERRA. Inadequate Federal Government finance had left the Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service, which represents about 12,000 Aborigines in an area of one million square kilometres, "flat broke," its president said yester-day. Mr Dennis Williams Jahanunga, the service's president said: "Already 70 Aboriginal defendants at Yuendcmu, 350km from Alice The February issue of "The Video Age" has a free 24-page lift-out catalogue of all the video cassettes (feature movies, sporty educational, music, etc.) currently available for hire or buy. Along with movie reviews, what's coming up on television, and the latest in video games, home computers, hardware and software, "The Video Age" is the best entertainment value in Australia today.

Council drops Luna Park A notice served on Luna Park to reduce its noise level has been withdrawn by North Sydney Council, a Luna Park spokesman, Miss Barbara Parker, said yesterday. A health surveyor with North Sydney Council, Mr Milton Evans, said residents in the area had complained after a rock concert at the park in December. "The concert was the principal FEBRUARY ISSUE OF THE VIDEO AGE ONLY SI AT YOUR NEWSAGENT NOW.