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Robert Helpmann, artistic director of the Australian Ballet, discusses his childhood and career with Hazel de Berg in 1974. The piano enhances perception of the melody in his voice. National Library of Australia, used by permission.

lyrics

I am Robert Helpmann, Artistic Director of the Australian Ballet.
I am concerned with ballet and theatre in all its forms
Even as a child, I was always dressing up, from the earliest time I can remember, because my mother used to recite Shakespeare to me when I was in my cot, and I… to go to bed, and she would read Romeo and Juliet and then of course I wouldn’t let her read Romeo and Juliet, because I realised that Juliet was the best part, so I used to read Juliet to her.
And my father was a little bemused by all this because he was a stock and station man and it was a little surprising to him to see his son, his eldest, at that time his only son, parading ‘round the house dressed in whatever came into my fancy. And he went on a business trip to Melbourne when I was fourteen and when he came back, he said “you’re always wanting to be a dancer, and there’s a girl dancing in Melbourne and she’s got a company and I’ve been to see her, and she’d going to take you into the company”. And the next week, I left for Melbourne with my mother, and the “girl” was Anna Pavlova. By the time it dawned on me to try and ask why and how he got into her dressing room and why she took me as a student, both my father and Pavlova had died.

I’m always asked what was the most memorable thing or the most, ah, the performance or production, or… and it’s impossible, really, for me to say, because so many things have been memorable to me. My first appearances with Markova, my first appearances with Fonteyn, my first appearances with Vivian Leigh, and the first time I played Hamlet – all of them. I have a mind that is, it’s very difficult to explain that success means nothing to me, or failure. I think they’re about equal. When I say it means nothing to me; it means everything to me, but when it’s past, I have no sense of feeling “I’m a success”. I have never felt for one minute in my life, “I’m a success”. I feel I’ve accomplished something and that is done, and therefore there is something more to do, and the success or failure of what has passed has passed, and I must go on to something else.

credits

from Stalin's Piano, released May 17, 2019
Robert Davidson, composer, engineer, editor
Sonya Lifschitz, pianist

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Sonya Lifschitz & Robert Davidson Brisbane, Australia

Sonya Lifschitz' bold adventurousness & unparalleled musicianship, described as “a life force of extraordinary density and capacity” see her active as soloist, collaborator, artistic director, educator, radio personality and arts advocate.

Robert Davidson has been making music from language since childhood. With his ensemble Topology he explores a wide range of cross-genre collaboration. ... more

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