Barry Healy

Mozart’s Sister Starring Marie Feret, directed by Rene Feret In cinemas now Everyone has heard of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who first achieved fame as a child prodigy composer ferried around the great courts of late feudal Europe by his domineering father on a never-ending tour. Little is known of his older sister, Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia, known by her nickname, Nannerl. She was at least his equal as a harpsichordist and piano player ― and possibly his equal on the violin and as a composer.

As part of its attempts to turn back the clock in the Catholic Church, the Vatican drew 1.5 million of the devout to Rome on May 1 for the beatification ceremony of Karol Wojtyla, Pope John Paul II. He may become the fastest declared saint in history. The Vatican is also pushing the canonisation of Pius XII, who was pope during World War II. While attention has been drawn to John Paul II’s woeful record on the issue of sexual abuse within the church, little has been said about the reasons for the rush to beatification and sainthood.

More than 40 people attended a rally in Fremantle on March 21 in support of Zimbabwean political activists who have been charged with treason. The rally was held to coincide with the court hearing in Harare for activists Munyaradzi Gwisai, Tafadzwa Choto, Hopewell Gumbo, Welcome Zimuto, Tatenda Mombeyara and Edson Chakuma. Independent MP for Fremantle Adele Carles told the crowd: “These brave men and women are charged with treason and face the death penalty.

Each US Memorial Day long weekend begins the annual summer harvest for Hollywood studios as their blockbusters open. This year Sex and the City 2, Prince of Persia and Shrek 4 led the way. It was a disaster, with the worst Memorial Day weekend takings in nine years and the lowest attendances for at least 15 years. Hollywood executives hoped that last year’s killer flick Avatar would lead to a new era in which 3D would give them the technological edge against their DVD-pirate rivals and raise ticket prices.

May Day in Caracas, Venezuela, was “deeply inspiring”, Adrian Evans, deputy state secretary of the WA Maritime Union of Australia, told a meeting of 40 people in Fremantle on June 16. Evans travelled to Venezuela as part of the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network’s 2010 May Day brigade. “I love May Day in Fremantle”, he said. “But, I can tell you, being with one-and-a-half million workers was incredible.”