Superb show for ballet’s birthday

Vodafone season of Swan Lake Royal New Zealand Ballet St James Theatre, until July 27 A more fitting tribute to the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s 60th anniversary than this stunning Swan Lake would be hard to imagine. It is choreographer Russell Kerr’s fourth production and they get better every time.

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X-Factor hope: Music in her blood

As the ratings and social media sing the praises of New Zealand’s latest entry in the talent show ring, Jessie Matthews not only has her feet firmly on the ground, she’s already looking further into the future. The soulful Hamilton songstress has secured a place in the X-Factor top 24, beating thousands to spend this weekend with mentor Stan Walker at his chosen retreat.

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Would you pay for this story?

Rupert Murdoch’s plan to put News Corporation websites behind a pay wall is "going to be like putting toothpaste back in the tube." That’s according to Jack Matthews, chief executive officer at Fairfax Digital Media, the online arm of one of the News Corp.’s biggest rivals in Australia. “I don’t know of too many industries where something has been given away for free for 10 or 15 years, and then suddenly charged for it,” said Matthews, whose company publications include the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

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