Olivia's Mother offers an intimate look at her family
By Eileen O’Shea
PHOTOGRAPHERS the world over must find Olivia Newton-John a fascinating subject — with her expressive blue eyes set off by lovely blonde hair, and classic features in a face that is always alive and glowing. Yet Livvy’s favourite photographs are probably those taken by her mother, Irena.
Irena Newton-John’s elegant apartment in Melbourne is crowded with a kaleidoscope of photographs — landscapes as well as portraits of her family. There are pictures of Olivia with her husband Matt Lattanzi and daughter Chloe looking relaxed and happy.“I had done a fair amount of drawing, and photography flowed on from there,” said Irena, a strong, intelligent woman, still beautiful in her 70s. “So much of people’s character is expressed in their movement. My photography is my way of recording and capturing special moments.”
Despite her lack of formal training, Irena’s work is of professional standard (she took all the photographs on these pages — except, of course, the ones in which she herself appears] and she has often been asked to exhibit. Olivia is obviously not the only talented person in the family. Irena recalls that when Olivia was a two-year-old, she repeated notes sung by her mother in perfect pitch. “I would sing a phrase and Olivia would echo me — every note clear and true. I thought she might end up a singer but it never occurred to me she would be the kind of singer she is. In those days, when I thought of singers, I thought of opera. My husband Bryn had a beautiful voice and he used to sing with my father.”
Irena’s father was the German Nobel Laureate physicist Professor Max Born, and her mother studied mathematics at the University where Irena’s grandfather was the director.
Her brother Gustav is a scientist and professor of pharmacology at the King’s College, University of London. And her sister Margaret is an artist and potter who teaches ceramics at Bath in the west of England.
Professor Born moved the family out of Germany when Hitler was just coming to power. “Because he had studied at Cambridge as a young man, he took us there. That’s where I met Olivia’s father. He was an honours student at Cambridge and spoke excellent German. We were married in 1937 after he had finished his studies.”
Another gifted member of the family is Olivia’s sister Rona. She has the same huge eyes, classic features and long blonde hair. Irena says with pride, “She has written a book called Siblings and she is a very good writer. But she was an actress. I believe she had just as much talent as Olivia and if she had chosen to stay with her career, I know she would have done as well.”
Rona’s three children to Melbourne entrepreneur Brian Goldsmith are another tribute to the family’s high achievement. Totty and Brett are members of the rock group the Chantoozies, Totty has acted in the television series The Henderson Kids and Brett is a gifted musician and songwriter. When their sister Fiona was still at school, she had a book of poetry published. Now she is a publicist for Melbourne’s newest nightspot, Metro.
Irena’s son, Dr Hugh Newton-John, is a specialist in respiratory diseases at Melbourne’s Fairfield Hospital.
It is a loving and close family, and seeing them together explains Olivia’s ability to remain unspoiled by international success. “She is a generous, warm person and she has developed in the most wonderful way,” said her mother. “She has kept her success in proportion. She knows what are the really important things in life and she has the right values. I tried to teach her to be kind-hearted and to realise that you are not alone in this world, that you must consider other people’s feelings. And always use your common sense.”
Those who have worked with Olivia know that she has listened to her mother‘s advice.