Litton's emphasis on clarity produced playing in which every important detail had its place, and each languorous rhythm and splash of colour was carefully observed.As if it wasn't enough to create a perfectly consolidated sound in less than 10 days, the players of the NYO also had to bring off one of the trickier orchestral feats in a performance of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, conducted by Litton from the keyboard. What this reading lacked in any risky unpredictability, it gained in a complete naturalness and a welcome avoidance of stilted rhythms or overly sentimental schmaltz. With a feel for the music's shape and dynamics, especially in the assured and mainly idiomatic interpretation of the solo instrumental passages, the NYO appeared to get right inside Gershwin's distinctive idiom.The longest of Rachmaninov's works, and played here without cuts, the Second Symphony proved that the NYO is more than up for any challenge to its collective concentration and stamina. In the scherzo, the strings relaxed with complete assurance into one of Rachmaninov's great melodies, and the principal clarinet, already tested by Gershwin, made the most of the long mellow phrases of her big tune in the slow movement. Unconstrained contributions from brass and timpani, and unfailingly alert playing, especially among the woodwinds, elevated the performance well above the routine.As Litton declared, with playing of this standard, it is impossible not to feel very optimistic about our musical future.Lynne Walker Final chance to hear the NYO with this programme at Guild Hall, Preston, Wednesday 9 January 2002, 7.30pm Tickets: 01772 258858. Robert Redford, among the most naturally good-looking actors in film history, has condemned less blessed stars who resort to plastic surgery as "vain and insecure". I'm not jumping on the Hollywood bandwagon and turning the clock back with a facelift." So what if my face is falling apart? I don't give a damn Anyway it gives me character.

Everyone thinks they can stay young for ever, but some come out of Beverly Hills surgeries looking scary. Everyone in Tinseltown is getting pinched, lifted and pulled For many it's become a sick obsession. They lose some of their soul when they go under the knife and end up looking bodysnatched People should preserve their time in history. I'm happy to make the best of what I've got."His contentment is out of fashion in a Hollywood where a facelift is thought a necessary accessory, with pool, Beverly Hills mansion and personal trainer. The singer and actress Cher, now 55, was among the first stars to go public about plastic surgery, admitting she has artificially improved her nose, teeth and breasts "I have become the plastic surgery poster-girl," she said. "It bothers me sometimes, but not enough to hold back my progress Everybody over 50 needs a little help. It's worth every penny."Julie Christie gave in to the surgeon's knife four years ago at 57.

"I fought against it because it was not something I wanted to do," she said. "But it's hard, very hard going to America, where people who are older than you appear to be younger. That is really undermining."Even Redford, possibly chastened by starring alongside Brad Pitt, Hollywood's leading male sex symbol, in the thriller Spy Game last year, has confessed he tried natural remedies for sagging jowls.While preparing for interviews, he said, he splashed icy water in his face to tighten his muscles, but gave up when it had no effect. "I like the way I look," he insisted, but added ruefully: "I guess I'm not holding up as well as Paul Newman."Newman is 77 this month..

The Royal Shakespeare Company's artistic director and one of its leading actresses had to prove to one of their toughest audiences yesterday that the Bard was worth £50m of taxpayers' money. He was also asked to explain his decision to leave the Barbican Centre in London and take his company to other venues in the capital.Here, Mr Noble, one of the greatest theatre directors, showed himself not quite so cutting edge when it comes to popular music. He said he wanted to attract new audiences by putting on the late Shakespeare plays, pieces with music, at the Roundhouse, and attract the audiences who "would normally go to see the Clash".But it was in defending the £100m Stratford plan – which involves a £50m grant from the Arts Council and £50m to be raised privately – that Mr Noble encountered the most hostility.Debra Shipley, MP for Stourbridge in the West Midlands, said: "Lots and lots of money is coming to you and you don't reach out to my constituency. The rich may go but most people don't even know there's a theatre there. Stratford is a little satellite place for tourists and rich people.