Opera Australia $10m turnaround a result to sing about
Australia's biggest performing arts company Opera Australia has staged a major financial turnaround, returning to profit in 2025.
Music
'Interwoven' by the Australian String Quartet at Gandel Hall was a "through-composed study of emotional nuance", weaving together strains from the quartet's history spanning 18th century to the 21st century, reviews NICK HORN.
Delta Goodrem has finished fourth at Eurovision, confounding hopes for a first Australian winner as Bulgaria soared to its maiden win.
"Rather than confining itself to classic big-band repertoire, Blamey Street Big Band specialises in re-inventing popular music genres by applying a swing beat," writes reviewer BILL STEPHENS.
Music
Excellent performance of beautiful music by virtuoso musicians
SARAH BYRNE reviews a performance of Schubert’s Fantasy and Octet by the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
Music
‘Sparkling’ Delta soars into Eurovision final
Singer Delta Goodrem has led Australia into the Eurovision final with a sparkling powerhouse vocal performance.
Music
Berry bucks the music festival trend
As Australia’s live music sector continues to shift away from large-scale festivals, Berry on the NSW South Coast is showing how smaller regional music events might help fill the gap.
Arts editor HELEN MUSA rocks up to a Queanbeyan Players' rehearsal in a local church hall as they prepared for their coming production of Les Misérables.
The Australian String Quartet is busy working up a program that combines the very new, the very old, some exciting Russian virtuosity and a dash of the romantic, writes HELEN MUSA.
The Australian National Eisteddfod is about to launch its 2026 season with Bands & Orchestras.
"It did not sound like a rock band with a tacked-on orchestra, with the two were well integrated with some attractive scoring, including two arrangements by Peter Sculthorpe." GRAHAM McDONALD reviews the Whitlams in concert with the CSO.
LEN POWER reviews Radiant Dawn: From Lamentation to Light, a performance by Coro choral ensemble.
MICHAEL WILSON reviews a performance of Beethoven's Fourth by the Australian Haydn Ensemble.
"The ghost of Beethoven would have thoroughly enjoyed the evening." THAYER PREECE reviews Musica Viva's touring program involving three most celebrated Australian classical musicians.
“I call it ‘a daughter’s promise fulfilled’… I want everybody to be on the same page and have a deep understanding of the person I want them to feel for," Lisa Simone tells arts editor HELEN MUSA.
" This was an adventurous program from The Llewellyn Choir of two modern Easter masses mixed in with a couple of shorter choral works and two instrumental breaks from a string ensemble," writes reviewer GRAHAM McDONALD.
Canberra musician, music advocate and composer Michael Sollis died at Clare Holland House early on Friday after a five-year battle with bowel cancer. He was 40.
Rob Kennedy reviews Luminescence and the Machine, developed in collaboration with Grammy Award winners William Brittelle and Cameron Beauchamp, at The Street Theatre.
"This was a very cleverly conceived and realised Anzac Day concert. The singing was excellent and the readings from Ada’s letters were moving and an ongoing reminder of the horrors of that time," writes music reviewer GRAHAM McDONALD.
