You no longer have to be an international jetsetter in order to enjoy what’s on at the most prestigious concert halls across Europe. Armed with the latest technological innovations, orchestras and opera companies around the world have joined the crusade to diversify and broaden classical music audiences, offering live and on-demand access to their concerts through online video streaming.

Paid e-ticket and subscription models exist alongside free services to allow music-loving armchair travellers to turn up to some of the world’s most anticipated classical music events – in their pyjamas if they wish – without having to squeeze past a row of seated patrons to find their place. Why not enjoy breakfast in bed or some microwave popcorn with your transcendent Mahler experience at the Berliner Philharmonie?

While today’s virtual concert halls may not quite capture the thrill of being there in person, they do dispense with barriers of distance and the expenses traditionally associated with a night at the opera. And it’s not just European finery on offer: happily, Australian arts organisations are embracing the new online possibilities and offering a range of free webcasts designed to benefit regional and remote communities.

You don’t even need to be tech-savvy to take...