What can a grand old European city tell us about life in Australia today? Roland Peelman chats with Julian Day about how new music and First Nations musicians play an essential role in this year’s Vienna-themed Canberra International Music Festival.

This month’s concert highlights from ABC Classic, independent radio and streaming.

Based in London, Brisbane-born conductor Dane Lam had a diary full of international concerts, then COVID struck. He and his fiancée decided to return home – and it’s turned out better than he ever dared hope.

Catch up on what's been in the limelight with the top arts stories to recently make headlines.

The pianist tells Clive Paget about his new Liszt album, Limelight's Recording of the Month in April.

Why is ‘elitism’ celebrated in sport but not in the arts? asks Chad Vindin.

Sex-crazed nuns and a Swedish trombonist’s tribute to Wollongong headline a month of new takes with plenty of surprises.

As one of the busiest maestros on the planet, Russian-British conductor Vasily Petrenko lost umpteen engagements because of COVID. He talks to Clive Paget about how he has used the unexpected hiatus – from recording video interviews to growing tomatoes and a beard.

The outpourings of over 200 women formed the basis of a song cycle or musical ‘blog’.

Principal bassoon with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Jack Schiller, discusses the new Bassoon Concerto he will premiere in July and his seven-year wait for a new instrument.

How Sally Sara’s debut play Stop Girl, now playing at Belvoir St Theatre, became a lifeline after decades in war zones.

It’s certainly harder to justify regular visits to the multiplex when new feature films and serials of quality crop up on the various streaming services, writes Lynden Barber in his latest column.