As the year draws to a close, it seems an appropriate time to reflect on the many ways the arts can surprise us, challenge our expectations and bring us together.

This month’s issue does all three, with stories that range from the familiar pleasures of a night at the movies to the more confronting possibilities of theatre, and from the architectural splendour of our historic performance spaces to the adventurous spirit of regional music-making.

December’s cover story explores one of the most striking developments in orchestral programming: the growing popularity of film concerts, in which a symphony orchestra performs a score live as the movie unfolds on screen. For audiences, it offers a fresh way of experiencing much-loved films; for orchestras, it is proving an increasingly valuable way to attract new listeners and generate revenue. But, as Steve Dow discovers in his conversations with conductor Nicholas Buc and others, there is more to the phenomenon than simply adding a live orchestra to a blockbuster.

The power of theatre to shift our perspective is explored in Lenny Ann Low’s feature on Deaf Republic, the extraordinary production by Irish company Dead Centre coming to the 2027 Sydney Festival. Based on Ilya Kaminsky’s celebrated collection of poems, it imagines a town whose inhabitants collectively become deaf after a child is shot by an occupying soldier. Through sign language, spoken word, captions, projections and puppetry, the production creates a compelling meditation on resistance, community and the politics of listening. It also raises fascinating questions about accessibility and the possibilities of theatrical storytelling.

In conversation with Jansson J. Antmann, acclaimed theatre-maker Romeo Castellucci reflects on his creative process ahead of his staging of Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle at the Adelaide Festival. For Castellucci, the challenge is to give form to an instinctive response to the world without losing its elemental force.

Architecture and performance meet in Gavin John’s beautiful new book, Australian Theatres & Cinemas, which documents 65 venues around the country. From grand metropolitan theatres to buildings with more precarious futures, these spaces are repositories of cultural memory, shaped by the artists, audiences and communities that have passed through them. Jo Litson talks to the writer-photographer about his mission to capture the stories behind the buildings and convey the importance of preserving them.

Also in this issue, Limelight writer Maddy Briggs reports on the expanding Limelight Guide to Australian Art Music, now encompassing more than 700 composers across a remarkably diverse musical landscape. We also head to regional NSW to hear from Orange Chamber Music Festival Director Carmen Nieves about a 2027 program designed to combine established ensembles with unexpected collaborations and musical discoveries.

There is plenty to enjoy in our regular columns too. Clive Paget announces Limelight‘s 2026 Recording of the Year, with Jakub Hrůša and the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra taking top honours for their recordings of the six symphonies of Bohuslav Martinů. Paget also turns his attention to the festive repertoire, selecting seven new Christmas releases.

Actor David Berry, whose screen credits include A Place to Call Home and Outlander, shares his musical passions in My Music – a particularly pleasing contribution given his former association with Limelight.

Elsewhere, Nicole van Bruggen discovers fresh possibilities in the basset clarinet; composer Gerard Brophy introduces his new work Mountain of Tongues, commissioned by the Nexas Quartet; and Guy Noble considers whether artificial intelligence might ultimately diminish our appetite for creativity.

Our reviews cover the breadth of the arts, from Helen Mirren’s portrayal of Patricia Highsmith in the film A Talent for Murder to Jonathan Biggins’s wickedly funny first novel Near Death in Venice. And, as always, you’ll find our comprehensive guide to the best in classical music, opera, theatre and dance across the country, as well as the programs to tune into on ABC Classic and independent radio.

Happy reading, and best wishes for the holiday season.

The December 2026 issue of Limelight will be available online from Monday 23 November. Subscribe by Sunday 15 November, 11:59pm AEDT to receive the print edition as soon as it’s available.