The secrets of Shostakovich, Elgar’s Asylum music, Dame Kiri’s farewell plus Emma Ayres on a bike…

Cover Feature

The Seven Wonders of Shostakovich: How a tortured genius defied persecution to create thrilling masterpieces in every form while also documenting one of the 20th century’s most brutal political regimes.

ALSO IN THE MAGAZINE

David Robertson speaks

The charismatic, evangelical SSO Chief Conductor tells us how he got here from there and where he wants to go next.

Dame Kiri Says Goodbye

The New Zealand opera star has decided to call time on her stage career – but this Dame still sees plenty of good times ahead.

Elgar’s Loony Tunes

What was England’s greatest composer doing in a mental institution in the 1880s? Composing polkas and quadrilles, apparently.

Emma Ayres

Disillusioned with life as an orchestral musician, the ABC Classic FM presenter decided to cycle from England to Hong Kong.

The Brandenburg at 25

A look back in pictures at how Paul Dyer turned the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra into the period instrument force they are today.

Composer of the Month: Dufay

The musical superstar of his day, Dufay was feted by popes and princes. But how did this modest provincial Frenchman come to consecrate Brunelleschi’s some?

Musical Journey: Montreal

Wordsmith Patricia Maunder finds a musical feast – plus plenty of pride, passion and french chic – in Canada’s ‘City of Saints’.

Reviews

Classical CD, DVD, book and live concert reviews, including a disc of Schubert’s Winterreise to confirm the major-league status of Jonas Kaufmann’s; Gill Shaham captures the Zeitgeist of a troubled decade with five violin concertos from the 1930s; the sun sets on Matthias Goerne’s exceptional series of Schubert Leider; heavenly twins sparkles as Pinchgut Opera give Rameau his due 258 years on plus Opera Australia’s Madama Butterfly takes flight while Asher Fisch makes a splash with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

The Limelight Classical Chart

Exclusive to Limelight, this chart ranks the top 20 best-selling classical CDs and DVDs according to monthly sales figures drawn from Australia’s leading classical specialist stores. Unlike other charts, Limelight’s specially assembled list admits only pure classical releases – it’s not diluted with crossover.