In this issue we look at Alan John's iconic opera The Eighth Wonder, ABC journalist Sally Sara's debut play, Roland Peelman's Vienna-themed Canberra International Music Festival and Vasily Petrenko's COVID-beard.

The luminous Australian soprano has died at home of cancer at the age of 49.

The season will include the world premiere of the musical The Dismissal, Glace Chase's Triple X, and the return of The Picture of Dorian Gray starring Eryn Jean Norvill.

The new fellowships, which will see young musicians mentored by members of the Opera Australia Orchestra, are designed to assist the professional development of early career string players.

Opera Australia and the Really Useful Group will stage Cameron Mackintosh’s new production in September, with Australian performer Josh Piterman in the title role.

The Metropolitan Opera’s former music director, whose relationship with the house ended in disgrace after multiple claims of sexual misconduct, has died at the age of 77.

This extract from Currency House’s latest Platform Paper, written by departing Director Katharine Brisbane, addresses “Black Friday”, a devastating day of reckoning for the arts.

A sculptural portrait of the prolific composer was unveiled last night at the Sydney Conservatorium, while Cheetham herself delivered an inspirational lecture.

Virginia Gay brings us a new gender-flipped Cyrano de Bergerac on a program with three new Australian works, two Australian premieres and the postponed As You Like It.

The British composer, who died in 1944, has had her music honoured at the GRAMMY Awards for the first time, while other classical winners include Gustavo Dudamel, JoAnn Falletta and David Robertson.

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s new digital reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream harnesses video game technology and an interactive score conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Federal Arts Minister Paul Fletcher has resisted calls to extend the subsidy for the arts industry, confirming that JobKeeper will cease on 28 March.