The artist has taken out the $100,000 award for his portrait of contemporary Australian artist and Zen Buddhist Lindy Lee.

The scholarship provides the Opera Australia Principal Artist the invaluable opportunity to travel overseas and further develop her international profile.

The $100,000 Art Music Fund for 2019 has been awarded to nine recipients for the creation of new works.

The classical-crossover artist will tour the country in November.

After his disqualification from the Lang Lang International Piano Competition in Shenzhen, Lee gives Limelight his version of events in response to an account issued by the jury.

The world premiere of a new Australian work for theremin and string quartet are among the highlights at this year’s festival.

With a modest operating surplus of $342,667 (up from an operating deficit of $2.1 million the year before) the company’s bottom line was bolstered by a number of significant bequests.

Inside the issue: Ute Lemper, Requiems to die for, Rossini's Il Viaggio a Reims, ZOFO's new Pictures at an Exhibition, the Bolshoi Ballet and more.

First-time finalist Tessa MacKay’s winning portrait of the actor heralds the beginning of Archibald season, with several notable arts world figures amongst the subjects.

Pianist Jeremy Chan and American tenor Michael St Peter are one of 27 shortlisted singer-pianist duos in this year's competition.

His score for the critically divisive Beetlejuice has seen him touted for Best Original Score.

The young playwright wins another honour for The Almighty Sometimes, while Behrouz Boochani, who is locked up on Manus Island, is given a special award.