The celebrated fashion designer, and arts patron, grew up in Italy listening to the garbage men singing arias. But it wasn’t until she moved to Australia that a life-long love for opera was kindled.

An exhilarating concert showcasing the talent on offer from a band that blazed the HIP trail in Australia 30 years ago and is still going strong today.

Harriet Cunningham celebrates the “madness” that led to the formation and running of the period ensemble as it launches a program celebrating the past and the future.

We reveal our 2018 Artists of the Year. Other features include The Magic Flute, Meryl Tankard's Two Feet and Australian Brandenburg Orchestra at 30.

Inside this issue: 2018 Artists of the Year, The Magic Flute, Meryl Tankard's Two Feet, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra at 30, Leonardo Da Vinci 500.

The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra's annual tradition kicks off the Christmas season.

Refined playing from Cuban gambist Lixsania Fernandez while Shaun Lee-Chen navigates Locatelli's treacherous labyrinth.

The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra celebrates 30 years with a trio of baroque blockbusters and a glimpse of the future.

David Wenham ties together a string of mediaeval musical post-cards from the Brandenburgs and La Camera delle Lacrime.

Xavier de Maistre and the Brandenburgs deliver a wide-ranging program full of surprises and hidden treasures.

In an excerpt from his highly anticipated Platform Paper from Currency House, the cultural economist explores the issue of international engagement in a revisited cultural policy.

Truly accomplished playing and a satisfying program make this a fitting start to the year.