A comedic encore

Comedic minstrel Tim Minchin is set to raise the roof at the Christchurch Town Hall on Friday June 25 with his special brand of entertainment. A singing satirist, Minchin is widely known for his unique style, blending comedy, acting and singing into a lively performance, using all his own material.     English born and […]

In tune with change

It has been a remarkable year for many reasons. And not least for a dozen girls at The Cathedral Grammar School who make up the Girl Choristers, the first group of its kind in the school’s 139-year history. Metropol finds out more about the trailblazing initiative.     Equality sounded very harmonious recently, when 12 […]

Showbiz Christchurch

Back to back Broadway hits: you’ll get a kick out of Showbiz Christchurch’s mid-winter concert Broadway Hitmen

Back to back hits from two of the biggest names on Broadway, Cole Porter and Andrew Lloyd Webber, will be performed at the Isaac Theatre Royal, with four performances from 13-15 July. American born Porter wrote more than 800 songs across a five-decade career, conquering both Broadway and Hollywood. His soaring melodies, offset with urbane […]

Lansdown House

Music at Lansdown

After Mozart’s Don Giovanni on St Patrick’s Day, ‘Lansdown Summer’ concludes its 5th festival at the beautiful heritage property at 132 Old Tai Tapu Road, with its second ‘narropera’ – a narrated format of opera. Weber’s ‘Der Freischütz’, The Devil’s Marksman will be held on 25 and 31 March. Narropera reduces an opera to its […]

Singing in Italian

Cantare in Italiano: learning to sing in Italian

If you’ve long dreamed of singing Italian and sounding Italian, then Claudia Lues can help you realise your dream. “I think my love of music began in the crib,” says South African born Claudia. “My parents are Italian; my mother sang all the popular Italian songs, including opera and my maternal grandfather was a conductor, […]