Wagner's Ring: opera stretches to seven hours after 'technical difficulties'
It's a marathon even when things go according to plan, but opera-goers stayed till after midnight to hear Ride of the Valkyries in Die Walkure.
Stage
Sad songs say so much
Paul Kelly and Charlie Owen have performed at funerals over the year, which comprise their new album, Death's Dateless Night✓.
Hurried Steps moves to alert people to violence against women
Hurried Steps features stories from around the world about violence against women and girls.
Theatre
Antony Sher's King Lear fascinates with dark lunacy and mastery of language
Antony Sher is a haunted tree of a Lear, tangled up in uncomprehended intensities and with a jagged unlovely beauty in his mastery of the language.
Mack and Mabel doesn't run smoothly as a star vehicle for fine actress
Angelique Cassimatis is a star to watch even if her talent are wasted in Mack and Mabel.
Woden Valley Youth Choir artistic director named artist of the year
Alpha Gregory's many years maintaining the high standards of the choir have been recognised by the Canberra Critics' Circle.
Dance
Queensland Ballet's The Nutcracker at the Canberra Theatre is heartwarming
This production of the classic Tchaikovsky ballet is full of charming and memorable moments.
Woden Valley Youth Choir artistic director named artist of the year
Alpha Gregory's many years maintaining the high standards of the choir have been recognised by the Canberra Critics' Circle.
Protests against injustice danced into view
NAISDA celebrates its 40th anniversary with a virtuoso display of Indigenous dance.
Musicals
Hamilton actor says 'there's nothing to apologise for' over Pence speech
The Hamilton actor who delivered the Broadway show's viral message to Vice President-elect Mike Pence after a performance Friday said there is "nothing to apologise for" in response to President-elect Donald Trump's many tweets demanding one from what he deemed a "very rude" cast of an "overrated" show.
Woden Valley Youth Choir artistic director named artist of the year
Alpha Gregory's many years maintaining the high standards of the choir have been recognised by the Canberra Critics' Circle.
Cyndi Lauper on what goes wrong for so many parents
Cyndi Lauper may have learned the secret to sons but says she's a terrible parent.
Opera
Wagner's Ring: opera stretches to seven hours after 'technical difficulties'
It's a marathon even when things go according to plan, but opera-goers stayed till after midnight to hear Ride of the Valkyries in Die Walkure.
Beauty and dramatic power superbly realised
Lise Lindstrom as Brunnhilde was a particular delight, while the surprise of the night, almost but not quite eclipsing her, was Amber Wagner as Sieglinde.
Rapturous reception for return of The Ring
Conductor Pietari Inkinen was masterly, unfailingly sensitive to the singers and to the musical flow, while the 100-strong Melbourne Ring Orchestra was superb. Bring on the Valkyries.
Comedy
Absurd flights of fancy and musical interludes make for impressive comedy
Bill Bailey is one of the few modern comedians who avoids vulgarity or going dark for shock value (though there's the occasional brief bit of black humour).
Bill Bailey lets fly on 'monstrous blight' of censorship
The English stand-up comedian knows how it feels to be torn down by the tabloids, but it hasn't quite stopped him speaking his mind.
Jerry Seinfeld to tour Australia almost 20 years on
The master of observational comedy will perform Down Under for the first time in almost 20 years next August. But don't expect any cracks at Melbourne's expense.