CANBERRA International Music Festival continues until May 6. Coming highlights include “A Soldier’s Return” on May 4, “Beowulf” on May 5 and for the children, “Peter and the Wolf” on May 6. All program and booking details at cimf.org.au

DANCE Week 2018 continues until Sunday, with classes, performances and information for all ages and abilities, including dancing for wellness and a performance created through a mentoring program. A highlight will be the weekend performance of “Dance on the Edge”.  At Belconnen Arts Centre, from 5pm-8pm, Saturday, May 5, or 2pm, Sunday, May 6. For program details visit ausdanceact.org.au or the Ausdance ACT Facebook page facebook.com/ausdanceact/

“THE Aspirations of Daise Morrow” is based on a Patrick White short story. The Whalley family are getting ready for a day at the dump, while next door the Hogbens prepare to bury the scandalous Daise Morrow. At the Playhouse, until May 5. Bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

PAPER Cuts Youth is a showcase of comedic and satirical monologues directed, production-managed and performed by talented people under the age of 25. Showing for two nights only at Smith’s Alternative, 76 Alinga Street, Civic, 6.30pm for 7pm start, May 3 and 5. Tickets at the door.

THE play “Glorious!” by Peter Quilter tells the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins, the worst singer in the world, with Diana McLean playing Florence. The Q, Queanbeyan, until May 4. Bookings to theq.net.au or 6285 6290.

ROMANIAN folk dance expert Dianna Laska-Moore will present a Romanian dance workshop in the Folk Dance Canberra Hall, 114 Maitland Street, Hackett, 1.30pm–4.30, Saturday, May 5. Inquiries to 6241 2941, 6286 6401, or [email protected]

CANBERRA Opera’s recital series introduces featured artist Madeline Anderson, joined by soprano Elisha Margaret Holley and soprano Madeleine Rowland performing a range of arias and by Mozart, Puccini, Handel, Wagner, Rossini, Gluck and more. Wesley Music Centre, 7.30pm, Saturday, May 5. Bookings to trybooking.com or canberraopera.org.au

CANBERRA Symphony Orchestra’s next concert features double bass soloist Phoebe Russell performing Jan K?titel Va?hal’s entertaining double bass concerto. Works by Beethoven and Vaughan Williams will also feature, all under the baton of German conductor Johannes Fritzch. Llewellyn Hall May 2 and 3. Bookings to cso.org.au or 6262 6772.

THE CSO will also perform music by some of Australia’s most celebrated composers including Percy Grainger, Graham Koehne and Elena Kats-Chernin for Parliament House’s 30^th birthday celebrations in the Great hall, 2pm, on Saturday, May 5. Visitors will also be treated to the world premiere of a new work by Canberra composer and pianist Sally Greenaway from 2pm. Free events, all welcome.

THE School of Music “Opera on Saturdays” series continues with a screening of the 1998 performances of “Dido & Aeneas” by Purcell, with singers Lorina Gore, Judith Crispin, Katrina Waters, Sharon Olde, Jeremy Tatchell and Carl Cooper, directed by Colin Forbes, conducted by Richard McIntyre with the School of Music Orchestra. In the Moloney Room, 24 Balmain Crescent, ANU, 1pm, May 5. Free event.

THE Sydney Consort will be joined by Israeli virtuoso harpsichordist Michael Tsalka to perform strings duets. Wesley Music Centre, 3pm, Sunday, May 6. Bookings to trybooking.com or at the door 30 minutes before the concert

PHOENIX Pub in Civic has: Piss Weak Karaoke, Thursday, May 5, at 9pm; The Fuelers, Friday, May 6, at 9pm; and Kollaps, Bead, Harrow, Nothinge and Monoceros, Saturday, May 7, at 9pm.

HEADLINE events from the 2018 Sydney Writers’ Festival will be live-streamed to Canberra and while watching the talks, the audience will be able to “engage” by submitting questions to on-stage writers including Jane Harper, Gareth Evans and Peter Greste through Twitter and SMS. National Library of Australia Theatre, 10am-5.30pm, May 4–6. Free but registrations essential to nla.gov.au

MUSE Café has the author of new novel, “The Death of Noah Glass”, Gail Jones, in conversation with Julianne Lamond. East Hotel, Kingston, 3pm-4pm, Sunday, May 6. Bookings to musecanberra.com.au

CANBERRA author Maura Pierlot’s “The Trouble in Tune Town” has been was just awarded Best Illustrated Children’s E-Book at the Independent Publisher Book Awards in the US. The official book launch and book-signing will also feature reading and craft activities, with a performance by Music for Canberra’s Peg Mantle Strings. National Library, 2pm, Sunday, May 6. Free but bookings essential to nla.gov.au or 6262 1424.

“BROKEN Melodies: Jazz on Screen” is coming up at the National Film and Sound Archive’s Arc cinema in Acton from May 6 to 25. As well as showcasing classics by Francis Ford Coppola, Rolf de Heer and Woody Allen, the season features two live performances. Local musician Joe Dolezal will perform a contemporary score for the NFSA’s restoration of the 1919 film “The Man from Kangaroo”. All details and bookings at nfsa.gov.au

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