THE 2019 Canberra International Music Festival is in a 25th anniversary celebratory mood and will kick off on Thursday, May 2, with Brisbane’s performing company Circa joining forces with Sydney’s Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. “English Baroque”, Llewellyn Hall, 7.30pm, May 2. The festival runs May 2-12. Bookings and program for all session to at cimf.org.au

ANU School of Music visiting fellow Jennifer Gall shares the stories about music and dance at Lanyon and joins in on the singing to re-connect with Canberra’s cultural history. On the day children will have a chance to try out a fiddle. Lanyon walk and talk, in the Lanyon outbuildings, 10.30am–11.30am and 12pm–1pm, Saturday, May 4, bookings to eventbrite.com.au

“BONACHELA/Nankivell/Lane”, Sydney Dance Company’s 50th anniversary triple-bill, is at the Canberra Theatre from May 2-4, bookings via 6275 2700, and at Belconnen Community Theatre from May 1-3. Book at stagecenta.com 

THE Sydney Consort is performing a concert of Scottish & Irish Baroque classical music and folk tunes, focusing on the increasing importance the violin in the 18th century. At Wesley Music Centre, 3pm, May 5. Bookings to trybooking.com/BALHK or at the door 30 minutes before the concert.

FOUR plays from Short+Sweet’s “All Stars” will be going through to the gala final at the Courtyard Studio, 7.30pm, Saturday, May 4. Bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

THE “Not Quite Committed” theatre group are performing their first-ever production called “Love’s Labour’s Lust”, written by first-time playwright Tessani Wells, with music by composer Ella Ragless. “Love’s Labour’s Lust: A Romeo and Juliet comedy musical”, Belconnen Community Theatre, May 1-3. Book at stagecenta.com

SELBY & Friends will pay tribute to the music of the complex couple Clara and Robert Schumann and their devoted friend, Johannes Brahms, in “Love & Devotion”, where director Kathryn Selby will be joined by young violinist Grace Clifford and cellist Timo-Veikko Valve. Llewellyn Hall, 7.30pm, Monday, May 6. Bookings to selbyandfriends.com.au or 1300 511 099.

IN an ANU faculty recital, pianist Edward “Teddy” Neeman presents a program uniting the music of Cuba and the United States. At Larry Sitsky Recital Room, ANU School of Music, 1pm, Friday, May 3. Free but registrations to eventbrite.com.au

THE next guest speaker for the Canberra Jung Society will be retired counsellor Jennifer Hume, with a presentation on “Embodied Imagination”, a therapeutic and creative way of working with dreams, memories, physical symptoms of illness and creative ideas in the arts and science. MacKillop House, 50 Archibald Street, Lyneham, 7.30pm, Friday, May 3. Tickets at the door.

ASHA Naznin and Vesna Cvjeti?anin feature in That Poetry Thing, at Smith’s Alternative, 76 Alinga St, Civic, Monday, May 6, tickets at the door. Open mic. 13 May – Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry Night 1.

Up-Opping@Limestone’s two-day open weekend event is on again with fun, fashion, food and bluegrass music to be enjoyed while browsing the stocks of quality, clean clothing, shoes and bric a brac. 82 Limestone Avenue, Ainslie 10am – 2pm, Friday and Saturday 3rd and 4th May. Inquiries to 0412 730 982.

BLUES musician Nathan Cavaleri’s upcoming show celebrates the release of his brand new EP, “Demons”. He will be supported by local artist Jack Biilmann. At Smith’s Alternative, 9.30pm, May 4. Bookings to smithsalternative.com

BELCONNEN Arts Centre’s “Dance on the Edge” enters its tenth year, so it’s commissioned dancers from the ACT and region to create a short season of new works. At Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen, 5pm and 8pm, May 4, then 2pm, May 5. Bookings to belconnenartscentre.com.au

CANBERRA International Folk Dancing Association is holding an afternoon tea dance in Yarralumla Uniting Church Hall, Denman Street Yarralumla from 2pm-5pm. Free entry, all welcome, and no bookings required.

SYDNEY Writers Festival’s “Live and Local” program returns to Canberra with headline events ar the National Library of Australia on Saturday, May 4, and Sunday, May 5. Audience members can actively engage by submitting questions via Twitter and SMS to the writers on stage, who will include Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Rachel Kushner, David Marr, Jenny Erpenbeck and Andrew Sean Greer. Free but registrations essential to stickytickets.com.au