Rutene Spooner grew up on the East Coast and he was so inspired by Hollywood and Broadway actor Hugh Jackman that he wrote a musical about him. Super Hugh-man makes its debut at the Auckland Live Cabaret Festival and brings together original songs, Kapa Haka and Broadway smash hits. Rutene performs live, explains to Zoë George why Hugh Jackman was his inspiration and how he manages to juggle his solo show with his Modern Maori Quartet appearances.

Georgia Steel is a high flying young violist and conductor who is legally blind. She’s currently studying at the New Zealand School of Music and plays in the New Zealand Youth Orchestra. The young musician guides us through her experiences in music, how technology has allowed her skills to develop and what it’s like learning from some of the best violists in the country.

The Greens contribute to our ongoing discussion about arts, culture and heritage policy in the lead up to the general election. Greens Party Arts spokesperson Barry Coates delves into saving heritage buildings, why New Zealand artists need better representation on the international scene and who should control funding for the Arts.

September 21st marks the International Day of Peace. The Tudor Consort presents a concert full of choral music dedicated to peace. Among the works is the premiere of Gemma Peacocke’s Pacific, a song cycle featuring words from famous Kiwi peace campaigners including Te Whiti, David Lange and Archibald Baxter.

We are continuing our series of conversations with arts spokespeople from some of New Zealand’s key political parties in the build-up to the general election. The Opportunities Party is the new player on the political scene. Mika Haka, who is running for Auckland Central, draws on his experience as a dancer and talks about why the Arts are important to TOP.

Auckland Symphony Orchestra is teaming up with some of the best DJs and vocalists in the country to bring top EDM hits to life with an orchestral accent.

Anything goes for Cole, a retelling of Cole Porter’s life, on at the Auckland Cabaret Festival and Christchurch Arts Festival. Love affairs, loss and toe tapping songs make up the show performed by award winning Australian performer Michael Griffiths. He explains how Porter got under his skin and why his musical genius is so nice to come home to.

Every day this week we put the tough questions to the major political parties’ Arts spokespeople. Labour’s Associate Arts spokesman Grant Robertson discusses the importance of Arts, how Labour will bring back Art apprenticeships and whether the Arts should be funded by gambling.

Chineke! Orchestra is challenging the stereotypes associated with classical music. The orchestra recently made their Proms debut, which was described by the Guardian as “… arguably one of the most important concerts that the Proms have ever hosted”. It’s being broadcast on RNZ Concert this Sunday. The orchestra was founded by Chi-Chi Nwanoku and gives opportunities to young Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) classical musicians across the UK, Europe and USA.

Orchestra Wellington’s Invitation to the Dance concert on Saturday continued Music Director Marc Taddei’s focus on Ballet’s Russes impresario Sergei Diaghilev’s commissions with several waltzes by Ravel. Peter Mechen gives his appraisal of whether the addition of Grieg’s piano concerto played by Jian Liu gave the concert enough variety and substance for a complete programme.