It's the year 2039. A big fish falls from the sky in Alice Springs, Australia, as Andrew Bovell's "When the Rain Stops Falling" begins. Quantum Theater Artistic Director Karla Boos talks about this play's parallel themes of family and environmental crises through time and space from 1959 forward, and from London to Ayers Rock. Known for its site-specific work, Quantum stages this play in the vast former Iron City Brewery through Nov. 21, 2010.

Pittsburgh Filmmakers' Director Andrew Swensen singles out a few notable films and themes including movies about musicians Glenn Gould, Phil Ochs, and Hildegard von Bingen; a restored and expanded edition of Fritz Lang's Metropolis, and a celebration of local filmmaker Tony Buba.

American bass-baritone David Pittsinger performs in the world's major opera houses. He made his Met Opera debut as Truelove in The Rake's Progress, and was named 'Artist of the Year' for his dual portrayals of Mephisto with Pittsburgh Opera in the Gounod and Boito operas. Since 2008, he has sung the role of Emile de Becque in Lincoln Center Theater's acclaimed revival of South Pacific.

Chatham Baroque welcomes its former violinist Julie Andrijeski for concerts of music from Italy, Spain, and France featured in the group's discography. The core members talk about all the programs in their home season, and upcoming collaborations with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Pittsburgh Opera, and more.

The Pittsburgh Concert Society begins its 2010-2011 season on Sep. 26 at CMU's Kresge Recital Hall. Pianist Becky Billock is one of two major audition winners on the first concert. She previews her program of works by Mozart, J. S. Bach, and American composers Emma Lou Diemer and Marion Bauer.1121itsosb

Pianist David Allen Wehr, artistic director of Duquesne University's multiple " ... on the Bluff" series, previews three fall concerts providing insights into music by Chopin and Schumann, their masterpieces, innovations, and rarities.

The White Tie Group, a trio of Pittsburgh Symphony players, returns to the First Fridays at the Frick series on Sep. 3, 2010. Pianist Harold Smoliar (Principal English Horn of the PSO) and bassist Don Evans (Associate Principal Bass) talk with Jim Cunningham.

Pittsburgh-born Ned McGowan talks his background as a composer and flutist living in Amsterdam, and about "Radiance," his 40-minute world premiere commissioned by the PNME as a result of winning the ensemble's 2010 Harvey Gaul competition.

Kevin Noe previews the season finale of the PNME, including one of Chris O'Riley's Radiohead transcriptions, David Lang's Sweet Air, David Skidmore's Requiem for Percussion, Frederick Rzewski's Lost and Found (whose score demands nudity), and David McGowan's Radiance.

Executive Artistic Director and conductor Kevin Noe talks about the July 23rd & 24th concerts built around György Ligeti's 11-movement Musica Ricercata. Interspersed will be works by David Stock, David Skidmore, Thierry de Mey, Emmanuel Sejourn, and Kevin Noe himself.