Ruby Solly, composer, poet, cellist, music therapist, taonga pūoro practitioner, and general chameleon, is busy composing new music for the 2021 Wellington Jazz Festival. Her work Te Karanga o ngā Whetū (the stories of the stars) will be a new suite blending jazz with taonga pūoro (traditional Māori instruments), pūrākau Māori (Māori myths and legends) and Māori kōrero tuku iho (oral traditions).

New Zealand Actor, Arts Administrator and Festival Whānau, Heather O’Carroll returns to the Te Whanganui-a-Tara stage in the highly anticipated family drama Things I Know to be True written by celebrated Australian playwright Andrew Bovell in an official co-production between The Court Theatre and Circa Theatre.

In his second Pūrākau poto, our Pouārahi Māori Tama Ale Samoa delves deep into the origin and etymology of tā moko.

A composer and performer based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Callum Passells has toured with the likes of Aldous Harding and Hans Pucket. For the 2021 Wellington Jazz Festival, he'll be bringing his group LCR (Left/Centre/Right) to the capital to perform a brand-new commissioned work inspired by protest marches.

In this week's Window into te Ao Māori, Tama Ale Samoa introduces us to an award-wining group from Tairāwhiti, te Kapa Haka o Waihīrere.

Joel Amosa, winner of the 2018 Lexus Song Quest, is taking on the role of Masetto in Wellington Opera's production of Don Giovanni. This production, the first for Wellington Opera, opens on Saturday 17 April.

Creative Director Marnie Karmelita and Director Ngā Toi Māori Mere Boynton introduce the 2021 Wellington Jazz Festival Headliners: The Nathan Haines Octet, Whirimako Black and Michael Houstoun and the Rodger Fox Big Band.

Wellington Opera – which has been described as the world’s newest opera company – launches this year with its premiere production, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, opening on Saturday 17 April at the Opera House. Artistic Director Matthew Ross talks through the inspirations behind this new venture and the surprising gifts that Covid has brought.

In his recurring segment exploring the world of te Ao Māori, our Pouārahi Māori Tama Ale Samoa introduces us to one of his favourite Kapa Haka groups.