Cate Kustanczy

Toronto - BB King: The Life of Riley makes its North American premiere June 14th as part of the North by Northeast music festival in Toronto. Director Jon Brewer says King’s life was a story begging to be told.

Toronto - Along with cool beats and lush sounds, Canadian scratch DJ Kid Koala will be bringing something new to his Luminato Festival performances this coming weekend, incorporating scent into the live music experience.

Toronto - The Dumbells were an entertainment group created by ten members of the Canadian army's Third Division during World War One. A new live show re-imagines a Dumbells show while paying homage to Canadian comedy history.

Toronto - In the ten years since its founding, Canadian music label Arts and Crafts has become one of the most important names in the music world, with names like Feist, Metric, Stars, and Broken Social Scene on its roster.

Toronto - Toronto-based music label Arts & Crafts celebrate their 10th anniversary this year. A new photography exhibit highlights one city resident's connection with the label, as well as Toronto's place in the international fashion and music scenes.

Toronto - Francis Poulenc's "Dialogues des Carmélites" examines the role of faith in the face of a mob. It doesn't offer a happy ending, but it does provide a powerful opera experience. The current Canadian Opera Company production runs now through May 25th.

Toronto - Alexander Neef, General Director of the Canadian Opera Company, recently announced the company’s 2013-2014 season. It expresses not only a vision for the COC, but of opera's role in the cultural fabric of Canada's largest city.

Toronto - Richard Strauss' 1905 opera 'Salome' has all the elements of great opera: intense drama, a soaring score, challenging vocal lines. The current Toronto production, directed by Atom Egoyan, adds a modern twist.

Toronto - Duo Concertante are real-life couple Nancy Dahn and Tim Steeves. Hot off their Carnegie Hall debut in February, their new album (out on Marquis Classics) covers Beethoven's sonatas for violin and piano. As they explain, playing together isn't always easy.

NPR's Andy Carvin is redefining how news is disseminated, distributed, shared, and consumed. His new book details how social media was used to report events in the Arab World in 2011, and more broadly, how technology is changing news reporting.

Toronto - Arthur Fogel isn't a well-known figure. But if you’ve ever been to a live concert by Madonna, U2, Lady Gaga, or The Police, you’ll have felt his influence. Now, a new documentary traces the Canadian music promoter’s rise to superstar status.

London - The Royal Opera House recently announced their 2013-2014 season. Among the highlights are seven new productions, a celebration of the 150th birthday of Richard Strauss, and live cinema broadcasts transmission from September through to June 2014.

New York - ‘Blues for Smoke’ explores a wide swath of contemporary art through the lens of blues music, offering a thought-provoking combination of artists and media, highlighting the pervasive influence and central position of blues music in American culture.

New York - Ghanaian artist El Anatsui is enjoying his first solo exhibition at a New York Museum. His artwork is constructed from found materials, and offers a thoughtful commentary on his homeland as well as the cultural implications of reclaimed materials.

Toronto - 'Iceland' is a Canadian play that premiered last summer to much acclaim. It presents three monologues that examine the banking crisis, revealing our own attitudes to money, opportunity, wealth, and success in the process.

New York - The 2013-2014 Metropolitan Opera season has been announced. With six new productions, twenty revivals, and the return of James Levine, it'll be a season worth watching. General Director Peter Gelb just hopes you do some of that watching in person.

Toronto - Pulitzer-winning 'Clybourne Park' recently opened in Toronto. Produced as part of Mirvish's Second Stage Series, it's a tale that touches on many themes, especially race relations and economics. It runs now through March 3rd.

New York - On now through April 21st at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York, 'Drawing Surrealism' examines the role and function of drawing in the surrealist art movement. It's fascinating for both artists and non-artists alike.

Music Maura Johnston, known to many for her smart pop culture observations, has launched her own weekly magazine. It’s the paid model of digital journalism its founder thinks many fans of the “old web” have been waiting for.

Symbolia Magazine combines comics and text in digital form to present a new way of telling real-life stories. Its co-founder says Symbolia may not be the future of journalism, but it reflects where journalism is at right now.