Four ways to match culture and cuisine for the ultimate night out in the city

Be their guest, be their guest… 15 years after their star turn as the original Beauty and the Beast, Australian musical theatre legends Michael Cormick and Rachael Beck are reuniting to regale audiences with a night of song and stories. They’ll recount tales from their years performing in front of thousands, together and apart, at home and abroad, interspersed with hits from their biggest roles in shows such as Cats, Chicago, Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera. It’s like storytime for adults, told with true theatrical flair.

Keep the Broadway theme going by heading over to Frankie’s after the show, where they sling thin-crust pizza that’s sold by the slice in true New York style, all the way until 3am. They’ve even got a pie named after Joe Pesci, topped with prawns, zucchini, pesto, cherry tomatoes and cheese.

Dates: Friday January 12, 8pm & Saturday January 13, 8pm.
Tickets: Standard $65-89; concession $55-65; City Recital Hall Member $55-$75; under 30 $45.

Shirley Bassey’s ‘Goldfinger’, Paul McCartney’s ‘Live and Let Die’, ‘Skyfall’ by Adele – from timeless classics to modern hits, the on-screen exploits of the world’s most famous spy are inseparable from the songs that have soundtracked his adventures.

In The Music of James Bond, some of cinema’s most famous themes will be brought to life on stage, with a full live symphony backing the vocals of award-winning singer Kate Ceberano and musical theatre star Michael Falzon. Waving the baton is Guy Noble, who as a conductor, entertainer, columnist and ABC Classic FM host, could compete with 007’s handiest gadget in the versatility stakes. You’ll hear all of your favourite numbers, including 'Goldfinger', 'From Russia With Love', 'Diamonds Are Forever', 'You Only Live Twice', 'Thunderball', and more.

Before the show, book in at French brasserie Felix for a classically Bond meal. Given the suave spy’s well documented fondness for fancy seafood, the grand plateau de fruits de mer is a fitting choice, replete with lobster, oysters, prawns, mud crab and Moreton Bay bugs. Return for a post-show Mallow Martini – Felix’s sweet rendition is made with Delord Blanche Armagnac, Limoncello and vanilla liqueur.

Date: Saturday March 17, 8pm.
Tickets: Standard $75-$99; concession $65-$75; City Recital Hall Member $63-$85; under 30 $45.

Singing in concert halls around the world, writing Australia’s first Aboriginal opera, performing at the 2000 Olympics opening ceremony and living as a member of the Stolen Generation – such is the deeply lived life of Deborah Cheetham, one of our most acclaimed and admired musical figures.

In Songs of Belonging, the soprano, composer, educator and Yorta Yorta woman shares her powerful story with audiences, marrying music and narration to trace a journey that starts with her forced removal as a child and follows the rediscovery of her identity. In Cheetham’s words, song is how First Nations Australians have always “given meaning to everything in our world... it’s a map to our identity”. The intimate, enlightening and moving recital will premiere new works in the languages of the Yorta Yorta, Gunditjmara and Boon Wurrung people alongside music from composers such as Puccini, Dvořák and Vaughan Williams.

Enjoy an pre-show dinner at Indu, where creative fusion dishes take diners on a culinary journey from the villages of India to our own backyard – their grilled market fish with native bush masala features Australian wattleseed alongside more traditionally-used ingredients like poppy seed and coriander.

Date: Saturday May 12, 7.30pm.
Tickets: Standard $55-$65; concession $50-$60; City Recital Hall Member $46-$55; under 30 $40.

Dust off your glomesh bag or snazziest suit for a night of nonstop hits that’ll have audiences grooving right back into the golden era of Motown superstars like the Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye. All the unforgettable chart-toppers of the period will be performed live in an energy-packed show that invites everyone, both on stage and off, to get on their feet.

To power all that jumping and jiving, fit in a pre-show dinner at Mercado, where they’re cooking richly flavoured Spanish food that’s full of soul. For dessert try the ‘doughnuts and coffee’ – a classic American pairing that conjures images of late nights in roadside diners. Here they’re done a little differently, arriving in the form of churros with coffee granita and custard.

Date: Saturday September 1, 8pm.
Tickets: Standard $55-$65; concession $50-$60; City Recital Hall Member $46-$55; under 30 $40.