Features

Young love, old love and irresistible waltzes feature in Der Rosenkavalier Suite by Richard Strauss, free to download this month.

An fantastic hour of music including country, LA-soul and blues featuring music from Bo Diddley, The Blazers, Townes Van Zandt and new releases from Andrew Combs and current Nashville Babylon favourite John Moreland. Audio

As more microbes develop resistance to every kind of antimicrobial treatment, the threat of dying from even common infectious diseases is increasing - so what should we be doing about it? Audio

Why should the Barrytown Settlers Hall be hushed by a few noise complaints, asks Anthonie Tonnon.

It was fifty years ago today, it's a boomer cultural touchstone, but is it any good? Graham Smith lends an ear to Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

GP and poet Glenn Colquhoun thinks about leaving medicine most days but says he's never really come close. His new book Late Love tells of how he came to see the poetry in his day job. Audio

There are a bunch of Kiwi musicians who made it big overseas but remain relatively obscure in New Zealand. Here are six of the most successful, as selected by Afternoons music producer Jimmy Stewart. Audio

Men are bold, women are loud. Men are confident, women are bossy. It's time we took a closer look at this enduring double standard, says a Buzzfeed culture writer. Audio

A Tongan woman is pushing the boundaries of fashion by taking traditional garments and adding a contemporary twist.

A fallen New Zealand mountaineer has provided inspiration for an opera by British composer Joby Talbot. Everest tells the tragic story of Rob Hall who died on the mountain in 1996 in a blizzard that claimed the lives of eight mountaineers.  Video, Audio

Tonight on the Sampler, to mark the anniversary of The Beatles’ classic, Nick Bollinger discusses its impact, legacy and how it rates today, with Split Enz founder Mike Chunn, producer Ed Cake and teenage critic Toby McWilliams. Audio

RNZ's Stephen Hewson remembers watching the All Blacks take on the Lions at Athletic Park in 1977. Video

Lynda Chanwai-Earle hosts a panel discussion on budget cuts and their possible impact on migrant communities. Audio

Townes Van Zandt, Bo Diddley, the Blazers, Hank Snow and John Moreland all feature on this week's slice of the best in Americana. Audio

In an industry that coined the phrase ‘If it bleeds, it leads’ death knocks - the industry term for approaching the bereaved - are a staple.

Auckland Soprano singer Natasha Wilson's first love was pop music. She also admits to loving heavy metal - even owning an Iron Maiden t-shirt. Audio

Weekend Herald editor Miriyana Alexander has won a fellowship in the UK to study so-called ‘fake news’. Mediawatch asked her if that’s really a problem here. Audio

A New Zealand mountaineer has provided inspiration for an opera by British composer Joby Talbot. Everest tells the story of Rob Hall who died on the mountain in 1996. Video, Audio

Christchurch Dilemmas - Regenerate Christchurch's James Lunday has the job of bringing Cathedral Square back to the bustling hub it once was.

A group of scientists is creating maps of cities based not on getting to destinations quickly, but on stimulating senses. Audio

Georgian mezzo-soprano Nino Surguladze is in NZ to play the lead role in NZ Opera's season of Carmen. It's Bizet's tale with a feminist twist. Audio

The band's keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton loves a good metaphor. Speaking to Alex Behan, he compares making music to running a reustaurant, both of which he's been doing a lot recently. Audio

RNZ's Barry Guy remembers the shock of being 9 years old and realising his father was rooting for the Lions in their 1971 series against the All Blacks. Video