Features

American writer Daniel Lavery says the idea that he'd enjoy living as a male was the biggest motivation for a gender transition in his early 30s. Audio

LISTEN: A choral concert of fifteen songs with the theme 'Hallelujah' dating from the 18th Century through to 2019, including the chorus from Handel's Messiah and Leonard Cohen's popular song, performed by Inspirare and Schola Cantorum.

Discover hundreds of children's stories and songs in this RNZ collection.

We posted this recipe a few Easters back and it was very popular. So, if you're looking for spicy, bun-like inspiration for the Easter weekend here it is again!

This climax of Holy Week in the Christian calendar is interwoven with te reo Māori, the Eucharist is presided over by the Reverend Ivica Gregurec, the Cathedral’s Precentor. The Cathedral choir performs under the direction of Peter Watts. Listen to RNZ Concert from 9am Easter Sunday, and follow the order of service here to join in. Audio

Hymns to celebrating Easter Sunday include two New Zealand hymns, a hymn from the 8^th century and the 21^st century classic In Christ Alone. Audio

Nick Tipping checks out jazz inspired by birds, including the skylark, the blackbird, and even the flamingo. Audio

RNZ's Perlina Lau runs her eye over the best streamers coming up this month, including Beef, Barry and the final Marvelous Mrs Maisel.

It's a two hour Good Friday Nashville Babylon special this week with music from the likes of Aretha Franklin, JJ Cale, Nina Simone, Talking Heads, Bob Marley, Lambchop, the Gypsy Kings and much much more... Audio

Chef Sam Parish skips the dairy and includes a surprise dash of umami in these home-baked Easter treats. Video, Audio

Our Changing World - Hundreds of thousands of starlings and sparrows are threatening native species in the Rotopiko peat wetlands near Hamilton. Audio

It's an extra-special year for the Port of Tauranga National Jazz Festival. Hear about what's on offer from festival director Marc Anderson. Audio

Mark Rogers plays two hours of feel-good music from Aretha Franklin, Talking Heads, Bob Marley, the Gypsy Kings and much, much more. Audio

LISTEN: Pop star Benee teams up with the NZSO for this spectacular show of her award-winning songs in amazing new symphonic arrangements in the style of Disney, James Bond, and 90's trip-hop making for a dynamic show full of surprises. Audio

Naomi Toilalo shares a decadent Easter treat (and some useful te reo vocab) in this recipe for brown butter cookies studded with chocolate caramel eggs and tamari almonds. Reka (yum)!

Beginning with the joyous procession of Palm Sunday and proceeding through the anguish of the Crucifixion to the first report of the empty tomb on Easter Sunday, the voices of the Tudor Consort leads us in a meditation of music for Holy Week.

Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves has surprised the critics by being thoroughly entertaining, it works because it has charm and a great cast writes Simon Morris. Video, Audio

While dressing up for a formal occasion used to be the norm for all of us, these days it seems anything goes. Should we all be making more of an effort? Writes Niki Bezzant.

A special selection of hymns to mark this important day in the Christian liturgical calendar. Audio

With a long weekend coming up, the time is ripe to get stuck into some of those change-of-season gardening jobs, writes Hannah Zwartz.

Mihingarangi Forbes speaks to the National Party’s new Māori MP Tama Potaka about co-governance and Māori Development. Panelists Dr Lara Greaves and Ngarimu Blair discuss white cis men, free speech and political lobbying. Video, Audio

A Pasifika music artist is aiming to elevate the Samoan language into mainstream spaces. Aaron Pulemagafa, aka The Western Guide, said the lack of Pacific bilingual songs in New Zealand's music scene and his fondness of Samoan ballads led him to create his latest single, Siva Mai. Audio

A ravishing set delivers contemplative, slightly melancholy music from violist Robert Ashworth and The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. Hear music by Purcell, Britten, Handel and Holst live at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Auckland. 

John Michael McDonagh's The Forgiven is set at a party in Morocco thrown by the idle rich, starring Ralph Fiennes, Jessica Chastain and Matt Smith. Video, Audio