World City Guide

Culture

Christchurch is very much the arts capital of the south island. www.bethere.org.nz and www.localeye.info are good online event guides for what’s happening in the city.

Tickets for most events can be purchased in advance from Ticketek (tel: (03) 377 8899; website: www.ticketek.co.nz).

Music: The city’s premier performing arts centre is the Town Hall at 86 Kilmore Street (tel (03) 366 8899) which puts on a variety of events throughout the year. This is the place to go for chamber or symphony orchestra. Situated beside the River Avon in the very heart of Christchurch, the complex provides a magnificent setting for the performing arts, and attracts big names: Neil Diamond, Mark Knopfler, R E M and Norah Jones all played there in 2005. The Canterbury Opera also performs there (tel: (03) 366 9932; website: www.canterburyopera.com). The Westpac Centre, New Zealand's largest permanent multipurpose arena, seating between 5,000 and 8,000, is another venue for big concerts.

Theatre: The James Hay Theatre in the Town Hall (see above), the Isaac Theatre Royal, 145 Gloucester Street and the Court Theatre (tel: (03) 963 0870; website: www.courttheatre.org.nz) in the Arts Centre, 20 Worcester Boulevard, are the main theatres. The Court has its own in house theatre troupe.

Film: The largest multiplexes in Christchurch are the Hoyts 8 (tel: (03) 377 9945; website: http://hoytsnz.ninemsn.com.au) in the old central railway station at 392 Moorhouse Avenue and Reading Cinemas (tel: (03) 375 7080; website: www.readingcinemas.co.nz) in the Palms shopping centre in the suburb of Shirley, corner of New Brighton and Marshlands roads. Otherwise try The Regent, 94 Worcester Street (tel: (03) 366 0140).