Guardian Music — Palace Theatre, ManchesterThose already expressing qualms about next year's Cultural Olympiad should cheer up a little: some strange alchemy has been at work, conjuring up a truly original new opera that will launch the 2012 celebrations. Premiered a... more info

Guardian Music — Damon Albarn's recent admission that the supernatural is now part of his life explains an awful lotThe 17th-century witchfinder general, Mary Hopkin, roamed Essex on top of a horse, burning witches and stuffing her bearded face with purloined olden-d... more info

Guardian Music — This week, we've been in Manchester, mostly ...And in Manchester ...We really enjoyed Björk's Biophilia ...... And she talked to us about it, too. Likewise Damon Albarn's Dr Dee. And while we worried that Manchester has forgotten its musical heritag... more info

Guardian Music — This week's programme is themed around the Manchester international festival, which is now under way.Damon Albarn discusses his new opera about Dr Dee, the Elizabethan astrologer, courtier, alchemist and spy, which receives its world premiere at the ... more info

NME — Blur and Gorillaz man due to perform at Manchester International Festival until Sunday (July 10) more info

Guardian Music — The Manchester International Festival has attracted Victoria Wood, Snoop Dogg and Damon Albarn – and deterred localsManchester's biennial international festival, now in its third run, was launched last Thursday. In the weekend's blissful sunshine, ... more info

Guardian Music — Chetham's School and Library, ManchesterMuch attention for this year's Manchester International festival has been focused on the interactive Dr Who adventure, the Crash of the Elysium. Yet there is an equally thrilling experiment in time travel provi... more info

Guardian Music — Dave Simpson gives a fascinating account of Damon Albarn's opera Dr Dee (G2, 5 July), but he is wrong to describe John Dee as a figure "barely known outside academic circles before this unusual platform". Since the 1970s Dee has been frequently repre... more info

Guardian Music — From Björk to Damon Albarn via Factory Records and Sarajevo, the Manchester international festival kicked off with an arts bonanza. Here's what you thought ...The Guardian's team spent a long weekend at the cliche-defyingly sunny Manchester internat... more info

Guardian Music — What's hot and what's not at this year's Manchester international festival?Going upLive ravensThe real star of Damon Albarn's folk opera. Quoth the Raven, give us more.The musical Tesla coilLooks so cool you don't even care that it sounds like a robo... more info