HOT: Avenue Q, Comedy Theatre, 240 Exhibition St, Melbourne

A comedy musical with puppets? Don’t start groaning – the Tony Award winning Avenue Q is cheesy, cheeky, a little bit dirty and it’s certainly not for kids. Admittedly it doesn’t try too hard for laughs (who’s not going to laugh at puppets having wild sex?), the songs are catchy without being memorable and there was a bizarre pseudo-cameo involving Gary Coleman from Diff’rent Strokes, but all in all the most impressive part of the show was the ability of the on-stage puppeteers to draw the focus away from themselves and project human gestures and emotions on a bunch of floppy, googley-eyed muppets.

HOT: Carmen, World Opera and Ballet, Kino Cinemas, 45 Collins St, Melbourne

In my fabulous former life, I was able to attend many opera performances at my all-time-favourite London landmark, the Royal Opera House. However, I'm now a million miles away from Covent Garden, so I can only get my dose of world-class opera via World Opera and Ballet.

Initially, I was uncertain as to how much I would enjoy opera on the big screen. Now, I have to admit that watching the performance in high definition and with surround sound is really not a bad compromise to the real thing. The camera can capture every flicker of emotion in the singers' faces, which I would never be able to see from my ampitheatre seats. Bizet's sumptious melodies, comprising many of opera's greatest hits, obviously helped the experience.

The ROH's 2007 production of Carmen was superb - vibrant, earthy and perfectly cast. Dark-haired Anna Caterina Antonacci was utterly believable as the sultry and volatile Carmen who uses her sensual charms to entrap the hapless Don Jose. As well as singing beautifully, Antonacci was a fantastic actress who never hammed up her emotions and was able to convey her disdain for Don Jose with a mere sideways glance. Ildebrando d’Arcangelo, astride on his (live) horse, was proud and authorative as the toreador Escamillo. My favourite tenor, handsome Jonas Kaufmann, sang poor bewitched Don Jose, tortured with unrequited love and reduced to rags and pleading with Carmen not to leave him. Their last scene, full of tense drama and passionate physicality, had me holding my breath.

The only problem with not being at the ROH was that I wasn't able to yell Bravo! as the curtain went down.

HOT: The Audition, Cinema Nova, 380 Lygon St, Carlton 3053

While in London, I really gained an appreciation for the opera - so I was excited to hear that Cinema Nova were screening The Audition, a behind-the-scenes documentary about New York's Met Opera auditions.

The story follows a group of hopeful young opera singers as they prepare for the grand final - a chance to be one of six winners of a bursary and recognition of their world-class potential. Although I am definitely not a professional musician, my years of piano exams and piano competitions meant that I could respect and relate somewhat to the experience of these young artists. You work long and hard, often solo, to prepare for a single moment - and you can't rely on anyone else when you're on stage, alone with your instrument.

To me it was quite clear from the start who some of the winners would be - their personality, drive and vocal quality was striking. However, it was still an interesting journey, and of course I got to hear some wonderful music.