In the latest bid to stake Melbourne’s claim to be Australia’s cultural capital, the Melbourne Festival has announced its 2014 program with a line-up including a mix of Australian performers and international talent.

The headline act will be UK’s Aurora Orchestra and will take the form of a week-long residency, led by conductor Nicholas Collon. One of the more adventurous outfits in modern classical music (recent highlights include pairing Brazilian capoeira with French baroque music, tango with Bernstein, klezmer with Mahler, and breakdance with Shostakovich), the anticipated debut will showcase their eclectic repertoire, acclaimed musicianship and originality of programming.

Taking in audiences of all ages, the London-based orchestra’s residency will include the Australian premiere of Insomnia, an exploration of the realm between wakefulness and sleep, and will feature vocals from leading British tenor Allan Clayton. Road Trip, an intriguing-sounding “folk-inflected journey through the dusty backroads and sweeping plains of America” is inspired by the ghost of Jack Kerouac and will feature Australia’s Katie Noonan while Testament, a celebration of the enduring power of the classical symphony will see them collaborate with ANAM. Pepper the Monkey and the Rainbow Circus, a blend of storytelling, theatre and classical music meanwhile, is...