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Mon, 22/02/2021 - 13:22
2020 was a challenging year for all of us, we felt it keenly in aviation and we also heard it from our friends in the arts.
Brisbane Airport continues to be a proud partner to many arts and culture not-for-profits due to the phenomenal cultural development that they bring to our city and the visitors they draw in from all around Australia and the world.
Last year, our arts partners projected their inherent creativity into solving the problem of continuing to bring arts and culture to our community without large audiences gathering together, turning to virtual performances, online cultural education classes and in-real-life performances built for intimate audiences where social distancing could be maintained. The dedication to their cause and connection to their community was inspiring to be a part of during a turbulent year.
As our arts partners announced their 2021 seasons, a beacon of normalcy, fun and hope was lit. Here's cheers to full theatres, teeming galleries, interstate visitors in our audiences and a 2021 of uninterrupted arts and culture events in Brisbane. We'll be in the audience showing our support, will you?
Summer events in Brisbane - January to February 2021
Queensland Theatre: Our Town - by Thornton Wilder
Billie Brown Theatre, South Brisbane
Until 20 February 2021
With a story so simple and a heart so warm, this classic celebrates all that is precious in life.
Life in a small town. Babies are born. Children go to school, and play and dream. People grow up, fall in love, get married, hold down a job, and grow old. The same surnames last down through the years, but the faces change. There are inevitable tragedies and triumphant joys.
As we come to know the people in this town, we see how the threads of their everyday lives are gently woven into the rich and complex, funny and heartbreaking fabric that is community. And for all its simplicity, this play reveals a great truth at its heart: deep meaning and startling value are in every moment of existence. You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.
Pulitzer Prize-winning Our Town has long been America’s most performed play. It reminds us to look to the future with hope, to see the beauty in the everyday world and to cherish the people we love.
Opera Queensland Studio Series: Secret – Kang Wang and John Woods
Opera Queensland Studio, South Bank
26 - 27 February 2021
Acclaimed Chinese-Australia tenor Kang Wang makes his Opera Queensland recital debut with John Woods in Secret – A Love that Never Was.
Kang paints a heartrending picture of unrequited love. Through tremendous effort, pain and grief two lovers drift apart. Exploring an expansive repertoire Kang and John share a rich program of songs by composers including Tosti, Donaudy, Maristella and others.
This is a rare opportunity to experience one of the world’s rising operatic stars up close in the Opera Queensland Studio.
Opera Queensland Studio Series: Songs My Mother Sang to Me - Deborah Cheetham AO & Toni Lalich OAM
Opera Queensland Studio, South Bank
19 - 20 March 2021
Yorta Yorta soprano and composer, Deborah Cheetham AO shares songs by Glanville-Hicks, Kats-Chernin, Bauld, Boulanger, Cilea, Strauss, Puccini, Mascagni and Gounod, in this her Opera Queensland debut.
In Deborah’s words, “This recital celebrates the female poets, singers and composers who have shaped my identity through the music that has inspired me.”
Museum of Brisbane: Bauhaus Now: ART+DESIGN+ARCHITECTURE, a legacy of migration and modernism in Brisbane
Museum of Brisbane
Until 18 April 2021
Bauhaus Now brings to life the little-known story of how revolutionary ideas of the Weimar Republic in Germany influenced modernist art, design and architecture in Brisbane and Australia. The exhibition reveals the migrant and refugee contribution to Australian life and art history in the inter-war period and post-Second World War years.
Bauhaus Now features original artworks from this period, plus a series of vivid contemporary recreations that demonstrate the impact of this movement in Brisbane and Australian art history. The exhibition will also show how the legacy of these powerful ideas is being re-interpreted today.
Autumn events in Brisbane - March to May 2021
Queensland Ballet: 60th Anniversary Gala
Playhouse Theatre, QPAC
5 - 20 March 2021
Celebrate with Queensland Ballet as they present an exciting retrospective telling of their evolving story over 60 years. The 60th Anniversary Gala honours a vibrant history of dance that showcases exciting excerpts from five world-class productions. Watch as they come alive on stage, performed by their world-class dancers and glitter in the coming of age of this extraordinary company.
Opera Queensland: Lorelei
Concert Hall, QPAC
6 - 13 March 2021
A modern take on the ancient myth of the Lorelei siren. Jilted by an unfaithful lover the Lorelei threw herself into the river and was transformed into a siren whose voice pulled men under her spell and onto the rocks. In this new Australian work, the creators have taken this ancient mythical story and turned it on its head. Join Australian opera and cabaret stars Ali McGregor, Antoinette Halloran and Dimity Shepherd on this tantalising journey where opera meets cabaret and burlesque.
Queensland Theatre: Triple X - by Glace Chase
Billie Brown Theatre, South Brisbane
6 March - 1 April 2021
True love in the 21st century.
Scotty has it all: a multimillion-dollar loft in downtown Manhattan, a high-flying Wall Street job and he’s about to marry the perfect fiancée, who also happens to be loaded. But when he meets trans performance artist Dexie, he discovers he wants something more. A friend? A confidante? A lover?
When the secret of their affair gets out, it’s sure to shock not only his dude-bro Jase, his highly-strung mother Deb and his lesbian activist sister Claire, but also a theatre audience strapped in for the ride of their lives.
From the wickedly funny pen of Australian-born, New York-based playwright, comedienne and performer Glace Chase, this play is hilarious, honest and an emotionally affecting look at entitlement, hypocrisy and the realities of love. And it features one of the most eye-popping sex scenes in recent theatre history. It’s all a bit Triple X.
Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra: Sounds of Nature, Metro Series Concert #1
VPAC, Somerville House, South Brisbane
25 April 2021
This concert series welcomes back conductor Nathan Aspinall after his string of recent successes in the USA. The centrepiece of our first program is Mahler’s Symphony No.1 – a journey of heart and purity by the master composer. Sounds of nature and birdsong open the symphony echoing over the gentle hum of the universe before the work unfolds featuring lively scherzos, a sombre yet parodic funeral march, and concluding with its victorious finale.
Opera Queensland Studio Series: Winterreise – Gregory Massingham and Stephen Emmerson
Opera Queensland Studio, South Bank
7 - 8 May 2021
Gregory Massingham and Stephen Emmerson present Schubert’s complete song-cycle, Winterreise, one of the final works Austrian composer Franz Schubert wrote shortly before his death.
While they never met, Franz Schubert found the perfect words in poetry by Wilhem Müller to set to song and celebrate a life well lived. The performance is accompanied by a presentation of majestic winter landscapes by the German landscape painter, Caspar David Friedrich, providing the perfect visual compliment to Schubert’s musicality.
Queensland Theatre: Taming of the Shrew - by William Shakespeare
Billie Brown Theatre, South Brisbane
8 May - 5 June 2021
Welcome to 1920s Italy. Two sisters. One wants to marry, one doesn’t. What could possibly go wrong?
Lights! Camera! Action! The suitors are lining up to woo movie mogul Baptista’s enchanting film star daughter, Bianca. But there’s a catch: Bianca can’t marry until her elder sister is wed.
Enter Kate — bold, free and fierce, the last thing she wants or needs is a husband. Men conspire to marry this wild woman off to any man who will have her.
Enter Petruchio — Navy captain, in need of a wife. The stage is set for one of the most powerful clashes of wills in history.
With a sprinkle of old-time movie magic, director Damien Ryan rescues this classic love story from the clutches of controversy, by transporting it to a time when Kate is less of a problem and more of a promise of great women to come. This may not be the Shrew you were expecting, but it will be an irresistible night in the theatre filled with glamour, romance, song and laughter. And a plane.
Australasian Dance Collective: THREE — Lister / Lane / Shechter
Playhouse Theatre, QPAC
26 - 29 May 2021
Australasian Dance Collective brings you THREE highly anticipated Australian premieres from renowned choreographers Jack Lister, Melanie Lane and Hofesh Shechter.
Brisbane’s own rising star of the choreographic world, Jack Lister, fuses dance and visual art to create a stunning mainstage performance, Still Life.
Melanie Lane is one of Australia’s strongest female choreographic voices, her works seamlessly blending elegance with edgy, physicality.
Queensland finally gets its chance to experience international superstar and dance revolutionary, Hofesh Shechter. Presented in association with Hofesh Shechter Company, ADC unveils the Australian premiere of Cult — the work that propelled Shechter into his globally-renowned career. Instinctive and raw, it is a powerful illustration of his unique and acclaimed choreography and is the first time the London-based choreographer’s work has been performed in Queensland.
Winter events in Brisbane - June - August 2021
Opera Queensland Studio Series: Death Becomes Her – Eva Kong and Alex Raineri
Opera Queensland Studio, South Bank
4 - 5 June 2021
Soprano Eva Kong presents a program of songs from Debussy’s Quatre Chansons de Jeunesse to Korean repertoire, alongside arias from some of the great operas including Roméo et Juliette, Madama Butterfly and La traviata.
In Eva’s words, “Each death scene I portray on stage makes me feel more alive away from the spotlight.”
Queensland Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty
Lyric Theatre, QPAC
4 - 19 June 2021
Be transported to the magical world of fairy tale as Queensland Ballet performs - The Sleeping Beauty - returning to the stage by popular demand. Spectacular choreography and Tchaikovsky’s dramatic score, performed by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra revive the centuries-old struggle of good versus evil.
Gallery of Modern Art: European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
12 June - 17 October 2021
Spanning 500 years, ‘European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York’ offers a breath-taking journey from the 1420s and emerging Renaissance to conclude at the height of early twentieth century post-impressionism. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity allows visitors to experience works by painters such as Titian, Raphael, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Monet, direct from The Met’s collection – one of the finest collections of European painting in the world, the majority of which rarely leave permanent display in New York.
Queensland Theatre: White Pearl - by Anchuli Felicia King
Billie Brown Theatre, South Brisbane
17 June - 10 July 2021
In the boardroom of Clearday cosmetics, beauty is only (white) skin deep.
In Singapore, it’s just another day at the office of Clearday cosmetics. That is, until they discover that their new TV commercial has been leaked online. The video goes viral for all the wrong reasons. Someone is definitely going to get fired.
Can the high-flying team at Clearday rise above their personal squabbles to save the company?
As they scramble to contain the fallout before the American market wakes up, the open- plan, glass-door office proves to be a nest of secrets, lies and resentments.
Anchuli Felicia King’s new play is a ruthlessly entertaining portrait of toxic corporate culture, casual racism and the complexity of pan-Asian relations.
Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra: Homeland, Metro Series Concert #2
VPAC, Somerville House, South Brisbane
18 July 2021
Australian conductor Simon Hewett has held some of the most prestigious conducting positions in Europe’s finest opera houses and theatres and has recently returned to his homeland in his new role as Artistic Director of the Queensland Youth Orchestras. BPO is thrilled to work with Simon for the very first time in this stunning program featuring the divine voices of Canticum Chamber Choir under the direction of Emily Cox.
Queensland Theatre: Prima Facie - by Suzie Miller
Billie Brown Theatre, South Brisbane
14 July - 7 August 2021
A tour de force indictment of the legal system.
One woman stands centre stage: Tessa, a criminal lawyer at the top of her game, who knows the law permits no room for emotion.
To win, you just need to believe in the rules. And Tessa loves to win, even when defending clients accused of sexual assault. Her court-ordained duty trumps her feminism. But when she finds herself on the other side of the bar, Tessa is forced into the shadows of doubt she has so ruthlessly cast over other women.
Turning our courts of law into a different kind of stage, human rights lawyer-turned-playwright Suzie Miller’s taut, rapid-fire and gripping one-woman show exposes the shortcomings of a patriarchal justice system where it’s her word against his.
Opera Queensland: The Marriage of Figaro
Playhouse, QPAC
15 - 31 July 2021
This is the opera that changed the direction of the art form and one of the greatest love stories ever told. From the very first moment, utter chaos unfolds, but at the centre is Susanna, the bride-to-be, coolly and brilliantly navigating the mayhem, ably supported by her future husband.
This production sets the story in a time where what was understood as power is crumbling as a new world emerges. It could be 1786 or is it 2021?
Opera Queensland Studio Series: A Poet’s Love – Shaun Brown, Sarah Crane and Alex Raineri
Opera Queensland Studio, South Bank
6 - 7 August 2021
Join soprano Sarah Crane, baritone Shaun Brown and Alex Raineri for a celebration of poetry and song through two seminal song-cycles.
Gustav Mahler’s transcendent Rückert Lieder cast a uniquely magical spell, transporting the audience to an incorporeal, heavenly plane whilst Schumann’s Dichterliebe embodies more earthly sentiments, a collection of songs that speak of dreams and fairy tales.
Presented in partnership with Brisbane Music Festival, A Poet’s Love embodies the very essence of romanticism.
Queensland Theatre: Trent Dalton’s BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE, adapted for the stage by Tim McGarry
Playhouse, QPAC, South Brisbane
30 August - 18 September 2021
The blockbuster Australian novel comes alive onstage.
Eli Bell’s childhood in the outer Brisbane suburbs is far from the idyllic 1980s haze some kids would remember. His alcoholic dad has shot through, his mum is in jail, his stepfather’s dealing heroin, his brother Gus is a mute who swirls cryptic messages in the air with his finger, and his babysitter Slim is a convicted killer and infamous escapee from Boggo Road Gaol.
Beset by chaos on all sides, it’s a run-in with the local crime king and his henchman that sets the 13 year old with the old soul on a journey to find out what kind of man he is going to be.
Boy Swallows Universe is adapted from the smash hit novel inspired by Brisbane author Trent Dalton’s own childhood. It’s an exhilarating story of magic and madness, of beauty and brutality, of joy and heartbreak, and of the power of love to triumph over the darkest of circumstances.
Spring events in Brisbane - September - November 2021
Opera Queensland: Joseph Calleja - The Maltese Tenor
Concert Hall, QPAC
9 September 2021
Joseph Calleja is one of the most exciting lyric tenors in the world today, a superstar at all the world’s greatest opera houses and concert halls.
His extensive discography includes a thrilling Verdi album and a hugely popular tribute to Mario Lanza, whilst his performance of Puccini’s famous “Nessun dorma” at The Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall was nothing short of electrifying.
In this, his eagerly anticipated debut Australian tour, the Maltese born singer will be joined by two of Australia’s best loved artists, soprano Amelia Farrugia, who is also of Maltese heritage, and internationally acclaimed pianist Piers Lane, in an unforgettable performance.
Presented by Andrew McKinnon in association with Opera Queensland.
Opera Queensland: Jess Hitchcock - Songs That Made Me
The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley
12 September 2021
Singer-songwriter, Jess Hitchcock performs a collection of songs that explore and celebrate her impressive rise to fame.
Jess performed with Kate Miller-Heidke at the 2019 Eurovision song contest in Israel and in the same year collaborated with Paul Kelly on his Making Gravy tour, leading to the release of their track, ‘Everyday My Mother’s Voice’.
From her roots as a jazz singer, Jess takes us on a journey exploring musical theatre and opera, country and folk, jazz and pop. Don’t miss this opportunity to see one of the rising stars of the Australian music scene.
Presented in partnership with Brisbane Festival.
Queensland Ballet: Peter and the Wolf
Thomas Dixon Center
14 - 21 September 2021
Giggle and gasp as Queensland Ballet performs Peter and the Wolf in a world premiere. Children of all ages, parents and grandparents, can share in the musical wonder as orchestral instruments accompany the dancers in the reimagined telling of a favourite tale. There will be squeals of delight as young dancers in colourful, creative costumes tell the story of a courageous boy, a lovable grandpa, a rascally wolf, an unlucky duck and a graceful bird.
Opera Queensland Studio Series: Eastern Promises – Alexandra Flood and Alex Raineri
Opera Queensland Studio, South Bank
17 - 18 September 2021
After their sold-out performance with Opera Queensland in 2019, Australian duo Alexandra Flood and Alex Raineri return for an evening exploring the influence of middle and far eastern melody on the western classical music tradition.
On this journey they uncover how different composers have approached the female voice and framed female identity. A rich and detailed celebration of the feminine and the virtuosity of the female voice, featuring music by Debussy, Ravel, Szymanovski, Rachmaninoff, Glanville-Hicks and several others.
Opera Queensland: The Frog Prince
Opera Queensland Studio, South Bank
22 - 25 September 2021
The Frog Prince leaps into the 21st century with this new production by Opera Queensland and Brisbane’s shake & stir theatre co.
In this classic Grimm tale, a spoiled princess encounters a sassy frog and an unlikely friendship blossoms.
The stakes are heightened as the loyalty of the selfish princess is tested and the frog is magically transformed into a punkish prince. They embark on a fantastical and uplifting journey as they learn about acceptance and the importance of friendship.
Suitable for ages 12 and under.
Opera Queensland: La bohème
Opera Queensland Studio, South Bank
24 - 25 September 2021
Opera Queensland and shake & stir theatre co. present La bohème
This contemporary reimagining of Puccini’s masterpiece, designed for audiences aged 13+, explores how young people cope with the uncertainty and pressures of today’s world. Follow a group of misfit friends as they learn to survive, fall in love, find their voices and face adversity in a social media driven world.
Suitable for ages 13 +.
Queensland Ballet: Bespoke
Thomas Dixon Centre
8 - 23 October 2021
For lovers of contemporary dance, Queensland Ballet presents their annual season of Bespoke. Be immersed in this high-powered dance experience as dancers are pushed to their boundaries, stretching the imagination and introducing audiences to a new way of thinking about movement and storytelling. Brought to the stage by established choreographers and upcoming dance creators, Bespoke is innovative, edgy and captivating.
Queensland Ballet: Dracula
Lyric Theatre, QPAC
26 November - 4 December 2021
It’s love at first bite. Dracula, the unearthly, seductive performance of Bram Stoker’s dark love story is presented by Queensland Ballet in co-production with West Australian Ballet. This neo-classical ballet is spellbinding and will take you on a journey across centuries into a dark world where true love never dies. After a sell-out season in Western Australia, captivating audiences with evocative set design and a modern interpretation, this enthralling tale comes to life on the Queensland stage.
Queensland Theatre: Return to the Dirt - by Steve Pirie
Billie Brown Theatre, South Brisbane
16 October - 6 November 2021
In a year spent tending to the dead, a young man learns to live.
Steve never imagined he’d end up working in the funeral industry. But when he finds himself living back home in Toowoomba to save up for his wedding, it’s the only job he can get.
The year he spends working among the dead opens his eyes to what awaits us at the end and what it means to live.
With respect, wit and a nod to pop-culture, Steve takes us on a journey that celebrates finding your place in the world, the power of personal redemption and humility in the face of the big questions.
It’s a refreshing, honest and surprisingly uplifting invitation to start the conversations we all try to avoid.
Winner of the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award 2020–21.
Opera Queensland: Aida
Lyric Theatre, QPAC
3 - 19 November 2021
Opulent costumes and sensational visual effects reveal the glorious splendour of Egypt as it’s never been seen before.
A country is ravaged by armed conflict is on the verge of collapse. Aida, a young prisoner of war in love with Radames, the General of the opposing army, finds herself torn between warring parties. We watch as they attempt to fulfil their desire in a world that refuses to allow it.
This Opera Queensland and Opera Australia co-production comprises a stellar cast, including acclaimed soprano Natalie Aroyan in the title role, powerful tenor Diego Torre as Radames and internationally renowned mezzo Elena Gabouri as Amneris.
Queensland Theatre: ROBYN ARCHER: AN AUSTRALIAN SONGBOOK, devised and performed by Robyn Archer
Billie Brown Theatre, South Brisbane
20 November - 4 December 2021
Australia as you’ve never heard it before.
Robyn Archer — Australian legend, industry pioneer and provocateur — has delighted audiences around the world with her powerhouse shows. Singing songs from the underground cabarets of the Weimar Republic, the salons of 19th century France and the folk clubs and Broadway stages of New York City, Robyn has conjured the works of Bertolt Brecht, Edith Piaf, Woody Guthrie and countless others. Now, she’s coming home.
Robyn’s wealth of musical knowledge is distilled into a fearless, political and personal celebration of the way song has shaped Australian identity. It’s a melodic road trip through more than 150 years of ‘other’ Australian song, as Robyn explores the music of her upbringing and the countless rhythms and voices that are woven into the unique sonic fabric of this country.
A trio of Australia’s finest musical artists join Robyn to transform the Bille Brown Theatre into a cabaret stage: piano accordion virtuoso George Butrumlis, actor and multi-instrumentalist Cameron Goodall of The Audreys on guitar, and composer Enio Pozzebon on keyboards.
Summer events in Brisbane - December 2021 - February 2022
Queensland Ballet: The Nutcracker
Lyric Theatre, QPAC
16 - 23 December 2021
Be captivated by a magical Christmas Eve story, featuring a dance by the Sugar Plum fairy and a Waltz of the Flowers in the Land of Sweets. Share the festive tradition with family and friends as Queensland Ballet brings the lovable characters of The Nutcrackerto life. With all the elements of a buoyant Christmas Eve party; a family, a surprise magician with presents, toys, a young girl and a Prince, The Nutcracker has been delighting Brisbane audiences for eight seasons.
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