SPRING 2015
MUSICAL Strictly Ballroom FESTIVALS Clancestry Brisbane Festival
Welcome
In nature, Spring is a time of renewal, regrowth and rejuvenation. This year in Queensland, the leadership of two of our leading cultural institutions is also undergoing renewal: Queensland Theatre Company and Brisbane Festival. QTC’s Artistic Director Wesley Enoch will finish his tenure and move to the Sydney Festival. He leaves a legacy in Queensland particularly in his advocacy and stewardship in bringing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander works to the mainstream. David Berthold presides over his first Brisbane Festival program this year which is big, bold and brilliant…an international offering from Congo to Singapore to the United States, David’s inaugural festival will surely be the talk of Brisbane. At QPAC, our spring program is diverse and exciting. Love is in the air with Australian classic movie turned stage show Strictly Ballroom – The Musical in the Lyric Theatre from September. In November, the revolution will begin with the return of the one of the world’s most popular and longest running musicals Les Misérables. This production features new sets and costumes and a cast of some of Australia’s most powerful voices in musical theatre today. International opera singer Renée Fleming returns to QPAC’s Concert Hall for a one night only recital. A brand new production by QTC and developed in association with QPAC, Ladies in Black will premiere in the Playhouse; and a moving tribute to the centennial anniversary of the Gallipoli landing – The Gallipoli Symphony, will take place in the Concert Hall. Brisbane is a culturally exciting place to live and work right now; you need only visit the Cultural Precinct and South Bank on the weekend to experience the fun, buzz and atmosphere of a city fast earning its name as an energised and exciting destination. I hope to see you at QPAC soon.
JOHN KOTZAS Chief Executive
qpac.com.au | 136 246
Highlights CONTENTS
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63
BELONGING
4–5
FESTIVALS
6-21
MUSICAL
22–27
FAMILY
28–29
DANCE
30–35
DRAMA
36–39
COMEDY
40-41
CONCERT
42–47
CLASSICAL
48–59
EXHIBITION
60-61
FREE
62–65
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOLDOUT BOOKINGS
FOLDOUT
PARKING
FOLDOUT
CALENDAR
FOLDOUT
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22 6 Clancestry 63 Lunchtime Live
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FLEXN 22 Strictly Ballroom Brisbane Open House
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Celebrating
three decades of storytelling
QPAC celebrates its role as a meeting place for Queenslanders When QPAC opened 30 years ago, it was the flagship venue for live arts in Queensland. Today, the Centre has welcomed more than 20 million people through its doors, from all walks of life. What started as a typical performing arts centre and showcase venue, has broadened into a meeting place in which the halls, foyers and theatres are used for and by the community to congregate around a love for the performing arts. At any one moment, QPAC welcomes audiences, international visitors, artists, crew, and industry critics within its spaces. People visit QPAC to see a show, share a meal, perform, or enjoy the ambience. On April 20, 2015 QPAC invited Queenslanders to attend an event to officially celebrate its 30th anniversary. The day was a sensory feast where everyone contributed to an artistic and creative exchange celebrating QPAC’s three decades of live performance at South Bank.
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1. Polytoxic Poodle Ladies 2. The Nunukul Yuggera Aboriginal Dancers entertain the crowd 3. QPAC’s Cascade Court filled at lunchtime 4. Maroochy Barambah Songwoman performs Welcome to Country 5. Dance Masala Bollywood Dance Company celebrate with energy 6. Lighting Designer David Walters talks about stage lighting techniques 7. The Mouldy Lovers get into the spirit on stage 8. QPAC Curator/Designer Christopher Smith explains the costume designs 9. QPAC Events Manager Keith Borrows leads a backstage tour in the Cremorne Theatre 10. Harpist Donald Hall performs on the day 11. Live art is created on the Melbourne Street Green by visual artist Gus Eagleton 12. The Sugar Shakers entertain on the Melbourne Street Green 13. Chukale spice things up in the Cultural Forecourt PHOTO DARREN THOMAS
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CL ANCESTRY FESTIVAL
Clancestry
A CELEBRATION OF COUNTRY
Now approaching its third season, Clancestry is a festival celebrating the arts and cultural practices of the world’s First Nations Peoples with a particular focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Clancestry has become a place of gathering with deep cultural significance, connecting kin and clan from across the globe. Clancestry features high profile artists alongside new and emerging artists in a diverse program of performances, conversations, workshops and free events.
NOVEMBER PHOTO BY MICK RICHARDS
PRESENTED BY QPAC
VARIOUS QPAC.COM.AU
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BRISBANE FESTIVAL
PHOTO NARELLE AUTIO
Rise for the Oceans
Front Yard Music
In a world premiere for one night only, Tim Winton (four time Miles Franklin Award winner), Bernard Fanning (Powderfinger), Katie Noonan (four time ARIA winner), Jessica Watson (around the world solo sailor), Professor Iain McCalman (The Reef - A Passionate History) and other special guests will entertain and enlighten us with their hopes and fears for our oceans and reefs – and the extraordinary creatures that inhabit them.
QPAC’s Melbourne Street Green, on the corner of Melbourne and Grey Streets, is a home for FREE live music during Brisbane Festival.
Celebrate this hidden universe and the 50th anniversary of the Australian Marine Conservation Society with this multi-media tribute, conceived and directed by Vivid Sydney Creative Director Ignatius Jones.
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EXTENDED PLAY
Pop in any night between 5pm and 8pm (excluding Sundays) to enjoy generous helpings of iconic genres including latin, jazz, rock, folk, soul and pop. Sample marvellous morsels amongst the relaxed setting of QPAC’s green space. Who knows who you might spot? It’s the perfect place to kick back and discover your new favourite local act while looking forward to your next bit of festival fever.
5 SEPTEMBER
5 TO 26 SEPTEMBER
CONCERT HALL
CONCERT HALL
PRESENTED BY BRISBANE FESTIVAL AND AUSTRALIAN MARINE
PRESENTED BY QPAC IN ASSOCIATION WITH BRISBANE FESTIVAL
CONSERVATION SOCIETY IN ASSOCIATION WITH QPAC
BRISBANE FESTIVAL
PHOTO CHRIS VAN DER BURGHT
Coup Fatal Coup Fatal is a tribute not so much to baroque music as to the unrelenting elegance of the Congolese: a mad, defiant party that makes you want to live. It’s a party inspired by the flamboyant sapeurs, the dandies of Kinshasa who blank out the horrors of war and violence with a penchant for extravagance and exuberance. This is quintessential baroque: an emphasis on cocky elegance as a way to challenge fate. Brussels composer Fabrizio Cassol and guitarist Rodriguez Vangama are the musical directors, while director Alain Platel, one of the world’s great dance theatre makers and the creator Out of Context – for Pina seen at Brisbane Festival in 2011, teamed up with dancer Romain Guion to create the theatrical form. The set is designed in collaboration with the artist Freddy Tsimba, who creates vast sculptures using cartridge cases he collects in Congolese war zones. Don’t miss this Australian premiere exclusive to Brisbane.
5 TO 8 SEPTEMBER PLAYHOUSE PRESENTED BY BRISBANE FESTIVAL AND PHILLIP BACON GALLERIES
QPAC.COM.AU
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BRISBANE FESTIVAL
Renée Fleming
PHOTO BY ANDREW ECCLES
IN RECITAL – ONE NIGHT ONLY
One of the world’s most sought after opera singers, Renée Fleming, will take to the Concert Hall stage for a special one-off recital – her first Brisbane performance in over a decade. Fleming will enchant Brisbane audiences with this rare Australian appearance to perform several of her signature works including Ravel’s Shéhérazade and selections from Canteloube’s Songs of the Auvergne, accompanied by pianist Richard Bado. One of the most talented and decorated sopranos of our time, Fleming’s sparkling career spans three decades and has seen her grace the world’s greatest opera stages and concert halls from The Met in New York, to La Scala in Italy and the Winter Palace in St Petersburg. ‘The People’s Diva’ has been equally successful outside theatres – in 2014 Fleming was the first classical artist to perform the Star Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl, and also made history in 2012 when she performed on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Diamond Jubilee.
7 SEPTEMBER CONCERT HALL 10
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY QPAC AND BRISBANE FESTIVAL IN ASSOCIATION WITH OPERA QUEENSLAND
PHOTO MICHAEL DAMES
BRISBANE FESTIVAL
Made in France In a Queensland premiere, witness some of the most engaging, poetic, delicate and beautiful music written in France in the last 15 years. Parisian ensemble soundinitiative presents parts of the last great work of Gerard Grisey, father of French spectralism, music by Raphael Cendo the French saturationist, and a selection of inspiring pieces by Leroux, Bertrand, Iannotta and Pesson. soundinitiative is 12 musicians from Australia, Belgium, China, France, England, Italy, Poland and the United States. Their mix of backgrounds affords the group a rich collective musical insight encompassing myriad cultures and musical languages.
Cabinet of Curiosities Hailed as the ‘queen of the toy piano,’ by The New York Times, Margaret Leng Tan has established herself as a major force in the American avant-garde. In Brisbane, she celebrates her 70th birthday year with an Australian premiere exclusive to Brisbane, a one-woman, multi-media show that will draw the audience into a musical and theatrical Cabinet of Curiosities. The centrepiece is Curios, by Chinese-American composer Phyllis Chen, commissioned for the 2015 Singapore International Arts Festival. Using toy pianos, toy instruments and other oddities, this work revolves around the bizarre, bewitching world of the carnival.
8 SEPTEMBER
9 SEPTEMBER
CREMORNE THEATRE
CREMORNE THEATRE
PRESENTED BY BRISBANE FESTIVAL
PRESENTED BY BRISBANE FESTIVAL
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BRISBANE FESTIVAL
Paul Lewis Paul Lewis is internationally regarded as one of the leading musicians of his generation. His recent cycles of core piano works by Beethoven and Schubert have consolidated his reputation as one of the world’s foremost interpreters of the central European classical repertoire. Music by Brahms is at the centre of this program. Brahms struggled with ‘the heavy tread’ of Beethoven, the great master whose works, he felt, were so good as to make life almost impossible for composers who came after him. Lewis bookends Brahms with two of Beethoven’s last works for piano, highlighting the musical relationship between the two composers. In these late sonatas Beethoven did what he had done to the concerto and the symphony – turned them from showpieces into monumental and moving art that cracked the mould forever. MASTERCLASS
Musica Viva offers you the opportunity to see Paul Lewis give an entertaining and insightful public masterclass with three talented Brisbane pianists followed by a Q&A.
9 & 10 SEPTEMBER CONCERT HALL 12
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY BRISBANE FESTIVAL AND MUSICA VIVA AUSTRALIA
BRISBANE FESTIVAL
The Importance of Being Earnest Oscar Wilde’s play is perhaps the most perfectly funny play ever written. In this joyous Australian premiere production from W!LD RICE – named Singapore’s, ‘sexiest theatre company,’ by Lonely Planet - an all-male ensemble reveals new insights into hidden identities, institutional marriage, and the politics of choosing a partner. Two wealthy single men lead double lives to escape from the boredom of conventional society and to court the attention of two beautiful young women. But when things get messy they must grapple with the riotous consequences of their deceptions, and with the formidable Lady Bracknell. With sets inspired by English illustrator Aubrey Beardsley, a sensational cast dressed to the nines by fashion doyen Frederick Lee, and a live string quartet from the Queensland Conservatorium, The Importance of Being Earnest promises to lift the spirits with an evening of sparkling wit, laughter and love. In conjunction with The Importance of Being Earnest, Singapore’s W!LD RICE proudly presents a FREE staged reading of Moisés Kaufman’s 1997 play Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde on Sunday 13 Sep at 4.30pm, at the Cremorne Theatre. Register at brisbanefestival.com.au for your place. 11 TO 13 SEPTEMBER PLAYHOUSE PRESENTED BY BRISBANE FESTIVAL, GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY AND URBIS
QPAC.COM.AU
13
BRISBANE FESTIVAL
QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
QSO & Simone Young Will it be two hammer blows, meaning hope, or three, foretelling doom, at the end of Mahler’s epic Sixth Symphony? He leaves the choice to the performers, in a visceral musical drama played out with raw human emotion. Two Australian powerhouses join QSO in an evening of musical magic. Internationally acclaimed conductor Simone Young continues her profound Mahler odyssey in Brisbane while Lisa Gasteen returns with Mahler’s Rückert Lieder song cycle perfectly suited to her incomparable dramatic soprano.
12 SEPTEMBER CONCERT HALL 14
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND BRISBANE FESTIVAL
BRISBANE FESTIVAL
PHOTO MORNE VAN ZYL & BRETT BAILEY
Macbeth Contemporary Congo is the inspired setting for this thrilling adaptation of Verdi’s arresting opera from Third World Bunfight’s Brett Bailey, South Africa’s most provocative director. In this re-creation, a group of Congolese refugees has stumbled upon a trunk filled with sheet music, costumes and gramophone recordings of Verdi’s Macbeth. This theatrical paraphernalia is the catalyst for a dramatic re-telling of Shakespeare’s tale of greed, tyranny and remorse, with the Macbeths as warlords, the three witches as double-crossing businessmen and Dunsinane as the Great Lakes region of Central Africa. War rages over access to mineral resources. This Australian premiere exclusive to Brisbane, has been adapted from Verdi’s original score by Belgian composer Fabrizio Cassol. Performed by a 12 piece onstage chamber orchestra – the spirited trans-Balkan, ‘No Borders Orchestra’ – conducted by Premil Petrovic with 10 rich voiced South African singers, and with captivating lighting design by Felice Ross, this is theatre for today: moving, fascinating, fast paced and threaded through with African musical and theatrical influences.
15 TO 19 SEPTEMBER PLAYHOUSE PRESENTED BY BRISBANE FESTIVAL AND OPERA QUEENSLAND IN ASSOCIATION WITH QPAC
QPAC.COM.AU
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BRISBANE FESTIVAL
PHOTO AGATHE PUOPENEY
Le Cargo Faustin Linyekula is a great dancer and a genuine storyteller. Here in his Australian premiere and the first solo performance of his long international career, he uses these skills to bring us closer to a distant reality: his homeland of the Congo. In this luminous, transfixing blend of dance, song, music and storytelling, Faustin traces his personal story, his return home after many years in Europe, and his relationship to dance. Sitting on a carved stool, he builds a revealing dialogue with himself: has his contemporary mix of words and movement been too political, too wordy, to count as dance as his ancestors understood it? Faustin Linyekula has a profound belief in art as a means of awakening, of creating breathing space, of seeding beauty where it’s most needed. His work allies the pessimism of intelligence with the optimism of will: a marriage of body and spirit, moving, thought-provoking and spellbinding.
16 TO 19 SEPTEMBER CREMORNE THEATRE 16
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY BRISBANE FESTIVAL
BRISBANE FESTIVAL
Thum Prints Tom Thum is a beatboxing virtuoso and one of the most talented noisemakers in the world. For the first time, this exhilarating world premiere concert matches the orchestra in Tom’s mouth with the full forces of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and the music making of groundbreaking Brisbane composer Gordon Hamilton. Expect a musical watershed that hovers somewhere between jazz, hip-hop and an off-thewall Rite of Spring. Tangles of symphonic colour mix with electrifying grooves.
Symphony For Me FREE EVENT
Brisbane Festival wants you to choose the music. But more than that, it wants you to share your story. Do you have a favourite piece of orchestral music that occupies a special place in your heart? Brisbane Festival wants you to share what that music is and why it means so much to you. From here, five or six pieces and the stories that go with them will be shared live on stage. Queensland Symphony Orchestra will play this music especially for these people as special guests. It’s a chance for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Tickets available from 9am Monday 7 September at brisbanefestival.com.au
18 SEPTEMBER
19 SEPTEMBER
CONCERT HALL
CONCERT HALL
PRESENTED BY BRISBANE FESTIVAL, QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND DATACOM
PRESENTED BY BRISBANE FESTIVAL
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BRISBANE FESTIVAL
FLEXN ‘Flex’ is one of the world’s newest dance forms. In FLEXN, Reggie (Regg Roc) Gray, one of the flex pioneers, and Peter Sellars, perhaps America’s greatest living theatre and opera director, team up with a community of flex dancers from the very neighbourhoods where the movement first took shape along with top designers Ben Zamora (lighting), Gabriel Berry (costumes) and Garth MacAleavey (sound).
FLEXN was created in the era of unrest following rulings on Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and Eric Garner in New York City. It confronts issues of social injustice, with the dancers exploring personal narratives and performing both as individuals and in groups, to choreography created by the ensemble itself. These artists utilise breathtakingly beautiful movement to tell deeply human stories that often transmute into joyful artistic expression. Characterised by pausing, snapping, gliding, bone breaking, hat tricks, animation, and contortion, flex is a form of street dance that evolved from the Jamaican bruk-up found in dance halls and reggae clubs in Brooklyn over the last ten years. From the pages of The New Yorker, to the small screen, to dance competitions and music videos and even on the big screen at the Tribeca Film Festival, flex culture has risen into the mainstream lexicon and created an entirely new movement vocabulary in post-modern dance.
FLEXN was commissioned and produced by Park Avenue Armory in New York.
PHOTO STEPHANIE BERGER, COURTESY OF PARK AVENUE ARMORY
23 TO 26 SEPTEMBER PLAYHOUSE
PRESENTED BY BRISBANE FESTIVAL AND QPAC
QPAC.COM.AU
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BRISBANE FESTIVAL
PHOTO HEIDRUN LÖHR
Beautiful One Day Palm Island, Queensland, 2004. An Aboriginal man dies in police custody. The police station is torched. 11 years later, the people of Palm Island continue to demand real justice. Ilbijerri Theatre Company and Belvoir Theatre Company came together over a shared sense of outrage at the injustices surrounding the death of Mulrunji Doomadgee. Prompted by the Palm Island community, they have looked for a way to turn anger into understanding. As raw as it is shocking, this theatrical documentary stars three Palm Islanders, including Doomadgee’s niece, and intersperses personal stories of the performers with interviews with locals, court transcripts, and re-enactments. It captures the horrible reality of an unnecessary death and the Palm Islanders’ remarkable humanity, wisdom and determination to forgive.
Beautiful One Day played at London’s Southbank Centre as part of the Origins: Festival of First Nations, and will have its first performances on Palm Island immediately before Brisbane Festival.
23 TO 26 SEPTEMBER CREMORNE THEATRE 20
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY BRISBANE FESTIVAL IN ASSOCIATION WITH QPAC
BRISBANE FESTIVAL
PHOTO MERRI CYR
A State of Grace
THE MUSIC OF TIM AND JEFF BUCKLEY
This is a moving, definitive portrait of two of the most beloved voices in rock, bringing together six stellar singers and musicians with close connections to both. It is overseen by Gary Lucas, the legendary New York guitarist/composer who worked closely with Jeff, co-writing the immortal songs Grace and Mojo Pin. Assembled in this Queensland premiere to recapture the magic of Tim and Jeff Buckley’s songs are musicians with the depth and breadth to do them justice: Martha Wainwright, Casper Clausen (of Efterklang), Willy Mason, Camille O’Sullivan, Steve Kilbey and Cold Specks led by guitarist/producer Gary Lucas with his band Gods and Monsters. Jeff Buckley completed only one album in his too brief life, Grace, and moved millions. Tim’s legacy, a brilliant collection of eight studio albums, served as Jeff ’s musical touchstone. This concert uses images, stories and the breathtaking music of their complicated lives in a premiere event.
25 & 26 SEPTEMBER CONCERT HALL PRESENTED BY BRISBANE FESTIVAL
QPAC.COM.AU
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MUSICAL
Strictly Ballroom The Musical Global Creatures presents Strictly Ballroom The Musical, based on the much-loved Australian film. This feel-good production has audiences dancing in the aisles in a kaleidoscope of colour and fun. Directed by Baz Luhrmann, Strictly Ballroom The Musical features classic songs from the film including Love is in the Air and Time after Time, as well as some wonderful new songs by artists such as Eddie Perfect and Sia. The cast includes Thomas Lacey and Phoebe Panaretos as Scott Hastings and Fran with Bob Baines, Darren Gilshenan, Natalie Gamsu, Robert Grubb, Fernando Mira, Heather Mitchell and Mark Owen-Taylor leading an ensemble of over 40 performers. Get ready to fall in love with Strictly Ballroom The Musical.
A musical not to miss.” CHANNEL 9
FROM 9 SEPTEMBER AUDIO DESCRIPTION PERFORMANCE
PRESENTED BY GLOBAL CREATURES
LYRIC THEATRE QPAC.COM.AU
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MUSICAL
HARVEST RAIN
Into the Woods For over 25 years, Into the Woods has been enchanting audiences of all ages, first as a Tony Award winning musical on Broadway, then in critically acclaimed productions across the globe, and most recently as a Golden Globe winning movie musical. Now, this timeless masterpiece comes to QPAC for the first time, featuring an all-star cast led by Rachael Beck, Rhonda Burchmore and Eddie Perfect. This is your chance to experience the magic live on stage. Venture into the woods with Cinderella and her Prince, Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf, Rapunzel, the Witch, Jack (who climbed the beanstalk) and a host of other enchanted characters whose worlds collide in this masterful fractured musical fairytale by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. When a Baker and his wife learn they’ve been cursed with childlessness by the Witch next door, they embark on a quest for the special objects required to break the spell, but soon discover the perils of ‘happily ever after’ and what really happens when you get everything you wished for.
Truly enchanting” THE NEW YORK TIMES
1 TO 4 OCTOBER CONCERT HALL PRESENTED BY HARVEST RAIN
QPAC.COM.AU
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MUSICAL
Les Misérables Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed new production of Les Misérables comes to the Lyric Theatre for a strictly limited season. Set against the backdrop of nineteenth century France, Les Misérables is an unforgettable story of heartbreak, passion, and the resilience of the human spirit that has become one of the most popular musicals in history. Featuring the timeless score and beloved songs such as I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own, Bring Him Home and One Day More, Les Misérables has been seen by over 70 million people, won over 100 awards and is still breaking box office records around the world. This breathtaking new production features glorious new staging and dazzling reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo.
A breathtaking spectacle” THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
FROM 10 NOVEMBER AUDIO DESCRIPTION PERFORMANCE
PRESENTED BY CAMERON MACKINTOSH
LYRIC THEATRE QPAC.COM.AU
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FAMILY
PICTURED STEPHEN ANDERSON, CRYSTAL HEGEDIS AND CHANDEL BRANDIMARTI (ORIGINAL CAST) PHOTO MATTHEW ABERLINE
The Gruffalo’s Child The Gruffalo said that no gruffalo should Ever set foot in the deep dark wood… One wild and windy night the Gruffalo’s child ignores her father’s warning and tiptoes out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t really exist. Does he? The team behind The Gruffalo return with The Gruffalo’s Child, bringing together physical theatre, music and puppetry to deliver songs, laughs and scary fun for children aged 3 and up, and their adults…
Everything good children’s theatre should be” THE LIST, UK
29 SEPTEMBER TO 3 OCTOBER PLAYHOUSE 28
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY CDP AND QPAC. TALL STORIES’ MAGICAL MUSICAL ADAPTATION OF THE AWARD-WINNING PICTURE BOOK BY JULIA DONALDSON & AXEL SCHEFFLER PUBLISHED BY MACMILLAN CHILDREN’S BOOKS.
FAMILY
Lah-Lah Live in Concert Don’t miss the stars of Lah-Lah’s Adventures live on stage these September school holidays! Meet Mister Saxophone, Squeezy Sneezy the piano accordion, Tom Tom on drums, Buzz the Bandleader, Lola the Dancing Double Bass and the ever lovable Lah-Lah live. From sold out shows at Sydney Opera House and the Melbourne Recital Centre, Lah-Lah’s live show will delight audiences and have the whole family up singing and dancing. Children can slip on their dancing shoes and bop away to the fun-filled sounds of Lah-Lah and the band that jams all over the land. It’s a spectacularly fun, interactive and educational 45 minute show that will have the kids grinning and shimmying from go to whoa.
30 SEPTEMBER TO 2 OCTOBER CREMORNE THEATRE PRESENTED BY QPAC
QPAC.COM.AU
29
DANCE
IMPERIAL RUSSIAN BALLET
Swan Lake
Swan Lake. The most loved classical ballet of them all. This masterpiece ballet is presented in two acts and crosses the world of magic and mystical creatures with that of the real world. It is a story where the virtues of love and forgiveness in the end conquer evil and betrayal. The Imperial Russian Ballet Company was formed in 1994, headed by the Bolshoi Theatre soloist Gediminas Taranda. The Imperial Russian Ballet Company comprises 40 dancers from the major ballet schools of Russia.
The Russians know best” JENNY STEVENSON, DOMINION POST
3 & 4 SEPTEMBER CONCERT HALL 30
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY RUSSIAN BALLET LTD
DANCE
ASHGROVE DANCE
You Should Be Dancing! Ashgrove Dance Studio originates from the oldest ballet school in Queensland, which was founded in 1899, and has been under the direction of Wendy and Judy Lowe since 1973. Ashgrove Dance Studio’s 2015 production entitled You Should be Dancing! features music, dance and storytelling to delight children and adults of all ages. The show comprises a varied program of classical ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary and lyrical dance. As such, it is fast moving and entertaining and features 200 dancers ranging in age from four to 64. The program will feature male and female senior dancers in Rhapsody in Blue, the junior students in The Incredible Toyshop and after interval there will be plenty of glamour, glitz and great dancing in You Should be Dancing!
8 TO 10 OCTOBER PLAYHOUSE PRESENTED BY ASHGROVE DANCE STUDIO
QPAC.COM.AU
31
DANCE
Lord of the Dance DANGEROUS GAMES
The world’s most successful dance show storms into Brisbane in October with a spectacular new staging of Michael Flatley’s masterpiece Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games. Michael Flatley brought Irish dance into the global spotlight more than 21 years ago, going on to create Lord of the Dance in 1996. Since then his grand scale productions have mesmerised more than 60 million people in 68 countries around the world. This year the acclaimed dance phenomenon is bigger than ever with Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games which has exciting and ground-breaking technology, including holographs, dancing robots, world champion acrobats and 34 of the greatest Irish dancers in the world. New choreography, stunning new costumes and special effect lighting add a breathtaking new dimension to the original masterpiece. PLEASE NOTE MICHAEL FLATLEY WILL NOT BE PERFORMING IN THE
2015 TOUR.
13 TO 16 OCTOBER CONCERT HALL 32
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY LUNCHBOX THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS PTY LTD
DANCE
Dance Extravaganza 2015 Dance Extravaganza 2015 features a cast of 600 talented dance students from South East and regional Queensland. Students will participate in a wide range of dance genres with amazing costumes, fabulous choreography and great flair. The dancers range in age from five years to late teens, with many dancers about to embark on professional careers both in Australia and overseas. The Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dancing is held in high regard in dance circles throughout the world‌creating dance for the 21st century. Enjoy a great night of dance with amazing energy, colourful costumes and highly motivated youth. Tickets on sale 1 October.
30 OCTOBER CONCERT HALL PRESENTED BY THE COMMONWEALTH SOCIETY OF TEACHERS OF DANCING
QPAC.COM.AU
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DANCE
QUEENSLAND BALLET
The Sleeping Beauty The fabled story of the sleeping princess is one of ballet’s most loved classics. At her 16th birthday party, Princess Aurora pricks her finger on a rose thorn and succumbs to a spell cast upon her at her christening by the wicked fairy Carabosse. The Lilac Fairy intervenes and causes an enchanted sleep to descend upon the palace. After 100 years, Aurora is woken from her slumber by a Prince’s gentle kiss, and joyous celebrations follow. Set to Tchaikovsky’s famous music, The Sleeping Beauty is a classical masterpiece. With majestic sets and Renaissance-inspired costumes, Greg Horsman’s production honours tradition and sparkles with spectacular choreography and a cast of fanciful characters.
The Sleeping Beauty is a must-see for all who love the art of classical ballet.
PHOTO DANCER CLARE MOREHEN PHOTOGRAPHER GEORGES ANTONI CREATIVE DESIGNFRONT
23 TO 31 OCTOBER LYRIC THEATRE
PRESENTED BY QUEENSLAND BALLET IN ASSOCIATION WITH QPAC
QPAC.COM.AU
35
DRAMA
PHOTO BY AARON TAIT
QUEENSLAND THEATRE COMPANY
The Odd Couple
Suddenly single after his wife throws him out on the street, despairing journalist Felix reluctantly accepts the hospitality of his buddy Oscar, a sportswriter and grade-A slob. Oscar’s sprawling apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side would once have been palatial – but after his own recent divorce, he lives in the midst of an ever-growing midden of domestic detritus. A big spender, a problem gambler, a hedonist, a boozer and a rake, he’s everything the neurotically neat and fastidious Felix is not. They’re the best of pals, but living together is proving a bit of a stretch. A classic comedy from Pulitzer Prize and multiple Tony Award-winning American playwright and screenwriter Neil Simon, The Odd Couple reteams the odd couple from 2013’s Design For Living, Jason Klarwein and Tama Matheson, as the housemates from hell. Director Wesley Enoch recreates the magic and chaos of the beloved 1968 film starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.
17 OCTOBER TO 8 NOVEMBER PLAYHOUSE 36
QPAC.COM.AU
AUDIO DESCRIPTION PERFORMANCE
PRESENTED BY QUEENSLAND THEATRE COMPANY
DRAMA
PHOTO BY AARON TAIT
QUEENSLAND THEATRE COMPANY
Ladies in Black
Step through the doors of F.G. Goode’s department store and into a marvellous musical whirl of glitz and glamour with Ladies in Black. This world premiere adaptation of Madeleine St John’s 1993 novel, The Women in Black, is brought to life by internationally-acclaimed director Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Love Never Dies) with original music from superstar singer and musician, Tim Finn (Split Enz, Crowded House). Sydney is crossing the threshold between the stuffy repression of the 1950s and the glorious liberation of the 1960s. Bright-eyed bookish school leaver Lisa is to join the sales staff in the city’s most prestigious department store. In that summer of innocence, a world of possibilities opens up as she befriends the colourful denizens of the women’s frock department – including her new mentor, the exotic European Magda, mysterious mistress of the gowns. With a dash of delicate comedy, Ladies in Black is a magical modern day fairytale set in a city on the cusp of becoming cosmopolitan and marks the triumphant return of musical theatre to QTC.
14 NOVEMBER TO 6 DECEMBER AUDIO DESCRIPTION PERFORMANCE
PRESENTED BY QUEENSLAND THEATRE COMPANY IN ASSOCIATION WITH QPAC
PLAYHOUSE QPAC.COM.AU
37
DRAMA
An Audience with Smoky and Herb Starring Ian Stenlake as Smoky Dawson, An Audience with Smoky and Herb is a very special theatrical event. Set in a suburban living room we meet the mild-mannered gentleman, Herbert. This hardworking, unassuming man also happens to be the legendary country superstar Smoky Dawson. Throughout a career spanning eight decades, Smoky was not only an award-winning song writer and recording artist, he triumphed as a radio and film star, whip cracker and axe thrower in the travelling circus and later, a TV personality. At the height of his radio fame Smoky Dawson had over one million ‘deputy sheriffs’ registered in his official fan club – at a time when Australia’s population was little more than eight million and long before the term “social media” had been coined. From a tormented and tragic childhood to Australian country music legend and all the remarkable stories in between…you are invited into the living room of an icon.
20 TO 31 OCTOBER CREMORNE THEATRE 38
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY LEADER ENTERTAINMENT IN ASSOCIATION WITH QPAC
DRAMA
ACPA Showcase 2015 QPAC will present an exciting new work performed by the next generation of talented artists from the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA). ACPA is Australia’s leading centre of excellence in training for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing artists, majoring in the disciplines of Music, Acting and Dance. This production will mark the ninth year that QPAC has collaborated with ACPA to present a new Australian work for Brisbane audiences. Previous QPAC/ACPA collaborations have seen ACPA students work with Leah Purcell (Jane Harrison’s Stolen, 2011), Wesley Enoch (Roger Bennet’s Up The Ladder, 2012), Rob Doran (Spirit of the Lore, 2013) and Stephen Lloyd Helper (Blak Electric, 2014). Once again as we gather here on the traditional lands of the Yuggera and Turrubal people, we are delighted that QPAC is able to present another new work featuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists for Brisbane audiences to enjoy.
5 TO 7 NOVEMBER CREMORNE THEATRE PRESENTED BY QPAC AND ABORIGINAL CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
QPAC.COM.AU
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COMEDY
Shatner’s World WE JUST LIVE IN IT
The wait is over – after much persuasion, television and movie legend William Shatner has agreed to bring his Broadway smash hit show to Australia. Don’t miss this opportunity to share the room with one of the world’s great entertainers. Through stories, songs, jokes and poignant moments Shatner’s World takes audiences on a 100 minute theatrical voyage through his life and career, from Shakespearean stage actor to internationally acclaimed icon and raconteur, known as much for his unique persona as his expansive body of work including Star Trek, Boston Legal, the publication of 30 books and the release of several spoken word albums. Launched on Broadway in 2012, Shatner’s World has received critical acclaim wherever it has played. “I’ve done this one-man show on Broadway and in many cities across the United States,” said William Shatner. “At the curtain call, the audiences’ reaction, their love and appreciation, moved me to tears. This show has been one of the highlights of my life.” PS: If you’ve ever dreamed of meeting William Shatner there are a strictly limited number of VIP packages available which entitle you to a professionally taken photograph with Mr Shatner and guarantees you the very best seats in the house. 11 OCTOBER CONCERT HALL 40
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY PHIL BATHOLS
COMEDY
Thank You For Being a Friend
Brendan Grace
AN AUDIENCE WITH HIS GRACE
Prepare for an evening of laughter, spectacular put-downs and familiar friends as Miami’s four favourite Golden Girls - Dorothy, Sophia, Rose and Blanche - reunite in puppet-form for this lovingly hilarious live tribute show.
An Audience with his Grace features Ireland’s best loved comedian, Brendan Grace. Grace is famous for his Irish wedding send up, Bottler character, vocalist impersonations and for playing Father Fintan Stack in Irish sitcom Father Ted.
Thank You for Being a Friend is the ultimate Golden Girls experience, delivering all the classic dialogue, razor sharp gags and taboobreaking stories you’d expect. As a wonderful introduction to the joy of the hit television series for first timers, it’ll have the uninitiated rolling in the aisles while diehard fans fondly remember the brilliance of The Golden Girls.
Grace has toured with the best, including Frank Sinatra and John Denver. Join ‘His Grace’ for an evening of high farce, music and mirth!
“His gags have a great hit rate and delight a capacity crowd.” EAMON SWEENIE, THE IRISH INDEPENDENT, MARCH
6 TO 17 OCTOBER
11 NOVEMBER
CREMORNE THEATRE
CONCERT HALL
PRESENTED BY MATTHEW MANAGEMENT
PRESENTED BY CONCERT EVENTS LIMITED
2015
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CONCERT
From Broadway to La Scala AN EVENING OF GLAMOUR, PASSION AND ROMANCE
Four extraordinary artists accompanied by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra join forces to perform a selection of the greatest musical theatre and opera titles of all time. Renowned for their charisma, stagecraft and musical versatility, tenor David Hobson and bass baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes join musical theatre star Lisa McCune and the breathtaking soprano Greta Bradman, who is about to release her first recording on the Decca Classics label with the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Richard Bonynge. From the musical theatre genre timeless classics including South Pacific’s Some Enchanted Evening, Someone to Watch Over Me from Crazy for You, Music of the Night from The Phantom of the Opera and You’ll Never Walk Alone from Carousel. Opera highlights include The Toreador Song from Carmen, The Pearl Fishers Duet, the Drinking Song (Brindisi) from La Traviata, Casta Diva and popular works by Mozart and Rossini. Soaring with the exuberance of the great stage musicals and enriched with the passion of grand opera, From Broadway to La Scala promises to be an unforgettable night of extraordinary music. 2 SEPTEMBER CONCERT HALL 42
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY ANDREW MCKINNON & PHIL BATHOLS
CONCERT
Toni Braxton THE HITS TOUR
One of the world’s greatest R&B icons Toni Braxton will be performing in Australia for the very first time. Her distinctive sultry vocal blend of R&B, pop, jazz and gospel became an instantaneous international sensation when she came forth with her first solo recording in 1992. Today, with more than 40 million albums sold worldwide and six Grammy Awards, Toni Braxton is recognised as one of the most outstanding voices of this generation. This will be an unforgettable night for lovers of R&B and soul music.
Frank Sinatra a Celebration
100TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
When you think Sinatra, you think of the greatest music ever performed. 2015 is the 100th anniversary year of Frank Sinatra’s birth and celebrations will be held around the world to mark the occasion. The concert stars the band that made Sinatra a star, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, direct from the USA and appearing for the first time ever in Australia. It also features one of America’s finest singers from the Frank Sinatra songbook, Bryan Anthony. 20 musicians, singers and dancers will be on stage performing the most memorable music ever recorded.
14 SEPTEMBER
16 SEPTEMBER
CONCERT HALL
CONCERT HALL
PRESENTED BY SOULFEST INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD
PRESENTED BY ATA ALLSTAR ARTISTS
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CONCERT
Joan Baez America’s legendary folk singer, songwriter and activist Joan Baez returns for one concert only in Brisbane. A musical and political force of nature whose influence is incalculable, her music encompasses everything from folk rock to country and gospel music. The powerful messages, sung in her passionate, sensitive voice remain as compelling today as when they were first heard. A rare opportunity to experience one of the world’s great performers.
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Absolutely Everybody Loves Broadway Join Jonathon Welch AM, ARIA, Helpmann and Logie award winning director of the smash ABC TV series Choir of Hard Knocks in a concert spectacular of Broadway’s greatest hits with special guests, Australian music theatre and opera legends Judi Connelli and Suzanne Johnston, and Tim McCallum (The Voice), for the inaugural School of Hard Knocks Brisbane concert. The stellar cast also includes the School of Hard Knocks Absolutely Everybody Brisbane choir, Rhythm of Life, 150 voice massed choir and THECHO!R (Melbourne).
7 OCTOBER
9 OCTOBER
CONCERT HALL
CONCERT HALL
PRESENTED BY MAGGIE GERRAND
PRESENTED BY SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS
CONCERT
QLD POPS
Celtic Celebration The Celtic worlds will combine in this extravaganza of music from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the broader Celtic nations. Featuring the Queensland Police Pipes and Drums, The Thistle Highland Dancers, Watkins Academy of Irish Dance, this concert will deliver the most outstanding Celtic gathering yet by the Pops. Founder Musical Director Colin Harper wrote in 2000: “Never did I think it would be so popular, not only with people of Celtic birth or descent, but with many others who are charmed by the romantic and often strongly patriotic music. I am constantly amazed at just how much repertoire there is, the hard decision being what to leave out.” With hit tunes like Highland Cathedral, Men of Harlech and Irish Tune from County Derry to draw from, dynamic new Musical Director Patrick Pickett CSM is relishing the opportunity to uphold this fantastic Pops tradition. Our headline artists for this wonderful show return to relive the excitement of the Pops’ very first and internationally acclaimed smash hit Scotland The Brave shows, premiered at QPAC in Brisbane (1998) and the Sydney Opera House (1999). Pops pin-up boy Gregory Moore and magnificent soprano Lisa Lockland-Bell wowed the audiences then, and their special on-stage chemistry spawned a new era of concerts that continue to celebrate the rich and vibrant musical heritage of the Celts.
10 OCTOBER CONCERT HALL PRESENTED BY QUEENSLAND POPS ORCHESTRA
QPAC.COM.AU
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CONCERT
RocKwiz Live!
SALUTES THE ARIA HALL OF FAME
Australia’s favourite television music trivia show is once again going on the road to present RocKwiz Live! Salutes the ARIA Hall of Fame featuring some of your favourite Australian music legends performing their hits, alongside the best contemporary artists interpreting genuine Australian classics. Four contestants will be drawn from the audience on the night to sit alongside rock and roll royalty and participate in the madness and mayhem that is RocKwiz Live! Queen of the Kwiz, Julia Zemiro, and Rock Brain, Brian Nankervis, will ask the curly questions, and these shows won’t be filmed; so being there, front and centre, is the only way to experience the magic of this special RocKwiz Live!
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Chris Cornell Chris Cornell – multi Grammy award winning, Golden Globe nominated and acclaimed singer songwriter – tours to QPAC. Cornell was the chief architect of the 90s grunge movement and achieved multi-platinum success with three legendary bands, Soundgarden, Audioslave and Temple of the Dog. He’s forged his own unique identity as an iconic and universally acclaimed songwriter, guitarist, composer and lyricist. Cornell will perform songs from his entire career, including new songs from his forthcoming studio album, Higher Truth.
24 OCTOBER
30 NOVEMBER & 1 DECEMBER
CONCERT HALL
CONCERT HALL
PRESENTED BY RENEGADE
PRESENTED BY LIVE NATION
CONCERT
DENNIS LOCORRIERE PRESENTS
Dr Hook
TIMELESS WORLD TOUR
Dennis Locorriere is pleased to announce a tour that will be a treat for fans of Dr Hook nationwide. In a tour spanning 15 concerts from coast to coast, this will be an evening of Dr Hook’s Timeless hits fronted by the legendary voice of founding lead vocalist Dennis Locorriere, the true voice of Dr Hook, and his celebrated live band. Since the band’s farewell tour in 1985, Dennis has toured the world performing for the most part as a solo artist with just his magical voice and an acoustic guitar. He has now played to well over 200,000 people with this show.
The Voices of Birralee
20TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
Capturing the vibrancy of youth, fabulous choral music and 400 passionate singers, this event is for audiences who know the power of singing and its value in communities. Voices of Birralee is one of Australia’s leading choral organisations and this 20th Anniversary celebration will feature current ensembles – Birralee Piccolos, Birralee Kids, Birralee Singers, Brisbane Birralee Voices, Birralee Blokes and Resonance of Birralee – as well as past members performing their favourite songs. Elena Kats-Chernin’s The Gardens Symphony, written for the Queensland Music Festival, will create a memorable finale with a full cast and orchestra.
21 OCTOBER
1 NOVEMBER
CONCERT HALL
CONCERT HALL
PRESENTED BY DENNIS LOCORRIERE
PRESENTED BY THE VOICES OF BIRRALEE
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CL ASSICAL
QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Mighty Imperial Russia! ‘Art is not an end in itself, but a means of addressing humanity.’ The quote is from Mussorgsky and perhaps it explains why the music of Russia still speaks so universally to listeners everywhere. In Khovanschina, Mussorgsky paints mist rising over the river and in Pictures at an Exhibition, the Promenade theme and Great Gate of Kiev sweep you along in a tide of musical grandeur. And there’s always an element of the exotic too: witness Rimsky-Korsakov’s spellbinding violin lines in Scheherazade based on the Arabian Nights. Oriental perhaps, but it’s Russian music in all its emotion, power and beauty.
6 SEPTEMBER CONCERT HALL 48
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND BACCHUS BAR AND RESTARANT
CL ASSICAL
QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
QSO & Shlomo Mintz Two of the most famous openings in all music herald Soloist-in-Residence Shlomo Mintz’s debut as a conductor with QSO. Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto is searching, questing, intensely lyrical, with musical legend Mintz playing the solo part as well as directing the orchestra. Then, Mahler’s strident fanfare at the opening of his Fifth Symphony paves the way to the most famous slow movement in late Romanticism.
The Soloist-in-Residence program is supported by the T & J St Baker Charitable Trust.
17 OCTOBER CONCERT HALL PRESENTED BY QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
QPAC.COM.AU
49
CL ASSICAL
PHOTO GARY HEERY
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Mozart’s Last Symphonies WITH RICHARD TOGNETTI
Join us for a celebration of the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s 40th anniversary and Richard Tognetti’s 25th year leading the Orchestra. For this very special occasion the ACO revisits one of Richard’s first ever programs. Mozart composed these three symphonies in a surge of inspiration in 1788. He wasn’t to know they would be his last. They form a mighty epitaph to the work of a true musical genius.
12 OCTOBER CONCERT HALL 50
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
CL ASSICAL
AUSTRALIAN BRANDENBURG ORCHESTRA
Riccardo Minasi Violin Riccardo Minasi possesses a formidable technique and a fearless, yet lyrical style. Working all over the world as conductor, soloist, academic, teacher and leader of his own ensemble, Il Pomo d’Oro, Minasi plays everything from Bach to Bel Canto. But when offered the chance to put together a program with personal meaning, he chose seven recently discovered gems from the city of Naples. Naples in the baroque period was an important centre of music and culture, and this is reflected in the depth and diversity of this program. The names of these composers may be unfamiliar, but their work remains vital and influential. Francesco de Majo composed over 20 operas and a large number of sacred works. Like Minasi, Angelo Ragazzi was a violinist as well as a prolific composer of instrumental music. And Niccolò Jomelli wrote over 60 operas and oratorios, including La Betulia liberata, from which this splendid sinfonia is drawn. Paul Dyer and the Brandenburg take as much pleasure in reinvigorating the classics of the Baroque repertoire as they do in presenting unknown works, and over the years audiences have come to relish following them on this exciting journey into the unknown.
26 OCTOBER CONCERT HALL PRESENTED BY AUSTRALIAN BRANDENBURG ORCHESTRA
QPAC.COM.AU
51
CL ASSICAL
UQ SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Kakadu
Conductor Warwick Potter showcases the versatility of The University of Queensland Symphony Orchestra, in a performance full of evocative works. From the vistas conjured in Peter Sculthorpe’s Kakadu, to Vaughan Williams’ delicate and beautiful The Lark Ascending, with soloist UQ violin lecturer Associate Professor Adam Chalabi. Also on the program is a rare performance of Elgar’s Symphony No.1. Discover the emerging talent from The University of Queensland.
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QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
QSO Plays Bolero
Following high ticket demand, QSO recently released a third performance of Ravel’s masterpiece Bolero. Fiery, passionate and adored across the globe, Bolero is Ravel’s most popular work, written in 1928 as a ballet score for his friend, the Russian dancer and actress Ida Rubinstein. Hear this classical favourite alongside Beethoven’s No.8 Symphony and Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.1 with Italian piano sensation Beatrice Rana and renowned European conductor Fabien Gabel.
18 OCTOBER
6 & 7 NOVEMBER
CONCERT HALL
CONCERT HALL
PRESENTED BY THE UQ SCHOOL OF MUSIC IN ASSOCIATION WITH QPAC
PRESENTED BY QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
CL ASSICAL
QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Music might be magic, but it’s also very good at depicting magic. Whether it’s enchanted gardens in Stravinsky’s Firebird, the sorcery of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, the theme from Harry Potter or the wonder of Respighi’s Fantastic Toyshop, music has a way of conjuring up miracles all of its own. This wonderland of a concert is so alluring and taste-tempting that it could be made of gingerbread.
Composed in just three weeks, Handel’s Messiah has enthralled and transported people of all faiths for more than 250 years. This work has proven to be one of the transcendent glories not just of Western music, but Western civilisation itself.
15 NOVEMBER
21 NOVEMBER
CONCERT HALL
CONCERT HALL
PRESENTED BY QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND BACCHUS BAR AND RESTAURANT
PRESENTED BY QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Miracles and Magic
Messiah
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54
CL ASSICAL
The Gallipoli Symphony The story of Gallipoli is everlasting. It is a story of endeavour, courage, tragedy, great achievements and great sacrifices; a story of young nations and old coming together in conflict. Millions of words have been written about the campaign, but the story has never been ‘narrated’ musically, until now. The Gallipoli Symphony is a major composition by internationally respected composers from Australia, New Zealand and Turkey. It represents the first time eleven acclaimed composers from three nations that fought in the campaign have collaborated on a single commemorative work. The Gallipoli story was structured into parts, themed around an element of the campaign and assigned to a composer to create a movement based on that theme. The Gallipoli Symphony creates an important legacy. It tells the story of the Gallipoli Campaign through music, reminding us of the horror and heartache of war and carries a message of hope, peace, friendship and collaboration between nations. Under the direction of Maestra Jessica Cottis, The Gallipoli Symphony will be performed by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and renowned international soloist musicians. The performance will be enhanced by lighting and archival footage and still photographs themed to the movements.
An historically significant music event” DES POWER AM
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, THE GALLIPOLI SYMPHONY
PHOTO QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
24 NOVEMBER CONCERT HALL PRESENTED BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS, THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT AND QPAC
QPAC.COM.AU
55
CL ASSICAL
PHOTO DYLAN EVANS
SOUTHERN CROSS SOLOISTS
Great Legends The final performance in the Southern Cross Soloists’ superb 20th birthday season at QPAC features celebrated bass baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes, who joins the Soloists for the first time in a concert dedicated to great composers and legendary characters. All the way from London, acclaimed Australian pianist Jayson Gillham takes to the stage with the Soloists as a guest in this exciting program. The program includes a world premiere commission from Hollywood-based Australian ‘composer of the moment’ Joseph Twist based on speeches by great minds of the 21st Century including Stephen Hawking and Steve Jobs, plus powerhouse works from Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Purcell and Grieg. Don’t miss this truly momentous finale to the Southern Cross Soloists’ special birthday year!
22 NOVEMBER CONCERT HALL, REVERSE MODE 56
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY QPAC
CL ASSICAL
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
PHOTO CHRISTIAN FLIERL
Basel Chamber Orchestra WITH SOL GABETTA
Basel Chamber Orchestra make its Australian debut alongside award-winning cellist Sol Gabetta for a special performance that forms part of an exchange that sees the ACO reciprocate with concerts in Switzerland in 2016. Their programs sparkle with music by Fauré, Saint-Saëns and Holliger, as well as Bartók’s vibrant Divertimento, commissioned by impresario and founder of the Basler Kammerorchester, Paul Sacher.
25 NOVEMBER CONCERT HALL PRESENTED BY AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
QPAC.COM.AU
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EAT
CEL EBR ATE
ENJOY
qpac.com.au/dining Vahlrona chocolate and hazelnut terrine with fresh berries Lyrebird, QPAC PHOTO BY TOBY SCOTT
CL ASSICAL
QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
QSO & Maxim Vengerov Vengerov. The name alone promises a live concert experience where drama and innovation, musical adventurism and genre-crossing interpretive insight combine in a compelling display of world class music making. Hear JS Bach’s Chaconne (for solo violin), the original 1903-04 version of the Sibelius Violin Concerto and Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique.
QSO & Maxim Vengerov is a QSO concert presentation in partnership with Musica Viva Australia. QSO congratulates QPAC on its 30th Anniversary 2015. As QPAC’s resident orchestra, QSO is delighted to present this concert as a tribute to its major venue partner.
28 NOVEMBER CONCERT HALL PRESENTED BY QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IN ASSOCIATION WITH QPAC
QPAC.COM.AU
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EXHIBITION
QPAC 30
PHOTO DARREN THOMAS
CELEBRATING OUR ANNIVERSARY
The south bank of the Brisbane River was a gathering place and a hub for entertainment long before the building of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. First as a meeting place for the local Indigenous population then, after white settlement, as a port, a rail head, and the location for theatres, clubs and dance halls, this stretch of river bank already had a rich history before the ambitious Cultural Centre was planned. When QPAC officially opened on 20 April 1985, it became a vital part of this story. A place for people to gather and to explore the diversity of human experience: to laugh, to cry, to be challenged, to be entertained. Through costumes, artefacts, photographs and video, QPAC 30 surveys this diverse performing arts heritage. Drawing on the collection of the QPAC Museum, the exhibition honours what was happening before QPAC opened, celebrates the past 30 years of extraordinary activity, and the partners who helped make it a reality, and looks to plans for the future.
UNTIL 26 SEPTEMBER TONY GOULD GALLERY 60
QPAC.COM.AU
PRESENTED BY QPAC
EXHIBITION
Les Misérables Exhibition FROM PAGE TO STAGE
Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables has been a popular hit around the world since it first appeared in France in 1862. It is now regarded as one of the greatest novels of the 19th Century. Since its original publication, Les Misérables has been the subject of a large number of adaptations including films, musicals, plays, graphic novels and games. The musical adaptation by Alain Boubil and Claude-Michel Schönberg premiered in Paris in 1980. Five years later the English language version opened in London, where it continues to play. A Broadway opening followed in 1987, winning nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Since then this much loved musical has played around the world, and been made into a smash hit film. In 2014 Les Misérables returned to Australia. This exhibition gives a glimpse into the making and global success of a musical phenomenon, with photographs, posters, costumes, video and other memorabilia. Explore the journey of this remarkable production from page to stage.
FROM 6 OCTOBER 2015 TONY GOULD GALLERY PRESENTED BY QPAC
QPAC.COM.AU
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PHOTO PAUL SICKLING
FREE
Front Yard Music QPAC’s Melbourne Street Green is home to Friday night drinks and delicious food. Here, you’re welcome to enjoy the casual vibe of QPAC’s front yard while soaking up the open air ambience and free live music every Friday from 5–8pm at Front Yard Music. The Friday night program continues with an eclectic mix of country, world and contemporary music featuring local artists, including many popular SEED artists from the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University’s (QCGU) Bachelor of Popular Music. From 2 October, the program then moves into the final 2015 season of the well loved Green Jam Sessions, presented by QPAC and supported by Major Partner Heritage Bank, which features musicians from QCGU’s Jazz Department.
Front Yard Music is the perfect place to wrap up your working week and start the weekend wind down.
UNTIL 20 NOVEMBER MELBOURNE STREET GREEN 62
FREE
PRESENTED BY QPAC
FREE
Lunchtime Live Enjoy Series 2 of QPAC’s FREE weekly live performances. From emerging artists to orchestral and chamber music, exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences to edgy entertainment in alternative spaces - there really is something for everybody at Lunchtime Live. 1st Friday of each month
FIRST TIME FRIDAYS
The best early career artists take centre stage
2nd Friday of each month
CLASSICAL CUTS
Brisbane’s best orchestra and chamber music performers
3rd Friday of each month
BACK OF HOUSE
Learn more from behind the scenes
4th Friday of each month
FRINGE FRIDAYS
Edgy entertainment in alternative spaces
Each Friday, different artists will entertain you in different spaces around QPAC in free, fun, bite sized performances. See which artists are performing when and where on the QPAC website. UNTIL 13 NOVEMBER VARIOUS PRESENTED BY QPAC
QPAC.COM.AU
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Brisbane Open House On Saturday 10 October, QPAC will again open its doors to visitors for a special behind the scenes glimpse into the workings of this intriguing building and cultural hub as part of Brisbane Open House 2015. Held annually in conjunction with World Architecture Day, selected buildings across Brisbane are open to the public to encourage exploration, re-examination and engagement with the built environment – opening eyes and minds to good design and curious spaces. QPAC visitors will be given rare access to a series of free guided backstage tours, self-guided foyer tours, free performances and exhibitions. Expect to enjoy many wonderful experiences throughout the Centre on this special day, in what is a particularly significant year for QPAC, as we celebrate our 30th Anniversary.
10 OCTOBER VARIOUS PRESENTED BY QPAC
QPAC.COM.AU
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To approved applicants only. Fees, charges and conditions apply. Heritage Bank Limited ABN 32 087 652 024. AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 240984.
Call 13 14 22 or visit your local branch heritage.com.au
We've got a surprise for you... If you’re looking for a way to get more out of your visits to QPAC, watch out for a great new initiative – QPAC memberships – to be launched in late 2015 for 2016.
More information in the next Summer edition of @QPAC, or register interest at members@qpac.com.au.
Before or after the show, always
QPAC is grateful for the support of our valued Partners Partnerships play a critical role in our ability to produce and present cultural projects. We thank our partners and supporters for their continued investment in ensuring the growth and potential of live performance in Queensland. GOVERNMENT PARTNERS
PARTNERS
HOTEL PARTNER
SUPPORTERS
APARTMENT PARTNER
QPAC’s corporate partners are vital to our continuing success and we strive to build long-lasting, mutually beneficial partnerships.
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For further information and to discuss the opportunities available, please contact QPAC’s Partnership Team on 07 3840 7480.
Bookings Online qpac.com.au Phone 136 246 9am-8.30pm Mon-Sat In person QPAC Box Office, Level M, QPAC 9am-8.30pm Brisbane Visitor Information and Booking Centre Queen Street Mall, Brisbane South Bank Parklands Visitor Information Centre BMW Motorline, Daisy Hill Groups Phone 07 3840 7466
Stay informed
You can stay up-to-date with all the latest events at QPAC by visiting qpac.com.au where you’ll find information, photo galleries, video footage and reviews. While you’re there, sign up for our fortnightly QPAC eNews. qpac.com.au is now also accessible through your mobile.
Accessibility
For the convenience of patrons who have difficulty walking, a specific set down area is open in the QPAC basement 60 minutes prior to performances in the Concert Hall and Lyric Theatre. Entry to the set down area is from the tunnel entrance at Grey Street. If you have difficulty negotiating stairs or require assistance due to mobility, hearing or other access difficulties, please mention your requirements when booking, or by telephone on 136 246 before your visit.
Check your tickets
Please check your tickets carefully and make sure you know the date, time and location of your performance.
Late arrivals
Construction work around South Bank and other activity such as events at nearby stadiums can cause delays in traffic. Please check the start time of your show and allow enough time to cover possible delays. For most performances, latecomers cannot be admitted until a suitable break in the program.
Mobile phones and cameras
For the safety of performers and enjoyment of other patrons, please ensure mobile phones (including SMS and MMS messaging) are switched off and that cameras, including video cameras are not used during the performance.
Group backstage tours
QPAC invites your group (schools, universities, clubs, associations or social groups) to explore the public spaces, theatres and backstage areas of QPAC with an experienced Tour Guide. For more information, visit our website qpac.com.au, phone 3842 9116, or email tours@qpac.com.au.
Audio description
At some performances trained Audio Describers provide a commentary with concise descriptions of actions, expressions and gestures to complement the theatre experience for patrons who are blind or have low vision. Patrons collect headsets at the Cloakroom of each theatre venue and need to be seated 15 minutes before the performance to receive program details together with descriptions of costumes and stage settings. To purchase tickets to audiodescribed performances phone qtix group sales (07) 3840 7466 or email groups@qpac.com.au
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Chair Chris Freeman AM Deputy Chair Rhonda White AO Trustees Kylie Blucher, Simon Gallaher, Sophie Mitchell, Mick Power AM Chief Executive John Kotzas
The Queensland Performing Arts Trust is a statutory body of the State of Queensland and is partially funded by the Queensland Government The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk MP Premier and Minister for the Arts Director-General, Department of Premier and Cabinet: David Stewart
Travelling to QPAC QPAC is located at the corner of Grey and Melbourne Streets, South Bank in South Brisbane. There are many easy ways to get to QPAC: Walk from the city across Victoria Bridge. Bus to Cultural Centre Busway Station. Train to South Brisbane Station, opposite QPAC in Grey Street. CityCat to South Bank Ferry Stop in South Bank Parklands. Taxi to the taxi set-down and pick-up area on the Grey Street side of QPAC. Car via Melbourne Street, Victoria Bridge or Grey Street. For train, bus and CityCat timetable information visit translink.com.au or telephone TransLink on 131 230. QPAC is located in a vibrant part of the city, with many events occurring, particularly on the weekends. Please check the Your Visit page on qpac.com.au for traffic updates.
Designated set-down zones for patrons are available at Grey Street (for Lyric Theatre and Concert Hall), and Russell Street (for Playhouse and Cremorne Theatre).
Finding your theatre There are four theatres and several levels within QPAC. Start your visit by checking your tickets for your theatre and door number. Lyric Theatre located on the Melbourne Street/ riverside corner of QPAC. Enter from the Melbourne Street entrance. Concert Hall located on the Melbourne Street/Grey Street corner of QPAC. Enter from the Melbourne Street entrance. Playhouse located at the South Bank Parklands end of QPAC. Entrances and lifts face the Parklands. Cremorne Theatre located on the river side of QPAC, with the entrance approximately half way along the building. Cloak rooms are available at all theatres for cloaking large items or umbrellas.
Parking For guaranteed and convenient parking, pre-purchase your parking at the Performing Arts carpark with your tickets. Pre-paid parking must be purchased at least one week prior to your performance and presented on entry to the carpark.
RIVER
QUEENSLAND
B U S WAY
MUSEUM
GREY ST
W I L L I A M J O L LY B R I D G E
ST
CULTURAL CENTRE BUSWAY
THE BISTRO
THE CAFE MELBOURNE STREET GREEN
LYRIC THEATRE
CREMORNE PLAYHOUSE THEATRE RUSSELL STREET WINE BAR
PEDESTRIAN TUNNEL
CONCERT HALL
GREY ST
LEGEND Pre-paid Parking
Patron Set Down
ALL INFORMATION CORRECT AT TIME OF PRINTING
RUSSELL ST
ART GALLERY
LY RE B I R D R ES TA U R A N T
QUEENSLAND
S O U T H B A N K PA R K L A N D S
T HE B AR
STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND
M EL BO UR N E
S TA N L E Y S T
B U S WAY
CITY
BRISBANE
SOUTH BRISBANE S TAT I O N
BRISBANE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE