Festival of Outback Opera is back for another year of sensational vocals and spectacular views
Few experiences can rival the magnificence of opera – but the vast and vibrant landscapes of rural Queensland might just do it. From 14 – 20 May, Opera Queensland will be hitting the road and bringing its music masterpieces to the outback towns of Longreach and Winton. Headlined by the likes of Kate Miller-Heidke and internationally renowned vocalists, the Festival of Outback Opera and its packed program of community and culture is one both opera aficionados and amateurs won’t want to miss.
Opera Queensland will take centre stage in some of the state’s most iconic regional towns this year for the fourth run of its Festival of Outback Opera. Longreach, Winton and beyond are invited to revel in the celebrated company’s spectacular shows – backdropped by breathtaking landscapes and beloved local venues. “Each year we have sought to expand the festival’s program, never losing sight that at the centre of any great festival is a collection of exceptional artists, who can offer audiences a unique experience in a remarkable location. 2024 is no different,” says Patrick Nolan, CEO and Artistic Director of Opera Queensland.
This year sees indie-pop artist and opera singer Kate Miller-Heidke will join tenor Rosario La Spina and soprano Rachelle Durkin, along with other Opera Queensland artists. They will perform with the University of Queensland Pulse Chamber Orchestra, accompanied by musicians of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. The multi-day event is bannered by two open-sky concerts, the Opera Ball, community events Sing Sing Sing and the already sold-out Long Lunch.
Some of the festival’s most-anticipated events are back again this year. The open-air concert Dark Sky Serenade returns with a performance at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs atop a 75-m mesa during sunset. Audiences will get to experience the score of Opera Queensland’s powerful performance as the landscape around them changes to nightfall. On Saturday, the company’s production Singing in the Night will take the stage at Camden Park Station – a historic 18,000-acre working cattle station boasting 360-degree views of the spectacular Longreach landscape. For this year’s opera ball, don riding boots and ball gowns for an evening amidst the Coolabah tree-lined Thomson River of Smithy’s Camp.
Along with these annual events, the company will be introducing its latest production Do We Need Another Hero? to Winton and Longreach as well. This musical experience fuses the grandeur of opera with chart-topping anthems to honour heroes from every corner of music – the setlist spanning from The Beatles, David Bowie and John Farnham to Bizet, Handel, Mozart, Pagliacci and more. If all of this music unlocks a need to belt a tune, the festival hosts sing-along nights at local haunts during the multi-day festival and welcome all levels of experience and ability to a session of socialising, music and merriment.
Opera may have a legacy as an elite art form but the festival continues to find renewed success each year as regional and city Queensland come together to indulge in the magic of music. “Storytelling through great music sits at the heart of every community,” Festival of Outback Opera conductor Chris van Tuinen explains.
Tickets for Outback Opera events are on sale now. Explore the program here.
This article was written in partnership with our friends at Opera Queensland.
To find out more about what’s on in Brisbane, head to our Event Guide.
