Paul Kelly to open Brisbane Festival

Paul Kelly will pay homage to the immortal works of some of the world’s most famous wordsmiths at QPAC’s Concert Hall, for one night only on 7 September.

Conversations With Ghosts features Paul Kelly, James Ledger and Genevieve Lacey. Co-written by Paul Kelly and West Australian composer James Ledger, it is a bittersweet reflection on the nature of mortality and an uplifting memorial to those who have been lost.

Twelve new songs have been inspired by the poems of W.B. Yeats, Les Murray, Kenneth Slessor, Norman MacCaig, Judith Wright, Emily Dickinson, Lord Alfred Tennyson and Paul Kelly himself.

Performers in Conversations With Ghosts include Paul Kelly, vocals and guitar; James Ledger, electronics; Genevieve Lacey, recorders; and ten young musicians from the Australian National Academy of Music (two violins, viola, cello, double bass, clarinet/saxophone, two horns, keyboards and harp).

So mark your diary now - tickets go on sale 17 June. This one-off performance will sell out!

Douglas Kirkland shoots Freeze Frame

We commissioned photographer Douglas Kirkland to take some photos for Freeze Frame. Here he tells us about the shoot, the excitement of working with Debbie Allen and his love for Brisbane.

Freeze Frame explodes onto the stage this September in a fusion of dance, music and theatre, bringing the passion and pain of Los Angeles’ toughest streets to Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane.

Tickets on sale now.

Who is Debbie Allen?

Last week we announced the headlining act for Brisbane Festival 2013. Freeze Frame is a fusion of dance, music and theatre, directed, choreographed and written by Debbie Allen.

If you're of a certain age, you'll remember Debbie Allen from her leg warmer days as feisty teacher Lydia Grant in the Fame film and TV series: "You've got big dreams? You want fame? Well, fame costs. And right here is where you start paying ... in sweat."

Before Fame, Debbie's career started on Broadway, where she received Tony Award nominations for her performances in Sweet Charity and West Side Story.

The role of dance teacher Lydia Grant catapulted her to fame, where she won two Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe Award. She went on to star in, and direct, numerous TV shows and movies, the most notable being Grey's Anatomy.

However, it's as a choreographer where Debbie shines, working with Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Sammy Davis Junior, among others.

She has also established the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in South Central L.A. The academy is a haven for local kids who are often confronted with daily challenges and some of life’s harshest realities because of their volatile environment. These incredibly talented kids will share the stage and their true stories with an electric cast from Los Angeles in Freeze Frame.

“Freeze Frame is a collage of stories of how lives intersect and collide. It’s a story that’s needed right now and it’s guaranteed you will feel a wheel of emotions when you see it.” Debbie Allen

This is just the tip of the Debbie Allen iceberg. Hear more about her illustrious career in this ABC Conversations podcast.

Freeze Frame to headline Brisbane Festival

We're delighted to announce a brand new collaboration between America and Australia, commissioned especially for Brisbane Festival.

Freeze Frame explodes onto the stage this September in a fusion of dance, music and theatre, bringing the passion and pain of Los Angeles’ toughest streets to Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane. 

Directed and choreographed by three-time Emmy award-winning choreographer Debbie Allen, Freeze Frame will blow audiences away with "break the floor" dance moves, soulful voices and the powerful true story of how dance and music can transform lives.

Brisbane Festival Artistic Director Noel Staunton talks about Freeze Frame here in his first Up Late blog post.

Tickets on sale now.

Santos GLNG City of Lights

The spectacular Santos GLNG City of Lights will open Brisbane Festival once again on Saturday 7 September and will run every night for three weeks thanks to the support of Tourism and Events Queensland and Santos GLNG Project.

Brisbane Festival Artistic Director Noel Staunton said last year Santos GLNG City of Lights attracted more than 300,000 spectators, with South Bank's Cultural Forecourt packed every night of the Festival.

Sunsuper Riverfire 2013

Coinciding with school holidays, the iconic Sunsuper Riverfire will return to close the Festival on Saturday 28 September. Meticulous plans are already well underway to create a gripping fireworks display, set to explode in front of hundreds of thousands of people and draw the attention of the entire city.

"Sunsuper Riverfire continues to wow crowds every year. It is always wonderful to see so many families, friends, colleagues and even complete strangers lay out their picnic blankets and have such a great time together," said Brisbane Festival Artistic Director Noel Staunton.