In a major coup for Queensland, one of the world’s most celebrated tenors, José Carreras, will host an extraordinary one-night-only Australian exclusive concert inspired by the legendary Pavarotti & Friends extravaganzas.
Carreras & Friends has been exclusively curated for The Gabba and presented by Quintessential Queensland as a spectacular open-air concert experience uniting some of the world’s biggest stars in duet with José Carreras.
Tickets go on sale to the general public from Monday 15 June at 10am.
Rather than a traditional concert, the evening will unfold as a seamless musical journey, with Carreras personally guiding audiences through a series of extraordinary collaborations, surprise moments and solo performances featuring global music icons from opera, rock and pop.
Acclaimed artists including Katherine Jenkins, Natalie Imbruglia, Sheppard and Mark Vincent will perform both duets with Carreras and solo performances of their own hits, leading into Darren Hayes (Truly Madly Deeply), Ronan Keating (Father & Son), Ann Wilson (What About Love and Stairway To Heaven), The Corrs (Breathless and Runaway) and culminating with Robbie Williams performing My Way and Angels in duet with Carreras, alongside several surprise moments throughout the night.
Backed by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and choir, Carreras & Friends will transform The Gabba into a world-class concert spectacular blending timeless opera, beloved contemporary classics and powerful collaborations under the Brisbane sky.
The evening will be conducted and musically directed by internationally renowned maestro Keith Levenson, whose extraordinary career includes collaborations with The Who, Stevie Nicks, KISS and Meat Loaf.
The event will offer Australian audiences a rare opportunity to witness one of the greatest tenors of all time perform live alongside an extraordinary cast of global music icons in a stadium spectacular curated exclusively for Queensland.
Revered globally as one of opera’s most extraordinary voices, Carreras has performed at the world’s leading opera houses including La Scala, the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House London and the Vienna State Opera. He became part of music history through the legendary Three Tenors concerts alongside Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti, watched by billions around the world.
The Gabba Venue General Manager Mark Zundans said, "It’s fantastic to bring another international concert to The Gabba following the roaring success of Adele and Taylor Swift, and we can’t wait to put on another massive show at our iconic venue."
"Proudly part of the Stadiums Queensland portfolio, The Gabba is a versatile, multi-use venue beloved by cricket and AFL fans, and this concert will provide a great opportunity to open The Gabba up to a whole new audience and supercharge Queensland as a major events destination."
Stadiums Queensland Chief Executive Todd Harris said, "It’s incredibly valuable for Stadiums Queensland to partner with the Queensland Government and promoters to bring bespoke, world-class content to Queensland."
"Having a major event venue that can cater to various types of content is a great preview of what’s to come as the Stadiums Queensland portfolio evolves beyond 2032."
Echo Pacific Director Harley Medcalf said, “This is not a traditional concert. It’s a live music experience inspired by the magic of Pavarotti & Friends, where the world’s greatest artists come together on one stage for a night of collaboration, emotion and surprise. To bring José Carreras together with artists of this caliber for one exclusive night in Brisbane is incredibly special. Every moment of this event has been designed to create something unforgettable.”
Tourism Minister Andrew Powell said the event demonstrated the Crisafulli Government was delivering on the commitments it made through Destination 2045.
“When we launched Destination 2045, we said we would secure more world-class events and experiences that put Queensland on the global stage,” Minister Powell said.
“This is exactly what delivery looks like. José Carreras is one of the world’s most celebrated performers and this exclusive Queensland event will attract visitors, support local businesses and showcase our State to audiences around the globe. The Crisafulli Government is building a stronger pipeline of events because we know they fill hotel rooms, support jobs and strengthen Queensland’s economy.”
With interstate and international demand expected to be strong, audiences are encouraged to secure tickets early for what will be a truly once-in-a-generation live music experience.