Opening the year is a new festival, Brisbane Bel Canto, a week-long celebration of exquisite music from the bel canto period. Featuring soprano Jessica Pratt showcasing her internationally renowned performance of Lucia di Lammermoor, joined by her long-time collaborator and master of bel canto repertoire Richard Mills, conducting the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and the Opera Queensland Chorus. The festival will run from 20 to 27 April. Other Brisbane Bel Canto performances include Stabat Mater and an extra special Brisbane Bel Canto Long Lunch with celebrity chef Maggie Beer.

In July Opera Queensland reconnects with Circa in the production of Dido and Aeneas. Expect magic as the tale about a pair of lovers, an evil sorceress and a doomed affair is given new life, fusing Baroque opera with the daring artistry of acrobatics.

A Torres Strait Island Musical inspired by the true stories of remarkable railway workers, Straight from the Strait fuses traditional Torres Strait music, contemporary melodies and vibrant ancestral languages to bring a story of passion and dedication.

The Opera Queensland Studio Series returns, offering big voices in the intimate studio setting. This year’s series of six performances offers a mix of genres, some with cabaret-style seating complete with refreshments, with others set in a more formal atmosphere.

If you’re feeling extra vocal, come join in on the fun with Sing Sing Sing, Opera Queensland’s community sing-along series at Rydges Bacchus Restaurant. Everyone is welcome to sing familiar themes from the world of opera and song.