Cooktown is set for a magical evening of world-class music when Opera Queensland brings its exhilarating concert Bravo! to the William Daku Waterfront on Thursday 22 October 2026.
The Cooktown performance has been made possible through the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF), bringing some of Australia’s finest operatic voices to our community for a free evening of world-class music.
Audiences are invited to pack a picnic, gather family and friends and settle in under the stars as the artists perform against Cooktown’s spectacular waterfront.
“Opera at the Cooktown waterfront is certainly not something that comes along every day, and that is exactly why people should come and give it a try.”
“You don’t need to know anything about opera. Pack a picnic, bring your family and friends and enjoy a magical evening of extraordinary music under the stars.”
Cook Shire Mayor Robyn Holmes said the performance was a rare opportunity for the community to experience something a little different.
“Opera at the Cooktown waterfront is certainly not something that comes along every day, and that is exactly why people should come and give it a try,” Cr Holmes said.
“You don’t need to know anything about opera. Pack a picnic, bring your family and friends and enjoy a magical evening of extraordinary music under the stars.”
The free, 80-minute concert brings together much-loved arias, duets and ensembles by Puccini, Verdi, Mozart, Bizet and more, with soaring melodies many people will instantly recognise.
Created for seasoned opera lovers and curious first-time audiences alike, Bravo! promises all the passion, drama and musical brilliance of opera in a warm and wonderfully accessible concert experience.
Bravo! stars current and former Opera Queensland Young Artists Nick Kirkup, Lachlann Lawton and Maddie Stephens, alongside Western Australian artist Chelsea Burns, accompanied by renowned pianist Beverley Kennedy.
Warm and engaging introductions will reveal the stories, characters and composers behind the music, making Bravo! an entertaining introduction to the extraordinary world of opera and a memorable night out for audiences of all ages.
The Cooktown performance forms part of Opera Queensland’s 2026 regional tour and its ongoing commitment to bringing world-class music to communities throughout East, Central, North and Far North Queensland.
Bravo! will be performed at the William Daku Waterfront, Cooktown, on Thursday 22 October 2026. Entry is free. For event details, visit cook.qld.gov.au/bravo
The Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Cook Shire Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
For more information contact Cook Shire Council via email to mail@cook.qld.gov.au or by phoning 4082 0500.
Picture above: The stars of Opera Queensland get set to bring the passion, drama and joy of Bravo! to the Cooktown waterfront. Image credit: Paul Blackmore Photography.
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