For Street Serenades, in its second incarnation at the Brisbane Festival, there will once again be 190 free concerts to cover every Brisbane locale, covering dance, classical, world, jazz, cabaret, pop and rock. 

Street Serenades

The 7 Sopranos. Photo © Elouise van Riet Gray.

Mackay-born Artistic Director Louise Bezzina calls the program one of her “dear babies” of the festival. “There’s so many layers to a festival, but there’s an extra layer when you’re representing a whole city,” she tells Limelight.

“How you truly embed yourself and bring the community with you is challenging, but absolutely critical to my philosophy in artistic direction and curation.”

It’s the Queensland Ballet’s debut at Street Serenades, with seniors’ ballet classes at Wynnum Community Place, with the backdrop of Moreton Bay, on 11 September, and performances at New Farm on 18 and 25 September. 

Brisbane chamber group Camerata’s artistic associates and guests including singer-songwriter Emma Dean will play McDowall and South Brisbane on 11 September.

This year, many of...