eNews - May 2026
eNews May 2026 - Video Highlight and Star Power Take Centre Stage
With anticipation building for the 2026 Australian Festival of Chamber Music (AFCM), audiences are being encouraged to explore the full breadth of this year’s program, now available online.
Full Program available
Festival organisers have issued a reminder that the complete AFCM 2026 program can be viewed online via the official website:
https://www.afcm.com.au/afcm-festival/2026-festival-program/
for a more 'at a glance' view you can also visit https://www.afcm.com.au/afcm-2026-campaign/
The program reflects Artistic Director Jack Liebeck’s vision of combining “global excellence with powerful storytelling,” bringing together music, history and creative collaboration in a uniquely tropical setting.
Explore Cairns Performing Art Centre
We have produced a short video to help you become more familiar with the main venue for the festival this year.
Spotlight: Horrible Histories Comes to Life
We explore the flair behind one of this year’s most intriguing concepts: Horrible Histories – Composer Edition.
Drawing inspiration from the popular “Horrible Histories” format, the production injects humour and drama into classical storytelling, exploring the often bizarre, tragic and unexpected fates of composers through music and narration.
The video showcases the festival’s commitment to accessibility and entertainment, combining witty narration with vivid musical excerpts to reframe classical works for modern audiences. The tone is lively and engaging, hinting at a performance that is equal parts education and spectacle, as it revisits figures such as Purcell, Lully and Chausson through their dramatic life stories.
The concert itself takes place on Sunday 26 July and is tipped to be one of the festival’s most distinctive offerings, blending theatrical storytelling with chamber performance.
Music & Menus: Bookings Now Open
Beyond the concert hall, AFCM is starting it's Music & Menus series, pairing fine dining with curated musical experiences. Bookings are now open across several Cairns Crystalbrook venues, offering festivalgoers the chance to enjoy culinary and cultural delights in tandem.
Book here for tables at CC's Bar & Grill:
CC's Bar & Grill by Crystalbrook | AFCM
Book here for tables at Flynn's Italian:
Flynn’s Italian by Crystalbrook | Australian Festival of Chamber Music
Book here for tables at Paper Crane
Paper Crane by Crystalbrook | Australian Festival Of chamber Music
These restaurant options will become a signature part of the AFCM experience, allowing audiences to engage with fellow patrons in relaxed, social settings with high quality food and wine. With limited capacity and strong demand expected, early bookings are encouraged.
Artist Profile: Robin Tritschler and A Tropical Winter’s Journey
Among the standout names in the 2026 lineup is Irish tenor Robin Tritschler, a performer internationally acclaimed for his lyrical voice and expressive nuance. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music and former BBC New Generation Artist, Tritschler has built a distinguished global career across opera, concert and recital stages. Here you can find a YouTube playlist with his work
He has appeared with leading orchestras including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra, and at prestigious venues such as Wigmore Hall, the Salzburg Festival and the BBC Proms. His repertoire spans from Baroque masterpieces to contemporary works, with a particular affinity for art song cycles by composers such as Schubert and Schumann.
At AFCM 2026, Tritschler will feature in Evening Concert 5: A Tropical Winter’s Journey, a performance centred on Franz Schubert’s iconic Winterreise. This deeply introspective song cycle—reimagined in a chamber setting—promises to be a poignant highlight of the festival.
Known for his ability to convey emotional depth and narrative clarity, Tritschler’s interpretation of Winterreise is expected to resonate strongly with audiences, particularly within the atmospheric contrast of a “tropical winter” setting in Far North Queensland.
Robin is still available for artist angel sponsorship. If you are interested in supporting then please contact Suzanne Gibson for details.
A Festival of Contrast and Creativity
From the humour of Horrible Histories to the emotional intensity of Winterreise, AFCM 2026 is shaping up as a festival of contrasts—where music meets storytelling, history meets innovation, and world-class artistry meets breath-taking natural surroundings.
With the full program now available online, audiences are invited to plan their experience early and explore the diverse offerings that define this year’s festival.
