More than 2500 people braved a rainy night in July to catch a ‘once in a lifetime’ outdoor performance by the Royal Ballet in Cairns.
Mayor Bob Manning said his pride in the city was at an all-time high after the show held in the Munro Martin Parklands.
“I would like to say a personal thank you to all those who came along to demonstrate that this level of performance is respected and appreciated by Cairns audiences,” Cr Manning said.
“It will go a long way to help attract other shows of this magnitude to the region.
“I was quite humbled to see that almost the full contingent of ticket holders stayed until the end of the show,” he said.
“A number of the performers commented after the show that seeing the dedication of the crowd kept them inspired and committed to continuing the show, despite the weather.”
The Royal Ballet visit is an indicator of potential future collaborations with the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) seeking regular visits from artists previously not able to be accommodated in the far north.
While the Cairns Performing Arts Centre (CPAC) has been under construction, alternative venues across the region have been utilised to accommodate local and visiting artists.
“As a result of the CPAC construction, we have had the opportunity to upgrade and showcase many of Cairns’ magnificent venues,” said the Mayor.
The Council expressed its thanks to QPAC, the Queensland Government and The Royal Ballet for their support.
