Unlikely line-up brings music back to the Gabba

José Carreras will play the Gabba's first concert in years, with help from Robbie WIlliams, Natalie Imbruglia and more. (Supplied)

Spanish tenor José Carreras will mark his 80th birthday with a major all-star concert at The Gabba in Brisbane this December, organisers announced on Wednesday.

In Carreras & Friends, the Spanish tenor will lead a line-up featuring Robbie Williams, The Corrs, Ronan Keating, Anne Wilson of Heart, Darren Hayes of Savage Garden, Natalie Imbruglia, Sheppard, as well as fellow opera singers Katherine Jenkins and Mark Vincent.

The show will feature a mix of collaborations and individual performances, all backed by over 90 musicians from the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, culminating in an "all-star finale".

The Gabba, which is set to be demolished following the 2032 Olympics, is seldom used for live music.

A trip to the cinema at the tender age of six inspired José Carreras to become a singer.

Carreras & Friends will be the first concert held at the ground, which is usually used for cricket and AFL, since Taylor Swift and Charli xcx performed there in 2019 and Adele in 2017.

Some of the artists have toured Australia recently: The Corrs were here in February 2025, while Robbie Williams will perform at the city's Lang Park two weeks before the Gabba show.

But the government is still banking on the unconventional line-up to generate significant interest from those outside of Queensland.

Andrew Powell, Queensland's minister for tourism, believes the concert will bring an estimated $11 million into the Queensland economy.

"José Carreras is one of the world's most celebrated performers and this exclusive Queensland event will attract more visitors, support local businesses and showcase our state to audiences around the globe," he says.

The concert is promoted by Echo Pacific Entertainment, the latest venture from promoter Andrew McManus, who serves as the company's chief executive.

McManus's last large-scale event was Pandemonium Rocks, a travelling festival that faced significant criticism when many of the acts booked were removed from the line-up, and a privacy breach leaked the details of ticketholders seeking refunds.

The concert bears some resemblance to Pavarotti & Friends, the series of charity concerts fronted by Carreras's Three Tenors partner Luciano Pavarotti in the 1990s and 2000s.

While those line-ups featured the likes of Elton John, Queen, Mariah Carey, Eric Clapton and the Spice Girls, Brisbane's take on the concept will be a bit humbler.

Mark Vincent, one of the Australian acts on the line-up, says the opp