Alfie Boe and the 2026 Variety Gala Join the Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2026

Adelaide Cabaret Festival has announced the first major headline act for its 2026 program, internationally acclaimed tenor and musical theatre superstar Alfie Boe, alongside the much-loved The 2026 Variety Gala. Tickets for both go on sale this Thursday 30 October at 10am.

With a celebrated career spanning opera, Broadway, and chart-topping albums, Boe is best known for his legendary portrayal of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables including the iconic 25th Anniversary Concert at London's O2 Arena and the global Arena Spectacular Tour. He recently returned to the role for the sold-out 40th Anniversary Gala, earning rave reviews across performances in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

Boe will make his Adelaide Cabaret Festival debut on Monday 15 June at Festival Theatre, performing a powerful selection of his greatest hits, fan favourites, and songs from his latest solo album, Facing Myself. He will be joined by Australian American soprano Amy Manford who is renowned for her captivating portrayal of Christine Daaé in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera in London's West End.

The festival will officially kick off with the dazzling 2026 Variety Gala on Thursday 4 June at Festival Theatre, hosted by our charismatic and daring Artistic Director Reuben Kaye. The glittering red-carpet event promises an unforgettable night of music, comedy, and cabaret, with a stellar line-up of local and international talent to be announced soon.

Grab your tickets early because the gala's going late! We've got a free after-party, a piano bar set with Trevor Jones, and a soon to be announced late night show in the Banquet Room waiting for you.

Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2026 Artistic Director Reuben Kaye: “The gala! Can you believe they're letting me host THE GALA? And I have to say apart from a few exceptions they've been very open to my ideas… they've only told me the seats in the front row are definitely not waterproof and the Festival Theatre doesn't have the “infrastructure” to support livestock.

“I can't begin to describe the joy, the excitement and pure adrenaline of taking the reins of the Festival I love so dearly and to host The 2026 Variety Gala is the cherry on top. The true night of the festival (bar closing night of course!) this year's gala promises to be a smorgasbord of outlandish talent and a jewel in the crown of Australia's artistic calendar. And wherever there's a crown, this queen is ready and waiting.”

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO Kate Gould: “We're thrilled to invite audiences back to our refreshed venues in June 2026 for an unforgettable experience led by the incredible Reuben Kaye. We look forward to welcoming our passionate cabaret community once again.”

Produced and presented by Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide Cabaret Festival has grown from modest beginnings in 2001 to become Australia's major winter festival and the largest cabaret festival of its kind in the world.

The 2026 Variety Gala is on Thursday 4 June 2026 and Alfie Boe is on Monday 15 June 2026 at Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre. Tickets for both shows are on sale Thursday 30 October at 10am.

Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2026 opens 4 June and runs until 21 June 2026. The full Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2026 program will be revealed next April.

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