Date 24 Jun - 5 Jul 2026
Price Free Entry
Location Elephant Bar
Genre Cabaret
Auckland Live Cabaret Festival
Wander up the staircase at The Civic and find yourself at the Champagne Lounge - an intimate hideaway fizzing with late-night charm. Raise a glass, feel the vibe, and let cabaret’s finest musicians surprise you with pop-up jazz performances throughout the festival.
Ben Fernandez is a classically trained jazz pianist, composer and arranger. He has a Masters in Music majoring in Jazz performance from the University of Auckland. He also has degrees in Physics, Computer Science and Business Management. Ben has performed at concerts and events in over 25 countries and is an award-winning composer for jingles, TV shows and short films. He has released 11 albums of his music in NZ. Ben is also an educator and teaches jazz improvisation at schools and colleges in Auckland. Visit www.benfernandez.com or @benfernandezmusic on YouTube, Instagram or Facebook for further details about Ben and his music.
Maria O'Flaherty is a vibrant jazz vocalist with a unique sound and wonderful stage presence. She has an extensive repertoire that covers jazz, blues, latin, funk, pop and folk music.
An Aucklander by birth, but with a rich vein of Irish heritage, Maria has grown up with music, enchanting her listeners with vibrant vocals and endearing performances for many years.
A regular at jazz festivals throughout New Zealand, Maria is also a popular entertainer on Auckland’s wine and dine circuit, Music in Parks, and the Summer Jazz Series at vineyards. She shares the stage with some of New Zealand’s best jazz musicians.
Versatility is Maria’s calling card, so it comes as no surprise that besides English she sings in French, Spanish and Portuguese. One of her delights is putting together memorable sets of music from around the world for concerts and events.
Expect a lush blend of easy-listening Jazz and South Asian influences - honeyed vocals, intricate textures and moments of unexpected improvisation, their set moves seamlessly between intimacy and playful spark.
Sayee is a singer-songwriter with South Asian roots and a voice that lingers - sultry and effortlessly intimate. A seasoned performer, she has appeared at numerous local festivals and spent over a decade performing with Prayas Theatre. Her singles, Morning Due and Broken, showcase her rich melodic sensibilities and emotional depth.
Karen Plimmer is a composer and performer whose work draws on jazz and Indo-Celtic fusion traditions. She has performed with the award-winning Voyagers and composed for contemporary dancer and choreographer Jennifer de Leon. Currently completing a Master of Music in composition and access technology at the University of Auckland, Karen’s work explores texture, improvisation, and cross-cultural sound worlds.
Together, Sayee and Karen have collaborated for many years, performing at notable venues (TAPAC, Basement Theatre) and Festivals (Auckland Arts Festival, Pride events).
Tracey Collins brings sparkle, sophistication and a splash of Parisian flair to the cabaret stage. An acclaimed New Zealand accordionist and entertainer, she is known for her magnetic presence and vibrant, genre-crossing performances.
A full time artist, Tracey has appeared at major events including the Americas Cup, NZ Fashion Week and leading arts and jazz festivals. She has toured Europe with the Air New Zealand Accordion Orchestra and released three albums, including Bonjour Paris and French – Live at Pastis.
Equally at home in intimate cabaret settings and grand concert halls, Tracey has performed with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra and worked throughout Australasia as a Roland digital accordion specialist.
Blending acoustic elegance with modern sounds, she transforms the accordion into a bold, contemporary showpiece in an evening of style, charm and musical brilliance.
New Zealand born jazz flutist and vocalist Trudy Lile is well known to audiences around New Zealand jazz festivals, and has been a regular feature to Auckland audiences, performing with her own quartet, as well as with Sisters of Swing, The Jazz Divas, The Auckland Jazz Orchestra and The Rodger Fox Big Band.
The repertoire is a fresh, sophisticated and energetic blend of great things jazz and Latin, drawing on diverse influences such as Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O’Day, Sarah Vaughan, and Dinah Washington. All delivered with a warm infectious groove and plenty of cheek and wit!
Verity Burgess is an Auckland-based jazz singer and internationally acclaimed West End performer. Her credits include leading roles and world tours in shows such as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, Cats, West Side Story, Children of Eden. Verity now brings that world-class experience home to New Zealand, performing as a jazz vocalist for weddings, events and venues across Auckland and beyond.
A graduate of the prestigious Guildford School of Acting in the UK with a Masters degree, and a Bachelor of Music majoring in jazz, Verity is a true triple-threat performer with a reputation that precedes her. Her versatility is grounded in a classical background in ballet, singing and violin and refined through work with vocal mentors such as Ross Campbell, Head of the Royal Academy of Music in London, and New York–based vocal coach Natalie Weiss.
Passionate about jazz and cabaret as an art form, Verity has created her own one-woman shows including Platinum, celebrating iconic blonde artists through the years, and Winehouse, an Amy Winehouse–inspired tribute. Whether on an intimate stage or in a grand venue, she brings a warm, soulful presence and a signature jazz sound to every performance.
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