Turandot on the Habour and a handful other pleasant delights

Handa Opera on the harbour was the main purpose of a few days in Sydney. Appropriately for a story set in Peking, the director and choreographer is, according to the official blurb, "a child of the Cultural Revolution, Chen Shi-Zheng grew up in a China where cruelty and beauty coexisted. Taken in by a Chinese opera troupe, he grew up surrounded by music, but witnessed great suffering. It’s a duality he finds utterly compelling, and a juxtaposition that ties in perfectly with the ice-hearted, impossibly beautiful princess at the heart of Puccini's Turandot."  A more engaging voice than Princess Turandot was the slave girl Liù, sung by Hyeseoung Kwon, who "has been a soloist for Carmina Burana with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Missa Solemnis with Sydney Philharmonia, Opera in the Vineyards, Stanthorpe, and Mozart’s Requiem".

But there's really only one big number in the opera, sung competently on our night by Ricardo 
Massi, Calàf's Nessan Dorma, who has also sung this role in Stockholm 2013 and Bregenz Austria 2015. Fireworks ad lib...

       

The open air set is magnificent, with a fire breathing dragon the flames from whose mouth can certainly be felt by us halfway up the seating rows

 We spent the day before the evening with our co-travellers on the board walk from Bronte Beach to Coogee. Always rewarding.



 We discovered a four good places to eat during our stay:

For late dinner on arrival, Postales
 Spanish Restaurant in the GPO








Authentic salaryman Japanese in the Westfield Market St food hall, unlike anything in Melbourne:

IPPUDO-  founded in 1985 in Japan’s ramen capital of Hakata. With over 80 stores in Japan, IPPUDO is now spreading throughout the world its authentic ramen. After opening its first international outlet in New York in 2008, IPPUDO is now present in Australia, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.   

On the recommendation of our hotel concierge we walked down Castlereagh St for breakfast to bustling (their website says "hustle") and efficient Pablo & Rustys. Excellent filter coffee and a generous serving of hearty delicious food.
 "'A range of single origins and filter coffee are always available, alongside outstanding fare focussing on local and seasonal produce. No table reservations"  Take away coffee too,  but mind the queue.








We also took further advantage of our hard won and compulsorily temporary Seniors OPAL Gold card to use the bus to travel to Birkenhead Point to catch up with old friends for lunch. A friendly suburban place where the food, service, and view and company was  all that could be asked.