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Wednesday, December 18, 2013

South Pacific ~ Some Enchanted Evening


“I wish I could tell you about the South Pacific. The way it actually was. The endless ocean. . .

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The infinite specks of coral we called islands. . .

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Coconut palms waving gracefully toward the ocean. . .

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Reefs upon which waves broke into a spray and inner lagoons, lovely beyond description.. . ."

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The words above are from the opening scene of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical, South Pacific. I couldn’t have found a better description of sights we saw during our cruise on the Celebrity Solstice in October.

DSCF1646And there was no better way to end the cruise than by attending a performance of the musical at the iconic Sydney Opera House!

So please join us as we re-live our ‘Enchanted Evening’. . .

The Opera House’s 40th Birthday celebration was underway while we were in town -- gala musical performances, fireworks and special activities that filled both days and evenings – and it was the last week’s run of “South Pacific”.



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The musical, an adaptation of James Mitchener’s Tales of the South Pacific, was first performed on New York City’s Broadway back in 1949. This,on-the-surface lighthearted song and dance tale of romance, has also been described as a 'strong progressive message on racism'. The story is of an American nurse stationed in the South Pacific who falls in love with an expatriate French plantation owner and who struggles to accept his mixed race children. A secondary story line focuses on a U.S. Lieutenant who falls in love with a Tonkinese woman but who fears the social consequences if he should marry his Asian sweetheart.

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Theater-goers flocked to the Opera Bar that stretches along Circular Quay to enjoy a libation on the way to the Opera House – it is ‘the’ thing to do, we were told. We opted to have our drink inside so that we could enjoy the ambiance of this whimsical building and watch the departing cruise ships – so close it felt as if we could touch them.

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I took only a couple of photos—all without flash, thus the slight blur -- inside the theater; this one during intermission.

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And this one of the stage as we entered the theater:

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The performance was by the cast and crew of the Lincoln Center Production, winner of seven Tony Awards, and it is continuing to be performed in other cities in Australia this fall but I doubt if any production could be half as enchanting as the one performed at the Sydney Opera House.

Let me end by providing you a sample of the evening, just click the following link. . .be forewarned you’ll be humming and smiling for the rest of the day!

DSCF1666http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4m28AfQoRc&list=UUrE1yZkh4z0WAI4f4YIS75A



We are linking up with Travel Photo Thursday at Budget Travelers Sandbox and The Tablescraper – check out the other armchair trips there today.

27 comments:

  1. What an appropriate performance for your voyage! The very first theatrical performance I ever watched was the South Pacific. I will say that the meaning of the play was probably lost on my young self, but I sure did enjoy dressing up in a new dress for the occasion.

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    1. Tonya, I should have added on the post that I had never picked up on the underlying themes because I was so 'enchanted' with the music and the setting in which the story took place. There is still - thankfully in Australia - a 'dress up' look about attending the theater, unlike the States where jeans are the universal outfit.

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  2. I really envy you and admire you as well!So lovely experiences, you are citizens of the entire world!Full of enrgy and thirsty to learn and know things.Stay well and many many merry days ahead, rich of new experiences and travels.
    Take care and enjoy these happy days!
    Olympia

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    1. Thank you for your lovely comments, Olympia. We do feel blessed to have had the opportunity to visit such interesting and wonderful places that make up this big ol' world of ours. We are looking forward already to returning to Greece next year - hopefully you and I will meet. Have a wonderful holiday season! xx Jackie

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  3. What a fitting finale to a fabulous trip...just for you!! Sydney Harbour is quite stunning but arriving by ship must be the ultimate way to see it! I hope you had a few days to explore the city. Best wishes for a great Xmas and continued travels in 2014

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    1. Jenny, we have five fabulous nights and six days in which we were up early and hit the deck running, as they say. Saw much, loved it, and vowed to return for a longer stay and expanded explorations someday! Thanks for the visit today and Merry Christmas to you - happy travels in the New Year!

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  4. Oh what a beautiful post that set me off dreaming!!! How amazing to have been able to see what I have heard is an amazing production in such a special place...
    And for sure there is something so hard to describe about that lovely corner of the world.
    I hope that you getting ready for a wonderful end of the year!
    Bisous,
    Heather

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    1. Heather, how nice to find a comment from you today! Thanks for enjoying our enchanted evening. You are so correct, it is hard to describe the South Pacific's vastness, its colors. . .even looking back at my photos, I find it difficult to organize the memories as it was definite sensor overload. Merry Christmas to you!

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  5. ahhh, the South Pacific… Someday for me! :) sounds like a wonderful play, too!

    Merry Christmas,

    -Maria Alexandra

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    1. Loved your post today. Look forward to your adventures in 2014. Thanks for stopping by and Marry Christmas, Maria.

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  6. This is on my bucket list!
    Thanks for dropping by and visiting me.
    I'm off to read your money saving tips post.

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    1. Happy Holidays, Jackie! And thanks for visiting - hope you'll be a regular to TravelnWrite!

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  7. That sounds like the perfect way to end your trip. Those songs would have been going through my head the entire cruise if I had been on it, so seeing it on stage would have been a good way to top it off. I like that you didn't just visit the Sydney Opera House for its architecture but for its intended purpose as well.

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    1. I should have included information about the tours offered to tourists, but as you said, I may not know the facts and figures about the construction, but I certainly know what the end product offers! Thanks for stopping by today, Michele!

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  8. What a treat, visiting Australia through cruise and getting to see an amazing Broadway production...what fun!

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    1. It was pretty amazing to arrive in Sydney on a cruise ship, Noel! Thanks for your visit. . .

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  9. What a wonderful treat and arriving in Sydney harbour by boat must be the best. I've been on a couple of ferries on my visits there and just love love love that harbour.

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    1. I could have spent all my waking hours on those ferries, Jo. I loved each of them and the views. . .oh my, the views were stunning!

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  10. No other play could have been more perfect to end your cruise and at one of the best venues in the world. We saw a play at the opera house years ago and I had to make sure I was really inside and not dreaming :) Love those pictures of the South Pacific - so beautiful. Now, I feel like re-watching the movie.

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    1. I had the same feeling, Mary. I kept thinking that never, in a million years, had someone told me that one day I would be attending a play in that place, would I have believed them. And even sitting there, I couldn't believe it!!

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  11. ah "South Pacific" - we went to see the production in Perth. Although it wasn't my all time greatest theater experience I enjoyed the show, and it was great to see Lisa McCune in the lead roll. It was all I could do was to stop myself singing along to all the songs, as I know them so well, having grown up as a child playing and singing along to the record, along with other "musical" records at home.
    It would have been amazing to see it at the Sydney Opera House and a fabulous finale to your cruise.
    Have a wonderful Christmas, and thank you for stopping by my blog this week.

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    1. Lisa McCune was the talk of Sydney. Anyone we told about the play while there, just gushed over her. (And she was delightful). What we found interesting was that all the publicity had the lead guy as bald headed and he had a full head of hair in the performance. Figured he must have just come off a run of The King and I when the photos were taken! :-) Thanks for stopping by. Merry Christmas!

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  12. I think my husband and I (Mr. and Mrs. Excitement) need to start planning to attend more performances in places we visit. We tend to visit buildings and perhaps do some walking in nature, but we seldom get ourselves tickets to a show or concert -- even in London. (Of course, I'm writing this the day after the theater ceiling collapse in the West End, so there might be 700+ people who wish they hadn't decided to attend a performance). But, I digress (as usual). South Pacific. Sydney Opera House. Perfect.

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    1. We did go to Les Miserables in London, Suzanne and have to admit it does add a special little treat to the ambiance of the city. (Of course we were both thinking, were we in the Apollo Theatre - we weren't, but you can relate when such events happen). Thanks for visiting.

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  13. Hi Jackie,

    What a wonderful and exciting trip to Australia and the Sydney Opera House, which looks quite grand; love all the light!

    I miss going to such musicals, they are pure escapism! Thanks for sharing yours!

    Merry Christmas to you and Joel!
    Kala Hristougenia (in Greek)

    xo
    Poppy

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    1. And Kala Hristougenia to you and your family, Poppy! Thanks for the visit.

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  14. A big wow for your header and that top photo of the sun behind the clouds.

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