Arrive in Sydney on suggested flights and make your way to the hotel. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including a private transfer to the hotel, accommodation before or after the tour and a room category upgrade.

At 16:00, join your tour leader Anne-Maree McDonald and fellow travellers for a welcome briefing and talk, followed by an early dinner. Then, attend the first performance of the tour, The Pirates of Penzance, in the Joan Sutherland Theatre of the Sydney Opera House. Directed by Australian theatre director Stuart Maunder and conducted by James Pratt, this beloved comic operetta returns to the venue for the first time in almost two decades, showcasing Gilbert and Sullivan’s signature wit, lively melodies and romantic misadventures.

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After a morning talk by Anne-Maree, gain an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at Opera Australia’s Opera Centre in Surry Hills and discover the hidden world of set-building, costumes, props and rehearsals that bring large-scale productions to life. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before returning to the hotel for the remainder of the afternoon at leisure.

This evening, experience Verdi’s gripping political drama A Masked Ball in a critically acclaimed staging from the Verdi Festival in Parma, evoking the atmosphere of Renaissance Europe. Starring Australian soprano Nicole Car as Amelia and Mexican tenor Diego Torre as Riccardo, this production is directed by Daniele Menghini and conducted by award-winning maestro Alevtina Ioffe.

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Today, attend a matinee performance of Gounod’s Faust, set against the opulence of 1870s Paris in a production by celebrated opera director Sir David McVicar. The performance features Romanian tenor Stefan Pop in the title role, Australian soprano Siobhan Stagg as Marguerite and Polish bass Rafał Siwek as Méphistophélès, with German conductor Nikolas Nägele at the helm.

Return to the hotel for some time at leisure, before enjoying a special farewell dinner with Anne-Maree and fellow travellers at one of Sydney’s finest restaurants.

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For those returning home today, make your way to Sydney Airport for suggested flights. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including a private airport transfer, additional nights’ accommodation either before or after the tour and travel insurance (a condition of travel).

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