Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria to Meet in Sydney for Cunard Line Anniversary

Two Queens - Cunard's flagship Queen Mary 2 and her younger sister Queen Victoria - will for the first time on Thursday spend the day together in Sydney.

A fireworks display will mark the occasion at 9.15pm, as Queen Mary 2 leaves Circular Quay and sails past Queen Victoria anchored at Athol Buoy near Taronga Zoo.

To celebrate the rendezvous and its 175th anniversary year, Cunard is also launching a photographic exhibition on the boardwalk at the Opera House.

Captured by Sydney photographer James Morgan, who has snapped Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth around the globe, the OneSevenFive exhibition will provide an insight into life onboard.

Featuring 71 images displayed on two-metre-high panels, the collection's final two images - from Thursday's rendezvous - will be installed on Friday morning. The exhibition will remain in place for 175 hours, until Thursday, March 19.

"I think everyone in this city would remember the three very special royal rendezvous of other Cunard ships on our harbour over recent years," said Ann Sherry, chief executive of Carnival Australia, which represents Cunard in Australia. "This Thursday will be no different as Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria make history with their first ever joint visit to Sydney."

The 2000-guest Queen Victoria will berth in Sydney about 5.30am on Wednesday, spending the day at the Overseas Passenger Terminal. At about 3.30am the following morning, the 90,000-tonne ship will move from Circular Quay to Athol Buoy to make way for her "big sister", Queen Mary 2, which is scheduled to sail through the heads at 3.45am on Thursday morning.

Still the largest ship to visit Australia, the 151,400-tonne Queen Mary 2 is expected to berth at the Overseas Passenger Terminal about 4.45am on Thursday.

The Sydney visit of the 2600-guest ship comes two months into her 113-night world voyage.

Wednesday March 11

· 4.30am – Queen Victoria sails into Sydney Harbour.

· 5.30am – Queen Victoria berths at Overseas Passenger Terminal, Circular Quay.

Thursday March 12

· 3.30am – Queen Victoria sails from the Overseas Passenger Terminal to berth at Athol Buoy.

· 3.45am – Queen Mary 2 enters Sydney Harbour.

· 4.45am – Queen Mary 2 berths at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.

· Noon – OneSevenFive photo exhibition of Cunard's Three Queens on Sydney Opera House's Western Boardwalk opens to public.

· 9pm – Queen Mary 2 departs Overseas Passenger Terminal en route to Milford Sound, New Zealand.

· 9.15pm – Fireworks as Queen Mary 2 sails past Queen Victoria at Athol Buoy.

· 11pm – Queen Victoria sails from Athol Buoy en route to Akaroa, New Zealand.

Previous Cunard Royal Rendezvous in Sydney

· February 20, 2007 – Sydney was brought to a standstill for the city's first official Cunard Royal Rendezvous when Queen Mary 2 made her maiden visit to Australia, meeting with QE2 in Sydney Harbour.

· February 24, 2008 – The newly launched Queen Victoria made her first visit to Sydney for a Royal Rendezvous with QE2, which was making her final call to the city before she retired from the Cunard fleet.

· February 22-23, 2011 – Queen Mary 2 and the newly launched Queen Elizabeth visited Sydney for the city's third Royal Rendezvous.

Glenn Miller Orchestra Concert Spectacular | Sydney Melbourne

The Glenn Miller Orchestra returns by overwhelming popular demand for this concert spectacular, to honour the year of the ANZAC Centenary. 

Featuring America’s finest musicians together with the Moonlight Serenade Singers and The Broadway Swing Dancers, the concert will pay tribute to the spirit of ANZAC including a special feature of music and songs from the years of the Great War. 

All the famous Glenn Miller classics will be performed by the Orchestra playing the original music arrangements; timeless icons of American culture such as Chattanooga Choo Choo, A String Of Pearls, Tuxedo Junction, Moonlight Serenade, Little Brown Jug and the greatest Miller hit of all time, In The Mood.

Remembering the Centenary of Anzac

It is fitting that the Glenn Miller Orchestra is returning in 2015, the year of the Centenary of Anzac. 

Major Glenn Miller served in the United States Army Air Force from 1942 until his untimely death on December 15th 1944 when he was travelling to entertain US troops in France; his aircraft disappeared in bad weather over the English Channel. 

Glenn Miller recorded many memorable hots from the 1914 to 1918 period which the orchestra will perform in tribute to the ANZACS. 

‘My Buddy’ – ‘Over There’ – ‘Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag’ – ‘If You Were The Only Girl In The World’ and many more. 

THE UNFORGETTABLE MUSIC OF THE 1940’S FROM THE GOLDEN ERA OF SWING

“An evening of nostalgia…unforgettable music; an absolutely brilliant concert” 
– The Australian Stage

Show Venues and Dates:

May 31st, 2015 WIN Entertainment Centre, NSW 2PM Glenn Miller Orchestra

June 20th, 2015 State Theatre, Sydney, NSW 2PM Glenn Miller Orchestra

June 20th, 2015 State Theatre, Sydney, NSW 7.30PM Glenn Miller Orchestra

Friday June 05, 2015 Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall 7.30PM Glenn Miller Orchestra

Saturday June 13, 2015 Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall 2.30PM Glenn Miller Orchestra

Find out more and purchase tickets to this event at Ticket Master

Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour | Opera Australia | Aida

A setting like this demands a spectacular opera, so prepare for a performance of huge proportions. A royal love triangle, a war, and the famous 'Triumphal March' with Egyptians en masse will light up the waters of Sydney's magnificent harbour.

HANDA OPERA ON SYDNEY HARBOUR

In Aida, Verdi masterfully puts the intimate affairs of the heart against the grandeur of the universe: where kingdoms rise and fall and the sands of time grind onwards.

What grander setting could there be for such an opera than Sydney Harbour itself: awash with the light of the city and the Sydney Opera House silhouetted against the setting sun?

Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour has become a huge part of the cultural landscape, combining all of the things Sydney does best: world-class opera, fine dining, sunsets and spectacle on the harbour's edge.

It's a monumental undertaking, with a team of more than 700 people involved in the project before a single note is heard over the harbour.

Aida is the biggest opera we've ever performed on the opera stage. But amid all of the spectacle, the famous 'Triumphal March', battle scenes and ancient temples, there's an emotional heart.

Long after the fireworks have faded from the sky and Amneris sings her quiet, concluding prayer, you'll see the true mastery of this opera: it is at once an historic epic and an utterly relatable human tragedy


THE STORY

A rebellion is brewing on Egypt’s borders, and for both the oppressor and the oppressed, loves and loyalties are about to be tested.

Egypt needs a hero to lead their army, and the High Priest has chosen Radamès. Egypt’s fortunes will turn on his sword, but Radamès has a higher purpose. Through victory in battle, he hopes to win the hand of the beautiful slave girl Aida – handmaiden to the princess Amneris, and secretly, an Ethiopian princess.

Aida is torn between her love for the Egyptian hero and her despair for the country he must march against – her homeland.

And the Princess Amneris, who also desires Radamès, is beginning to have suspicions that her hero might prefer her slave…

As Radamès returns to Egypt in triumph, Aida is greeted with a terrible sight – her father, the King of Ethiopia, is among the slaves.

Just when all seems lost, the King of Egypt deals another blow: promising the triumphant Radamès his daughter Amneris’ hand.

On the banks of the Nile, the lovers arrange to meet one last time.

But the conquered Ethiopian King has a plan to save his country. Aida has to make a devastating choice.

In the darkness, the King’s plan, Aida’s conflicted heart and Radamès’ steadfast love collide in a devastating finale.

VENUE LOCATION AND EVENT DATE

OPERA ON SYDNEY HARBOUR, FLEET STEPS, 
MRS MACQUARIES POINTMARCH 
27 – APRIL 26, 2015

Find Out More at Source Article

Sydney FC to face EPL giants Tottenham Hotspur at ANZ Stadium in May

One to watch: Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane celebrates scoring against Swansea City in the EPL. Photo: Reuters

By Sebastian Hassett

Barely a day or so after winding up their English Premier League campaign, Tottenham Hotspur look to be on their way to Australia to face Sydney FC at ANZ Stadium on May 30.

Contrary to earlier reports on Monday night, the deal has not been finalised but is still expected to be concluded in the next few days with an announcment scheduled for Friday.

Tottenham's final league match of the EPL campaign will be against Everton on May 24, leaving little room for any celebrations should Spurs be able to claw their way into the top four - to qualify for the Champions League - on the final day of the season. They are currently six points behind fourth-place Manchester United but have a game in hand.

As revealed by Fairfax Media last month, Tottenham were competing with Bayern Munich and Chelsea to play the lucrative friendly.

The NSW government and Destination NSW will be tipping in a sizeable chunk of money to bring Tottenham to Australia but it won't come close to the $3 million spent - and recouped - on bringing Manchester United to Australia in 2013.

However, Spurs are one of the most popular clubs in Australia and their appearance at Homebush should see at least 60,000 fans flock from around the country to view Mauricio Pochettino's team in the flesh. It will also be the first time in 30 years that Tottenham have come to Australia.

The North London club boast some of the biggest names in English football, none bigger than free-scoring wonderboy Harry Kane, with fans also sure to be eager to catch a glimpse of Christian Eriksen, Mousa Dembélé, Emmanuel Adebayor, Roberto Soldado, Érik Lamela, Jan Vertonghen and French international goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

The Western Sydney Wanderers were originally in interested in staging the matches but the clubs' hierarchy apparently decided the players would need a rest considering their sizeable workload this past year.

If Sydney FC make the A-League grand final, scheduled for either May 10 or May 17, they will only have to stay in training for another fortnight. Most A-League clubs continue training even after their seasons have been completed.

The arrival of Tottenham marks the first contest in what will be an unusually active off-season for A-League players, with the Socceroos due to host at least one international match in June and the International Champions Cup, featuring Manchester City, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Roma in July, to be staged at the MCG.

Liverpool are also returning to Australia after two years away, playing against Brisbane Roar and Adelaide United. It's thought that other clubs are also trying to lure big-name overseas teams.

Confirmation of the announcement regarding Tottenham's visit was sought from both Football Federation Australia and Sydney FC but the Sky Blues' chief executive Tony Pignata declined to comment.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/sydney-fc/sydney-fc-to-face-epl-giants-tottenham-hotspur-at-anz-stadium-in-may-20150302-13t4lt.html