Turandot On Sydney Harbour

Rebecca Varidel
5th Mar 2016

March in Sydney, and that means more than the start of autumn (yes my facebook page told me so on Monday).

But March also means opera. For a month, from the 24th Sydney Harbour comes alive again with the magnificence of music, and the staging of the Chinese fable Turandot.

Even if you haven't ever been to an opera, this is the perfect start. You'll know the music. When the heroic top notes of ‘Nessun Dorma’ ring out, your soul stirs. It's impossible to resist — the climax of an exotic adventure. And tickets are now on sale.

Written in 1924, Turandot is an opera in three acts by the famous composer Puccini. Well actually, it's a bit more complicated than that as the opera was unfinished at the time of his death and was completed by Franco Alfano. Who doesn't love story about a cold hearted princess,?

Turandot is set in China, so in the fifth consecutive year of exclusive catering for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, Fresh Catering is once again presenting themed dinners to make Turandot more than music- a complete night out in Sydney. Our scoopster sources tell us that this year Chef Geoff Haviland, Culinary Director at Fresh Catering will present flavours of China throughout the menus at each of the harbourside dining outlets, for the 4 week performance period of Turandot.

Says Haviland, “Both The Platinum Club’s premium à la carte menu and lavish buffet will feature a fantastic range of tastes, textures and cooking techniques from Beijing featuring authentic dishes you would see in the best restaurants in China like the Steamed Barramundi on Lobster Fried Rice with Snake Beans & Black Bean Butter Sauce. We’ve also added a few culinary surprises throughout the menu like our Green Tea Pavlova with Cumquat Curd, Black Sesame Cream & Lychee Salad.

“Much of the food originating in Beijing are vendor-based meals, well suited to the Northern and Southern Terraces and the Qantas Garden Bar where you’ll find China’s famous General Tso’s Chicken and Chinese street snack favourite, Bao presented with a range of delicious ingredients like Red Braised Pork Belly with Szechian Pickles and Hoi Sin Aioli. At the Northern Cantina we will present Hawker-market style cuisine and one of my favourite dishes, Lamb Shank in Master Stock with Red Dates & Woodear Mushrooms or Pork Spare Ribs with Black Vinegar Caramel, Egg Fried Rice & Chinese Greens.”

Haviland will lead his culinary team, catering to 50,000+ opera-goers across the 4 week performance period from March 24th – April 24th 2016. The Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour precinct opens at 5pm ahead of each performance, in time to catch the sunset from one of the many pop-up dining venues.

More information at Opera Australia here >>

More details from Fresh Catering here >>