Whether arriving via a luxurious water taxi or taking a leisurely stroll through the Royal Botanic Gardens, the journey to Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is as picturesque as the setting itself. Each year, a vibrant theatrical hub emerges, complete with a five-storey pop-up bar and dining venue with a variety of offerings, ranging from cheerful pizzas, hotdogs and pies to decadent three-course feasts. This annual event embodies the very essence of spectacle, and this year's performance of West Side Story (which makes an anticipated return to Mrs Macquries Chair after its 2019 debut) wows us while compelling us to wrestle with the stark relevance of its themes, both to Australia’s own history and the turf wars at play globally. Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical masterpiece West Side Story debuted on Broadway in 1957 and most recently got the Hollywood treatment by Steven Speilberg, to seven Oscar nominations. It’s a modern take on Shakepeare’s well-known tale of star crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, set in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City, during the 1950s. The Jets, a gang of All-American boys, are in a turf war with the Sharks, the new Puerto Rican immigrants on the block. When Maria (Nina Korbe) – the sister of the Sharks’ leader, Bernardo (Manuel Stark Santos) – and Tony (Billy Bourchier), a former Jet, lock eyes at the local dance, the rivalries escalate. You might assume that the open-air ambiance would diminish the impact of the ove
March is upon us – and to go against the mainstream, we reckon that it's the best month of the year in Sydney. March in the Emerald City is full of warm days, crazy clear water, less crowds and all-round delicious autumnal times. During these weeks of balance, Sydneysiders will get the chance to hit up the inaugural All About Women festival for an extravaganza of feminist ideas, take in some major blockbuster art exhibitions (largely thanks to the Sydney International Art Series), and enjoy dinner with a side of female empowerment thanks to the Two Good Dinner Series with Christine Manfield at Ace Hotel's LOAM.
Plus, despite summer being over *by name*, there's still going to be plenty of time to frolic through the city's best beaches, splash around at one of Sydney's most beautiful swimming spots, and head off the beaten track at one of the city's most stunning secret beaches. The heat is still on, and as such, so are we.