7 Days

21st - 27th March, 2018

“Friends to travel with....”

2121 Point Nepean Road, Rye Vic 3941

www.oshannessys.com.au Email: enquiries@oshannessys.com.au

Toll Free: 1800 354 352

O’Shannessy’s Sorrento Travel Pty Ltd T/A:

La Boheme - Opera on Sydney Harbour

Spend an unforgettable night under the stars.......

Coach

Price per person twin share $ 2,945

Repeat clientele twin share $ 2,895

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT $ 475 Tour Departs: Wednesday 21st March, 2018 Tour Returns: Tuesday 27th March, 2018 Deposit: $200 per person upon booking

Balance due on invoice approximately 30 days prior to departure Single travellers who are prepared to twin share will be matched

with another passenger (of the same gender) or, if this is not possible, provided with single accommodation at the twin share fare.

Tour Price Includes: Pick up from and return to your home - Greater Melbourne, Bendigo,

Ballarat, Geelong, the Bellarine and Mornington Peninsulas, Phillip Island and some areas of Gippsland.

Travel by our own state of the art luxury coach, equipped with restroom, satellite phone, fold-down arm rests, seat belts and extra leg room. Our coach has a ’kneeling’ device and second door for ease of entry and disembarkation. Our coach is also fitted with ‘Road Cam’ TV monitors which display in real time the road ahead. The coach offers a smooth quiet ride and views through large panoramic windows.

Premium Seating - for La Boheme - Opera. Quality ensuite motel accommodation. All tours and interest venues as per itinerary. Meals: Full cooked breakfasts, dinners, most lunches.

(2 lunches at own expense as per itinerary)

The following cancellation fees apply for this tour: Deposit refundable until 30 days prior to departure

30 to 15 days BEFORE DEPARTURE 75% Refund of Tour Cost 14 to 8 days BEFORE DEPARTURE 50% Refund of Tour Cost 7 to 1 days BEFORE DEPARTURE 25% Refund of Tour Cost On or after Departure date of Tour NO REFUND GIVEN

All passengers are required to co-operate with the seat rotation program determined by O’Shannessy’s Tour Directors.

TRAVEL INSURANCE IS NOT COMPULSORY HOWEVER IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AND IS AVAILABLE FROM OUR OFFICE.

The Proprietors reserve the right to vary any accommodation, price or other features of the tour at any time at their own discretion.

Tour Highlights:

Albury

Goulburn

Sydney Opera House - tour

Sydney Sightseeing tour

La Boheme on Sydney Harbour - Premier Seating

Sydney Harbour Story Cruise

Dinner at iconic Sydney Tower Restaurant

‘Sea Cliff’ Bridge - Wollongong

Kiama Blowhole

Berry

Batemans Bay

Boydtown - Eden

Lakes Entrance

Jindivick

La Boheme - Opera on Sydney Harbour

A candle sputters out in the Parisian night. Two hands meet in the dark and four friends’ lives are changed forever. Puccini’s beloved opera, La Bohème, opens your soul to emotions too big for words. His music swells with love, soars in ecstasy, crackles with jealousy and cries with heartache. Experience the romance of the original bohemian love story at the magnificent Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. You’ll taste the best of Sydney in a single night out: food, fireworks, singing and spectacle under the stars.

Featuring:

The amazing career of the young, Latvian soprano Maija Kovalevska exemplifies a fast rise to international success. A graduate of the J. Vitols Latvian Academy of Music, she studied with Prof. A. Garanča, and made her operatic stage debut in 2003 at the Latvian National Opera in Riga, her native city, in the role of Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni. Later that year she performed at the International Opera Festival in Sigulda, and was also awarded a scholarship to study in Italy with renowned soprano Mirella Freni, a collaboration that remains fruitful. In 2004 Ms. Kovalevska won both the Riccardo Zandonai First Prize at the International Competition for Opera Singers in Riva del Garda, and the Latvian Grand Music Award. Paul O’Neill studied at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts where he completed a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Classical). In 2005 Paul was awarded Opera Foundation Australia’s Covent Garden National Opera Studio Scholarship and subsequently graduated from the National Opera Studio in 2006. After studying at the Cardiff International Academy of Voice with Dennis O’Neill he joined the ensemble and studio of the Staatsoper Berlin in November 2007. Prior to this Paul was a Young Artist at West Australian Opera where he sang solo tenor in Orff’s Carmina Burana and the roles of Flavio Norma, Monostatos Die Zauberflöte, Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni and Gastone La Traviata. He has also performed in numerous sacred works including solo tenor in Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle and Stabat Mater, Handel’s Ode on Saint Cecilia’s Day, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Haydn’s Nelson Mass and has performed with several of Australia’s major orchestras.

*These are the two Principal Artists for this Opera playing the parts of Mimi and Rodolfo. Please note these are the artists noted to be performing on our night but this is subject to change.

Day 1: Wednesday 21st March, 2018

MELBOURNE TO ALBURY

Welcome to our 7 day tour to Sydney to enjoy La Boheme on Sydney Harbour. After completing our home pick up we travel in our luxury Touring Coach to Wangaratta for lunch. This afternoon, we drive up to Albury. Before checking into our first night’s accommodation, we take in the sights, including the War Memorial Pillar on Monument Hill where we can see the magnificent views.

OVERNIGHT: Best Western Plus Hovell Tree, ALBURY

Day 2: Thursday 22nd March, 2018

ALBURY TO SYDNEY

Following a hearty breakfast, we’re on the road again. We stop in Gundagai for our morning break before travelling on to Goulburn for lunch. Goulburn was proclaimed to be Australia's first inland city through letters patent by Queen Victoria in 1863. Before we leave, we’ll take in the sights and get a feel for the city’s history and of course, we’ll see the “Big Merino”. This afternoon, we head into Sydney. We have three nights here, so unpack and settle in!

OVERNIGHT: Vibe at Rushcutters Bay, SYDNEY

Day 3: Friday 23rd March, 2018

SYDNEY

After breakfast, we head off on our sightseeing tour of the Harbour City! Firstly, we drive to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair on the harbour foreshore. The chair was carved out of the sandstone by convicts for Governor Lachlan Macquarie’s wife in order for her to watch the activity on the harbour and await the arrival of the ships from England. The point

provides us with wonderful views of the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and Fort Deninson - don’t forget to bring your camera as this is a great photo opportunity! We then make our way to Sydney Opera House where we meet our local guide for a tour of the Opera House with a

difference. 60 years ago Jorn Utzon designed what is now considered one of the greatest buildings of all time. It is also the youngest building ever to be world heritage listed. We’ll take a tour of this fascinating cultural icon and then enjoy some free time to purchase lunch and take in the sights before returning to the hotel. We have a special outing early this evening a delightful buffet dinner at Sydney Tower’s Restaurant. We have arranged for a transfer back to the hotel - or if you wish you may like to soak up some more of the Sydney nightlife! Lunch own expense / arrangement OVERNIGHT: Vibe at Rushcutters Bay, SYDNEY

Day 4: Saturday 24th March, 2018

SYDNEY - IT’S ALL ABOUT OPERA!

This morning we board Captain Cook Cruises for the Harbour Story Cruise – as the name suggests, we’ll hear commentary of the stories of Sydney and her harbour with unlimited self-service tea and coffee. Lunch is at our own expense today and we have the afternoon free for some shopping on Darling Harbour or perhaps some personal sightseeing. We return to our hotel this afternoon to prepare for our evening out. We enjoy an early dinner, then we make our way to the magical harbour-edge setting on Sydney Harbour where the waterways are transformed into an astonishing floating stage. As we are seated with one of the world’s most beautiful cities as our backdrop we can understand why Opera on the Harbour has become so popular!

La Boheme - it’s a story of four friends; a poet, a painter, a musician and a philosopher having a night on the town. It’s Christmas Eve and the poet has just felt the first pangs of great

love. In her tiny room that Christmas Eve, a candle’s flame provides the only light - until the flame gutters and dies. She knocks on the door to the friends department, hoping for a match

from a neighbour. Instead Mimi discovered the love of her life... Spend an unforgettable night under the stars with beautiful music as we experience a breathtaking spectacle. Opera Australia performs Giacomo Puccini’s sublime Opera La Boheme on a shimmering stage on Sydney Harbour. Our performance should be starring: Latvian Soprano Maija Kovalevska, Tenor Paul O’Neill, Soprano Julie Lea Goodwin and Baratone Christopher Tonkin plus many others. Followed by fireworks...to reveal more would ruin the surprise. This will be a most memorable evening.

Lunch own expense / arrangement OVERNIGHT: Vibe at Rushcutters Bay, SYDNEY

Scenes are from stage play of La Boheme

Day 5: Sunday 25th March, 2018

SYDNEY TO BATEMANS BAY

Today we travel south to join the Coastal Road towards Wollongong and the most popular coastal tourist drive is along the 665 metre 'Sea Cliff' Bridge. The bridge itself has become a major attraction because it has been built at the exact point at which the Illawarra Escarpment plunges into the South Pacific Ocean, delivering an amazing

driving experience. With a guarded shared pathway for pedestrians and cyclists, the bridge offers people a great view of the ocean and whales as they migrate throughout the year. We continue through Wollongong to Kiama where we take our lunch break. We’ll visit the famous Blowhole – some of us may like to walk off our lunch and

others can watch the water spout. Did you know that in January 1889 a performer by the name of Charles Jackson attracted large crowds to see his crossings of the mouth of the Blowhole on a tightrope! Our next stop isn’t far – the charming village of Berry. Here we’ll have some time to wander down the main street which has some interesting shops and galleries. The last leg of today’s journey sees us arriving in Batemans Bay later this afternoon.

OVERNIGHT: Best Western Sunseeker Motor Inn, BATEMANS BAY

Day 6: Monday 26th March, 2018

BATEMANS BAY TO LAKES ENTRANCE

This morning we continue south on the Pacific Highway, glimpsing the coast along the way. We stop in Boydtown for lunch. Benjamin Boyd, the son of a London Banker established Boydtown at Twofold Bay in the mid 1800’s as his headquarters from where he ran his whaling and grazing exploits. Boyd had grandiose ideas of developing Boydtown to a stage not only to rival nearby Eden but

Sydney itself. His grand plans for Boydtown never eventuated and the only buildings erected were the Seahorse Inn – where we enjoy lunch today, Boyd’s Church and Lookout Tower. Our afternoon travels take us through Cann River and Orbost then onto Lakes Entrance.

OVERNIGHT: Bellevue on the Lakes, LAKES ENTRANCE

Day 7: Tuesday 27th March, 2018

HOMEWARD BOUND

After breakfast we farewell our hosts and travel along the Princes Freeway to Trafalgar and tour up though Willow Grove, passing the Blue Rock Dam, Hill End Icy Creek and Noogee, then down the Main

Neerim Road to the pretty town of Neerim. This whole area is called the Gourmet Deli Trail. From here we’ll slip along the Jackson Track to Jindivick for lunch at the charming Jindivick Tavern.

After lunch we make our way home where as usual, we will be met by our chauffeurs and dropped at our doorsteps to complete a won-derful holiday full of fantastic memories of La Boheme!

We trust you arrive home safely with memories of a fascinating and rewarding tour.

We thank you for travelling with O’Shannessy’s Tours and look forward to your patronage again in the future!

Scene from Aida on the Sydney Harbour

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CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL

Any special passenger requirements must be notified to O’Shannessy’s Tours at the time of booking. No passenger will be permitted to embark or continue on the tour while their mental or physical condition is, in the opinion of any representative of O’Shannessy’s Tours, such as to render them incapable of caring for themselves, or whereby they become objectionable to other passengers, or they become a hazard to themselves or other passengers. O’Shannessy’s Tours will not be responsible for expenses resulting in such persons being precluded from completing the tour for any such reason.

It is also a requirement of O’Shannessy’s Tours that each passenger is able to negotiate coach steps without the aid of the coach crew or other passengers.

Any passenger who requires assistance for any of the above is required to travel with a companion capable of providing all necessary assistance.

If you are willing to twin share but are a smoker or have a CPAP machine or snore, you will need to pay a single supplement for a sole use room.

For details of other tours available Phone toll free on 1800 354 352