On the Orion

Sydney - Freycinet National Park - Port Arthur - Hobart

26 November - 01 December 2009

Featuring solo recitals by
Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Cheryl Barker

View of Wineglass Bay from Mt Amos
photo courtesy of Tourism Tasmania & Chris McLennan

Following the success of our inaugural Festival of Opera and Music in October 2008, Renaissance Tours is delighted to announce our second festival on board the luxurious Orion.
This time you will journey on the Pacific Ocean and across Bass Strait, from Sydney to Hobart, with shore excursions at Freycinet National Park (Wineglass Bay and Coles Bay) and Port Arthur, and with five magnificent concerts on board and ashore. Solo recitals will be given by three of Australia’s most distinguished artists - Emma-Jane Murphy (cello), Teddy Tahu Rhodes (baritone) and Cheryl Barker (soprano). Vocal sensation ARYA and the chamber ensemble Virtuosi Tasmania complete a rich and varied musical repertoire under the direction of Sharolyn Kimmorley, the Festival’s musical director and accompanist, and Guy Noble, Musical Host.

ITINERARY
 

November 2009	Time	Itinerary
Thursday 26	1400-1500 1600	Embarkation Depart Sydney
Friday 27	1030  1100 1200 1600 1800	Arrive Disaster Bay ARYA concert Depart Disaster Bay Meet the Musicians - ARYA Emma-Jane Murphy recital
Saturday 28	1100 1500 1800 1900 2100	At sea Meet the Musician - Emma-Jane Murphy Arrive Wineglass Bay Teddy Tahu Rhodes recital Depart Wineglass Bay Arrive Coles Bay Meet the Musician - Teddy Tahu Rhodes
Sunday 29	0900 1530 1800	Shore excursions - Coles Bay Virtuosi Tasmania concert Depart Coles Bay
Monday 30	0600 1800 2000  2100	Arrive Port Arthur Shore excursions - Port Arthur Cheryl Barker recital Depart Port Arthur Meet the Musician - Cheryl Barker
Tuesday 01December	0800  0900-1000	Arrive Hobart  Disembarkation

Note: Itinerary subject to Government Authority approval.

THE DESTINATIONS

SYDNEY N.S.W.
Your voyage begins with a stunning departure from Sydney Harbour as you sail under the Bridge, past the sails of the Sydney Opera House and out through the Heads.

Before you set sail, why not spend a few days in Australia’s most cosmopolitan city, with the opportunity to attend performances by the Australian Ballet at the Sydney Opera House and the Australian Chamber Orchestra at the City Recital Hall? Please see our separate 'Add-ons Packages' information for more details (click here). 

DISASTER BAY N.S.W.
Located between Eden and the N.S.W. - Victorian border, Disaster Bay was named last century when the vessel Ly-ee-Moon out of Melbourne bound for Sydney, struck a reef near Green Cape which juts seaward on the northern side of the bay, with the loss of 76 lives. The historic cemetery lies near the Green Cafe lighthouse built in 1881.

This spectacular bay sees few boats or people, surrounded as it is by both the Ben Boyd National Park to the North, and the Nadgee Nature Reserve to the South. Almost secretively tucked into the timbered hills by the lake is a cluster of fishing shacks and holiday homes called Wonboyn. These holiday homes are often held by the same families for generations, who appreciate just what an idyllic fishing spot they have. 

FREYCINET TAS.
Dramatically jutting into the sea on Tasmania's mild east coast is the rugged and beautiful Freycinet Peninsula. Freycinet National Park consists of knuckles of granite mountains all but surrounded by azure bays and white sand beaches. The dramatic peaks of the Hazards welcome you as you enter the park.

Freycinet National Park offers visitors a range of wonderful opportunities to enjoy spectacular coastal scenery, colourful wildflowers and a variety of Tasmania's animal life.  There will be ample time to enjoy a walk on the beach at Wineglass Bay and the spectacular walk from Coles Bay to Wineglass Bay (and back) which will reward with some of Tasmania's most celebrated views. Or try less strenuous activities like beach strolls, swimming or wildlife spotting before an afternoon concert by the Virtuosi Tasmania in the Freycinet Lodge.

PORT ARTHUR TAS.
Known for its harsh conditions, dark history and stark beauty, this open air museum is Tasmania's top tourist attraction as well as being one of Australia's most significant heritage areas.

Port Arthur started out as a prison base for convicts in Tasmania in 1830 and continued to operate until 1877. The regime of the prison was harsh, both physically and mentally. Mass graves, for those inmates that died in prison, exist on the 'Isle of the Dead'. More recently, in April 1996, tragedy struck Port Arthur when 35 people were killed by a gunman right in the heart of this picturesque historical site.

The Port Arthur Historic Site encompasses over thirty buildings, ruins and restored period furnished homes set in 40 hectares of landscaped grounds. For many people, the magnificent gardens and grounds are reason alone to visit the Port Arthur Historic Site

HOBART TAS.
Hobart’s wild convict past and rich history are evident everywhere in its beautifully-restored historic public buildings and colonial cottages dating back to the Georgian period. Magnificently y situated on the wide and elegant Derwent River, Hobart is overlooked by majestic Mt Wellington. Intimate in scale, Hobart is large enough to offer an abundance of culinary pleasures and cultural attractions.

At the end of your voyage, why not stay in Hobart in style? We have booked the unique, grand-luxe Islington Hotel on an exclusive basis for our guests, combined with two days of exploration of this charming city. Please see our separate 'Add-ons Packages' information for more details (click here).

THE MUSICIANS

EMMA-JANE MURPHY     Cello 
Highly regarded as one of the leading 'cellist of her generation, Emma-Jane began her studies at the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, before winning a scholarship to the Yehudi Menuhin School, London.

In 2000, Emma-Jane was invited to join the Australian Chamber Orchestra as their Principal ‘cellist. Her appearances with the Orchestra as a soloist were numerous and include the premiere recording of Peter Sculthorpe’s ' ‘Cello Dreaming' as well as being the featured ‘cellist on the soundtrack to the movie, ‘Master and Commander’.
She has collaborated with the Australian Ballet, has performed with the Australia Ensemble and Australian String Quartet amongst others, appeared as a soloist and performed at numerous festivals around Australia and Europe.
2009 sees Emma-Jane in high demand as a soloist and chamber musician, including touring nationally with the piano trio, TrioZ.

ARYA
Fusing their passion for classical singing and opera - emerged ARYA. Arya combines young voices of exceptional quality and beauty and weaves them into richly blended harmony in order to create a sound and experience like no other.

Arya's passion, youth and vibrancy flow through each and every performance, ensuring a dynamic and powerful experience for all.  For this very special concert Ayra will perform music that encompasses Baroque to the Beatles:  arrangements of Caccini's 'Ave Maria', Pachelbel's 'Canon', selections from West Side Story, Carousel, Les Miserables and a medley of the Beatles most famous hits.

TEDDY TAHU RHODES     Baritone
Teddy Tahu Rhodes has established an international career on the opera stage and the concert platform performing regularly with major opera companies and orchestras in the USA, in Europe, and in Australasia. He is noted for several world and Australian premiere performances including his acclaimed portrayal of Joe/Dead Man Walking.

Recent and future engagements include Escamillo (Paris, Hamburg, Munich, Metropolitan Opera), Stanley (A Streetcar Named Desire/Vienna/OA), Lescaut (Leipzig/OA), Ned Keene (Peter Grimes/Metropolitan Opera), Billy Budd (Santa Fe and OA,) concerts with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, at Carnegie Hall and in Washington.

He is widely recorded on the ABC Classics label and has also recorded for BBC/Sony International.

Awards include an ARIA (Best Classical Record for The Voice), two Helpmann Awards, Australian Entertainment MO Award and a Green Room Award. He was the winner of the 2006 Limelight Awards for Best Performance by a Soloist with an Orchestra for his performances with the ACO. Most recently he has been honoured with a Green Room Award for Best Male Artist in a Leading Role for his performance of Don Giovanni for Opera Australia.

VIRTUOSI TASMANIA
Virtuosi Tasmania is Tasmania’s premier chamber music ensemble. Drawing its players from the internationally acclaimed Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Virtuosi Tasmania has, since 1992, presented regular series of fine chamber music concerts throughout the state.

Each year the organization presents over twenty concerts in idyllic Tasmanian settings. The emphasis of Virtuosi Tasmania has always been in taking quality chamber music out of the large concert hall, the home of the symphony orchestra, into the intimate spaces for which it is intended, the grand private houses, heritage buildings and beautiful vineyards that abound in this picturesque state.

In this concert, Virtuosi Tasmania will present a concert of string music from the Baroque through to the 20th Century: the iconic Romantic masterpiece ‘Serenade for Strings’ by Elgar, JS Bach's 2nd Brandenburg Concerto and Janacek’s ‘Suite for Strings’.

CHERYL BARKER     Soprano
Cheryl Barker is particularly noted internationally for her performances of Madama Butterfly, singing the role for English National Opera, De Vlaamse Opera, Hamburg, Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam and Houston. Other international appearances include Jenifer (A Midsummer Marriage) Royal Opera, Covent Garden, Oksana (Christmas Eve), Foreign Princess (Rusalka), Governess/Miss Jessel (Turn of the Screw), Musetta (La bohème), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Tosca, Salome and Emilia Marty (The Makropoulos Case) for English National Opera; Maria Stuarda/ReisOper; Violetta (La Traviata)/Hamburg State Opera/Deutsche Oper; Suor Angelica, Giorgetta (Il Tabarro), Mimi (La bohème), Desdemona (Otello), Liu (Turandot), The Merry Widow/De Vlaamse Opera and Katya Kabanova/Welsh National Opera/Geneva.

Cherylappears regularly with Opera Australia, in roles including Nedda (I pagliacci), Countess (Le nozze di Figaro), Mimì - in the award-winning Baz Luhrmann production, Violetta, Donna Elvira, Tatyana (Eugene Onegin), Antonia (Les Contes d'Hoffmann),Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), Desdemona, Giorgetta, Emilia Marty, Madama Butterfly, Tosca, Jenufa, Rusalka, Suor Angelica, Arabella and Manon Lescaut.
On the concert platform, Cheryl Barker has appeared at venues including London's Barbican, Royal Albert Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Wigmore Hall, Halle Orchestra, Edinburgh, Spoleto and Melbourne Festivals and has toured for Musica Viva (2005 and 2008).

Television, videos and recordings include Puccini Arias (Melba Recordings); Seduction and Persuasion (ABC Classics), La bohème/ Opera Australia (CD + Video), Madama Butterfly/Opera Australia (CD + Video) Madam Butterfly (Chandos), Madama Butterfly/De Vlaamse Opera (Belgium and Netherlandse Television), The Makropoulos Case, Katya Kabanova, Rusalka and, most recently, Great Operatic Arias (Chandos). She holds an honorary Doctorate of Music/Victorian College of the Arts.

SHAROLYN KIMMORLEY     Musical Director and Accompanist
After studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Sharolyn Kimmorley joined the Music Staff of The Australian Opera. She has held the positions of Head of Music Staff, Artistic Administrator and Director of Music Administration with Opera Australia.

Sharolyn regularly accompanies the major singing competitions and in 1983 was invited by Tito Gobbi to be the accompanist for the Concorso Internazionale per Cantanti at Bassano del Grappa and coach for the Studio dell’opera Italiana at Asolo.

Sharolyn is regarded as one of Australia’s finest vocal coaches and accompanists and has appeared in recital with Håkan Hagegård, Wilhelmenia Fernandez, Inessa Galante, Sir Thomas Allen, Dennis O’Neill, Kathleen Battle, Desirée Rancatore, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Yvonne Kenny, Peter Coleman-Wright, Cheryl Barker and Jonathan Lemalu.

Sharolyn has been guest vocal coach at the Cardiff International Vocal Academy, London’s Guildhall School of Music, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts Southern Opera, West Australian Opera, Australian National University

In 2008 Sharolyn was Musical Director for the inaugural Festival of Opera and Music onboard the Orion. 

GUY NOBLE     Musical Host
Guy Noble is one of Australia’s most versatile conductors and musical entertainers, conducting and presenting concerts with all the major Australian orchestras and performers such as Harry Connick Jr, Yvonne Kenny, David Hobson, Dennis O’Neill, Dianne Reeves, Clive James and Olivia Newton John. This year he conducts the TSO’s Symphony Under the Stars, appears on stage at the Hamer Hall with chef Stefano de Pieri in Vivaldi’s Last Meal and presents the popular Music on Sundays concerts with the Queensland Orchestra.

He has recorded eight CDs for ABC Classics, and was the host of the Breakfast program on ABC Classic FM from 1999-2001. He has presented on BBC Radio 3, hosted the Dimensions series on ABC TV, written The Music Explorer for ABC Books and is a regular columnist with Limelight magazine.

Guy is the proud father of two small girls who have a worrying interest in the entertainment industry!

In addition to their recitals, you are invited to join each solo artist for a ‘Meet the Musician’ session. Learn about the many years of training required to become - and remain - a major artist, the demands of juggling private lives and international careers, the ‘ups and downs’ of the musical world. 

To get a feel for the extrraordinary 'Festival of Opera & Music' experience, download the log of the 2008 Voyage here!

Renaissance Tours
Level 4, 47 York Street
Sydney NSW 2000
GPO Box 5068, Sydney NSW 2001
Tel: + 61 (02) 9299 5801   
Fax: +61 (02) 9299 5805   
Toll Free: 1300 727 095
A.B.N. 14 069 591 448   
Lic. 2TA4526