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A WALK ON ROLE WITH OPERA AUSTRALIA AT THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

Posted on by Nicola Billens

In January 2020 you could be a star at the Sydney Opera House with your very own walk-on role in Carmen or La Boheme.  This is experiential travel at its very finest! Just a handful of lucky opera enthusiasts will ever get to experience this with less than 10 places available per year.

Part of the Cultural Attractions of Australia collection, this walk-on role with Opera Australia lets you explore so much more than the stage. You’ll visit the Opera Australia studio and a costume dresser will fit you with a handmade costume. The Assistant Director will take you through what happens on stage – when you need to be still, when you need to be a star.

On the night of your performance, you’ll enter the Sydney Opera House via stage door and report to hair and makeup to have your show makeup and wig applied. Then, you’ll mount the stairs to the stage to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience, while someone you love watches from the auditorium.

Included:

  • 1 person on stage and a ticket for 1 guest in the audience
  • A costume fitting and hair and makeup session with Opera Australia’s wardrobe department.
  • Rehearsal with the show’s director and/or choreographer.
  • Backstage photographs taken by Opera Australia.
  • A souvenir program.

WHEN
2-30 Jan 2020.  Allow 2 days for the experience as costume fitting must be booked at least two days prior to performance.

 

Click here to enquire about this experience.

Dinner with David – a MONA experience in Tasmania

Posted on by Nicola Billens

One of Australia’s unlikely superheroes is David Walsh, infamous creator of Australia’s most celebrated private museum – MONA – in Tasmania. Full of quirky, unexpected art, wouldn’t you like to pick his brains to see what makes him tick?

So why not have a private dinner with him and take him to task? Sure, he’s a terrible conversationalist—what with all the art and astrophysics chat—but the rest of this experience should be incredible. Dinner With David, one of the Cultural Attractions of Australia includes a ridiculously lavish private degustation in Mona’s chef’s hatted Source Restaurant. Mona has been known to make the tables out of humans, but that can not be guaranteed. Needless to say, David will also raid Mona’s legendary wine bunker for some game-changing wines.

Aside from dinner with the nerd, this experience also includes the best of everything Mona has to offer   — private jet transport from anywhere in Australia, luxury accommodation in Mona’s 5-star onsite Pavilions, a guided tour of the museum with Mona’s head curator, as well as a VIP tour of Moorilla Winery with the winemaker.

David may invite you play him at tennis on Mona’s not-so-private court at the museum entrance. Avoid this, his serve volley game is too strong.

Included:
  • Private jet transfer from anywhere in Australia
  • Two night’s luxury on-site accommodation (Mona Pavilions)
  • VIP museum tour
  • VIP winery tour
  • Private dinner and wine degustation at The Source Restaurant with David Walsh
  • Lunch in Faro (bar and restaurant)
  • Access to all bookable art experiences
  • Breakfast in the Source restaurant
  • and pretty much anything else you might want or can dream up!

 

THE BANQUET OF CLEOPATRA – A PRIVATE DINNER IN THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA

Posted on by Nicola Billens

One of the latest additions to the new Cultural Attractions of Australia collection is this wonderful experience at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne’s city centre. Guests will experience an exclusive and unforgettable evening of art, music, fine dining and wine.

The Gallery will be exclusively yours for the evening. Arrive at the NGV’s iconic waterwall entrance where you will be welcomed and escorted on a private tour to discover the extraordinary highlights of the NGV’s acclaimed international collection. Intimate live music performances will accompany your private viewing experience.

Then indulge in a degustation dinner, set within the gallery space in front of the NGV’s revered masterpiece, Giambattista Tiepolo’s The Banquet of Cleopatra.

Included:

  • Exclusive and private evening at Australia’s oldest and most visited art museum.
  • Private evening access to the NGV.
  • Highlights tour of the art collection by NGV Curator or NGV Guide.
  • Curated live music performances.
  • Degustation dinner in front of NGV’s most famous masterpiece, The Banquet of Cleopatra by Giambattista Tiepolo.
  • Professional video or photography taken of the event will be made available to guests.

VIP Tasmanian Art & Food Experience with MONA

Posted on by Nicola Billens

For travellers visiting Tasmania, Mona (the Museum of Old and New Art) is a must-do in the way that the Guggenheim museum is a must-do in Bilbao. It’s a quirky, attention grabbing private museum unlike any other, with a collection of unusual art, described by owner David Walsh as a “subversive adult Disneyland.”

Alquemie has created an incredible VIP Art & Food Experience at Mona just for you.

Package includes return ferry transfers (in the Posh Pit, mind you) from Hobart to Mona, as well as museum entry, lunch in the Source Restaurant, a private tour of the vineyard and winery with Moorilla’s Ambassador, and a complimentary bottle of wine from our Muse series.

Itinerary
9:30am: Depart Brooke Street Pier for Mona in the Mona ferry’s super exclusive, super luxe Posh Pit.

10am: Arrive at Mona and begin exploring the museum…focusing on B3 – a major exhibition –  accompanied by one of Mona’s Art Concierges.

11:30am: The Cut Crystal experience begins and it’s a rare pleasure, as most wines are designed to drink young these days. Cellaring demands foresight and patience—it’s a real gamble but the rewards can be stunning!

This experience includes a private tour of the Moorilla winery with one of the resident ‘wine dorks’ and an extensive, intimate wine tasting in their totally glamorous subterranean tasting room featuring new and mature wines from Moorilla’s Muse and Cloth Label series. You’ll be treated to vintages no longer widely available, find out how to match each wine with the perfect glass and learn the finer points of decanting sparkling, white and red wines.

1.30pm: A two course lunch in the Source Restaurant drinking some of the wines that have been opened for the Cut Crystal tasting chosen by the guest…

3:30pm: A Mona Fart! (Food + ART) Art concierge will take guests back into the museum to look at B2 and B1 Monaisms’ – David Walsh’s collection with a pre-booking for unseen seen experience… this takes 45 minutes per couple (optional).

5pm: Guests end up in Faro with a pre-dinner Cocktail with Outrageous canapes and the James Turrell light experience. 

6 pm ish: Guests sit down to a bespoke food and wine experience created by Mona Head Chef Vince Trim. With the priority access to some the new Pharos wing’s art rides – “Unseen seen and Weight of Darkness”.

Guests will be returned to their hotel at their leisure…their day will include a signed copy of Monaisms and a bottle of Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon to take home.

To enquire about this please contact alquemie@alquemie.com.au 

Open skies to city lights: The Kimberley to Vivid Sydney 2019

Posted on by Nicola Billens

Experience the contrast of the rugged coastline and burnt red outback of Western Australia to the bustling city of iconic Sydney and Vivid Sydney 2019.

When to go? May & June 2019

Start your journey in Perth with a special night out, the city has a burgeoning food scene so let us book a dining experience to suit your tastes whether it’s modern Australian or a menu based on the indigenous six seasons.

A far cry from the city find yourself amid the vast and ancient landscape of the East Kimberley region where sits the untamed natural beauty of El Questro nestled amongst burnt-orange cliffs and lush green lawns. Your scenic flight transfer over the spectacular Bungle Bungles from Kununurra will deliver you to one of Australia’s last true frontiers.

Bungle Bungles - HeliSpirit
Fly over the Bungle Bungles

April and May offer the best time to see the waterfalls in full flow after the monsoonal wet season so spend the day in a majestic setting at the top of one of the highest falls, Amaroo, accessible only by private helicopter. Take an enthralling guided walk before enjoying a swim and picnic in the isolated beauty. The edge of the waterfall provides a window to breathtaking views across an endless landscape and the return fight takes you over Explosion & Chamberlain Gorge.

A private flight will deliver you to the remote town of Exmouth from where you’ll take to the skies by microlight for an exhilarating Birds Eye View of the world heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef. Take a sneak peek at your accommodation Sal Salis, an exclusive bush camp hidden in the dunes overlooking the pristine beaches and coral reefs before making your entrance.

Spend a day on private charter to experience the Whale Sharks and other marine life such as Manta Rays that call this rugged coast and the turquoise waters home. You’ll have the chance to swim with these amazing gentle giants and to complete this unique experience; find yourself in the company of a world renowned Marine Biologist whose knowledge and enthusiasm is contagious.

Vivid Sydney 2017 Photo: James Horan

Journey from the starry skies of the outback to experience the bright lights of the big city and the largest festival of its kind in the world, Vivid Sydney 2019. You’ll be perfectly placed at the heart of it all in the coveted location of the Park Hyatt Sydney but to really immersive yourself step on board an exclusive private cruise of Sydney Harbour. Designed specifically, you’ll have the best opportunity to experience the dynamic program of light installations on the Sydney Opera House, Fort Dennison, Harbour Bridge, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour. For a further exclusive experience ask us too about a private meeting with one of the artists themselves.

Dialogue in the Dark – A unique Melbourne must-do experience

Posted on by Nicola Billens

Dialogue in the Dark is more than a just a tour of Melbourne. It is a sensory journey set in total darkness – an incredible experience where you step out of your comfort zone and take on the challenges of a bustling, simulated Melbourne in the dark.

The aim of Dialogue in the Dark is to give full sighted people the experience of getting about the world as a person with low vision or blindness. It’s one of the most unique tours I’ve ever done, and it was profoundly life-changing whilst being incredibly fun at the same time.

All the guides have low vision or are blind and my guide Jenny made me feel comfortable in her world as I stepped into the dark corridor equipped only with a white cane. As the light faded away my other senses heightened – the noises, the smells, and my sense of touch. Jenny led the way using her voice or tapping an object, guiding me through the streets of Melbourne and inviting me to explore my surrounds. We visited iconic places, explored every day objects that are taken for granted and covered the city in a way I’d never thought possible given it was just a simulation in a room.

Jenny had a wealth of knowledge about Melbourne’s culture and history and a great sense of humour. She also made me feel confident in my skills to navigate around as a person with blindness, in addition to being open about her story and situation.

As a Melburnian I thought it was a terrific way to explore my native city and experience some of the highlights. For visitors I think it would be perfect to start a Melbourne itinerary with a morning at Dialogue in the Dark, follow it with a trip on the nearby Melbourne Star Observation Wheel for an orientation over the city and then visit the sights in real life later in the day.

 

Dialogue in the Dark™ is presented in partnership with Guide Dogs Australia and is located not far from the city centre in the Docklands area. For more information about it click here.

 

 

Gourmet Nights – a Private Sydney dining tour

Posted on by Nicola Billens

Discover Sydney with your tastebuds on a private Sydney dining tour. Not only will you sample some of the best food Sydney has to offer, but your hosts have great relationships with the chefs, so you’ll have access to behind the scenes inclusions you can’t get anywhere else!

Gourmet Nights is an utterly compelling dining and walking your that takes you through Sydney’s streets. This experience
seamlessly combines Sydney’s colourful history, its modern and historic architecture as well as it’s eclectic food and beverage scene.

This fabulous tour includes:

  • A spunky specialised Host – 5:30pm – 9:30pm
  • A 4 hour private tour done on foot
  • The opportunity to tailor your itinerary any way you like
  • A tailored tasting menu + glass of wine at Bennelong at their Cured & Culture counter
  • Main course with matching glass of wine at Bistro Rex
  • Endless scoops of Gelato Messina
  • A night cap cocktail in Darlinghurst

 

Bennelong Restaurant

Your host for the evening will meet you at your Sydney hotel or a central spot close to Circular Quay. First you’ll visit the architectural masterpiece that is Bennelong Restaurant which occupies the first sail of the Sydney Opera House. You will sit at their Cured & Cultured counter with a view of the chefs at work and indulge in a tailored tasting menu. You’ll experience the finest Sydney rock oysters, Mooloolabah Yellowfin tuna and Red claw yabbies – all ethically, delicately and locally sourced by Head Chef Peter Gilmore. A glass of locally produced semillon, a Hunter Valley white wine will be served to match.

 

Bistro Rex

Next, take a walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens and up into Potts Point where you’ll find Bistro Rex – Sydney’s hottest new eatery situated right in the heart of the ultra-trendy Potts Point. With a delicate french twist and the use of the finest Australian produce, this eatery will blow your mind in a million different ways. Meet Head Chefs and co-owners, Michelle and Jo as they serve you your main dish for the evening as part of your gourmet journey. Just try to choose between their Poached chicken breast confit leg with harissa broth and black olives or their classic, yet mind-blowing Steak frites. No doubt the chefs will help you make your decision and recommend a wine that will compliment their dish perfectly.

 

Gelato Messina

After your main dish at Bistro Rex, your host will guide you on a walk through Potts Point, Kings Cross and into Darlinghurst to Gelato Messina for dessert. Here you’ll experience possibly the best gelato ever to cross your lips in a fun, upbeat parlour space on the main street of Darlinghurst. Choose a flavour – or 3 and dive in to see what all the locals are lining up for.

Nightcap

And to ensure your night ends on an absolute high, let’s go for a final nightcap cocktail in Darlinghurst… on us! Your Gourmet Nights journey will end in Darlinghurst so you can stay in the area to explore further or easily make your way back to your original meeting spot.

Note – all of this tour can be done on foot. If you prefer, an UBER Black can be used to get from one destination to the next.

La Bohème – Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour 2018

Posted on by Nicola Billens

Taste the best of Sydney in a single night out: food, fireworks, singing and spectacle under the stars as you experience the romance of the original Bohemian love story on the magnificent floating stage at Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour.

From 23 March to 22 April 2018 you can join the cultural event of the year as La Bohème is performed with a backdrop of one of the world’s most stunning skylines.

Opera on Sydney Harbour
Handa Opera On Sydney Harbour “Carmen” opening night 2017 (photo by Jamie Williams/Operas Australia)

La Bohème opens your soul to emotions too big for words. As six friends bare their hearts and souls in a Parisian winter, you’ll fall in love, flare with passion and ache with loss, right alongside them.

In 2018 the venue opens at 5pm, so arrive as the sun is setting over the city skyline and take in the view with a glass of bubbles as dusk falls. Meet for dinner at one of the pop-up bars and restaurants, then sit back in a grandstand at the water’s edge and immerse yourself in Puccini’s passionate music.

From 23 March–22 April 2018 on Tuesdays to Sundays at 7:30pm (no performance on Good Friday 30 March)

Ask your Alquemie Australian specialist to book you tickets now. This incredible event is a highlight to any trip to Australia and will book out.

 

Discover Sydney differently on a Sydney Street Art Tour

Posted on by Nicola Billens

Explore something new and a little bit different about the city of Sydney with a Sydney Street Art tour. Top notch guides will take you around some of Sydney’s best-hidden treasures in local food, coffee, street art, small bars and gallery hotspots.

Explore lively laneways of contemporary street art and discover works by Sydney’s most prolific street artists. On a private Sydney Street Art tour you can expect vividly patterned pieces by Beastman, Lister’s grand ballerinas, and works by over 50 other Sydney-based artists such as JUMBOist, Bafcat, Skulk, Phibs, Numskull, Nico and David Cragg. Explore gallery and independent fashion and design spaces through curated routes around Sydney’s most creative suburbs, with a coffee in hand of course! And afterwards, settle down and unwind with local brews, cocktails, wine, cheese and nibbles loved by the locals.

 

Sydney Street Art tour