Sydney Opera House Concert 28th June 2025

 

So back in Sydney and time for the second concert 

which featured a very young artist named Christian Li.

Not as packed as it was for Lang Lang.

 

We sat in a different place this time. With lots of steps!

 Then during interval a lot of people left. They only wanted to see the young fellow.

Which was a shame as the second half was really good, and a great  concert to be able to see the percussionists of the SSO.

Symphonic dances from West Side Story was fantastic.

MAMBO!

Two more concerts later in the year. 

 

 

 

Opera House Concert - Lang Lang - Sunday 22nd June

After finishing the epic travel post its time to catch up on what else we have been doing over the past couple of months. Poor doggies, we were only home a couple of weeks and then we were away again..

 

First event was at the Sydney Opera House where we went to see Lang Lang, with Michael and Gail.

 

And it was wonderful, the man is a mega star!

 

 

 

It was a sell out crowd, with lots of younger people.

Here he is high five-ing  those in the front row! What a nice bloke.

 

 

 He came out for about 5 encores! I know your not suppose to take photos during a performance but this was his last encore and every one  else was taking pics so I snuck some as well.

 

 

It was like a rock concert,  the poor Opera House ushers didn't know what to do when people started to very politely rush the stage, I guess that is a rare event at a classical music concert.

 

We first met Lang Lang in the U.K. version of 'The Piano', were amateur pianists play in railway stations. He was a judge, although no one actually wins, they just get invited to perform at a big concert. There has recently been an Australian version of  'The Piano'  which we missed as we were overseas. Might catch up with it later in the year.

 

Here is Lang Lang and his 'The Piano' co stars, Mika and Claudia.

 

 Anyway, great concert and we have another concert on the next weekend, so to fill in the week we flew to Melbourne, as you do! More about that in the following post..

 

 

 

 

 

Last Concert for 2024

This is our last SSO concert for 2024.

 

My pick this time!

 

And its Elgar's variations.

He wrote these pieces about his friends.

My favourite is Nimrod.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enigma_Variations

We have tickets for 2025 already, so more trips to the opera house.

While we were at the Opera House we saw this ship waiting to leave on a cruise...

Its the CROWN PRINCESS!

We have a trip booked on this ship in the future, to the southern states of Australia.

Very excited about it!

Watch for my future posts.

Opera House again

In Sydney for another concert. 

This time Beethoven and yes it is still raining.

The rain was so heavy in Armidale when we flew out that the plane was too heavy to take off so they took off most of the luggage, including ours. They sent it on the next flight and then sent it to our hotel by courier. It didn't arrive until 9pm that night!

It was a great performance at a packed concert hall.

Waiting for a dropped chip at the opera bar...

The flight home was late, but at least our luggage was on the same plane.

Flying in over Armidale from the north.

One last concert in October which will be the Elgar variations.

Opera House Concerts

We have had season tickets for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra this year.

These are two of the three concerts we have seen so far.

(I can't find the program for the first one we saw..)

On the 11th May it was....

Then on the 18th May.

This one was broadcast live on ABC Classic FM

Next its Beethoven in July.

I hope it stops raining in Sydney by then. 

Paul McCartney Concert,,, YEY!

Hello My Dear Readers.

Graham and I saw Paul McCartney live n Newcastle!

It was fantastic!

We watched a brilliant  show of his last Glastonbury concert  and  thought how wonderful he was and how disappointingly we would never get to see him live. I thought he would be to old to travel to Australia again, But here you go... Bless him.

He is so agile for an 81 year old and he still has his voice. II guess he travel's with a personal trainer , voice coach and physio. (doctor, nurse, chef etc).

---

Most of these photos are mine, with a couple borrowed from the web. 

We were 5 rows from the front, although the seats weren't as good as when we saw Elton. 

We were at the far edge of the stage, and further back because of the fireworks.

 

Above - 1. Can’t Buy Me Love (The Beatles)

----

I thought of all the acts I would have liked to seen and are now dead...

 Freddie Mercury... David Bowie...Van Morrison...

...

and I then thought.

stuff the cost we are so doing this!

---

Then they sang.

2. Junior’s Farm (Wings)

3. Letting Go (Wings)

4. She’s a Woman (The Beatles)

5. Got to Get You Into My Life (The Beatles)

6. Come On to Me

 7. Let Me Roll It (Wings)

Above- Telling the story of Jimi Hendrix and his guitar tuning.

Then,

8. Getting Better (The Beatles)

9. Let ‘Em In (Wings)

(Woof Woof Woof!!! Its our doorbell tune.I had to take it off spotify 

because the dogs went bonkers every time it came on)..

Then.

10. My Valentine

11. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five (Wings)

Above:-12. Maybe I’m Amazed

Then,

13. I’ve Just Seen a Face (The Beatles)

14. In Spite of All the Danger (The Quarrymen song)

15. Love Me Do (The Beatles)

16. Dance Tonight

 Above:-17. Blackbird (The Beatles)

 Above and below-18. Here Today

Then,

19. New

 

Above:- 20. Lady Madonna (The Beatles)

Then,

21. Fuh You

22. Jet (Wings)

23. Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! (The Beatles)

24. Something (The Beatles)

25. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (The Beatles)

26. You Never Give Me Your Money (The Beatles)

27. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window (The Beatles)

28. Band on the Run (Wings)

Above:- 29. Get Back (The Beatles)

Then,

30. Let It Be (The Beatles)

These are all :- 31. Live and Let Die (Wings)

And I was close enough to got burnt!

Just a couple of tine cinder dots on my hand and chin...

Then,

32. Hey Jude (The Beatles)

 

Encore:

Above:- 33. I’ve Got a Feeling (The Beatles) – virtual duet with John Lennon

Then,

34. Birthday (The Beatles)

 Above:- 35. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) (The Beatles)

Then,

36. Helter Skelter (The Beatles)

37. Golden Slumbers (The Beatles)

38. Carry That Weight (The Beatles)

39. The End (The Beatles)

 

 

Oh Gosh!

My big outdoor stadium concert days are over. I think..

We saw Elton John and Paul McCartney in the same year..

I'm very, very happy.

Thank you so much to these wonderful artists.