Australia has a very diverse climate with dry deserts, almost tropical rainforest and a temperate climate.
New Zealand is also a great place for travellers, with a laid back atmosphere and opportunities for adventure, such as hiking, biking and caving.
The opera is set in Cyprus in the 15th century. Otello, the new governor, steers his ship through a storm on his way to the island with his victorious troops, who have routed the Turks. His ensign Iago is intensely jealous of Otello and his platoon leader Cassio, who Iago feels has unjustly overtaken him in rank. Engineering a brawl, Iago gets his friend Roderigo to sound the alarm, after which Otello, roused from his bed, finds Cassio guilty of... more info
The American naval lieutenant Pinkerton is spending three months in Nagasaki on business. He meets the geisha Cio-Cio-San, whom everyone calls Butterfly. He finds her so fascinating that he immediately decides to marry her. Japanese law permits him to end the marriage at any time. ACT I Pinkerton has Goro, the marriage broker, show him the house he has rented for Butterfly and himself. The American consul Sharpless warns Pinkerton not to take... more info
The magician Zoroastro determines the renowned knight Orlando must turn from the seductions of love and return to the valorous ideals of Mars and the glory of war. Wandering in an enchanted forest full of visions conjured by Zoroastro, Orlando is drawn into a tangled web of emotional and erotic relationships. Dorinda, once courted by Medoro, sees her former lover turn to Angelica, who returns his love. But Angelica is being wooed by Orlando and... more info
Manon is a story of passion, greed and betrayal, played out in the 18th century salons of Paris and the steamy swamps of Louisiana. A beautiful but naïve young woman, Manon Lescaut must choose between the penniless student she loves, and the lure of luxury offered by a mysterious older man. Ravishing sets and costumes and the romantic sweep of Jules Massenet’s music provide a suitably opulent backdrop to Manon’s fateful choice and its... more info