In Which I Spoil Myself Outrageously!

 This has been an exhausting week in many ways, and it’s not over yet. I even forgot, on January 3, to wish a happy birthday to the sublime J.R.R Tolkien! Here, have a Tolkien birthday post from a previous year! https://suebursztynski.blogspot.com/2019/01/happy-birthday-tolkien.html

However, I am about to do something I haven’t done since well before the pandemic: I’m going to Sydney to see a show, inspired by AJ Blythe whose comment appeared on this site a few posts ago. I don’t have much time, due to family commitments, but I’m using the time I have. Monday afternoon, I am heading for Melbourne airport and flying off to Sydney. There, I will take a train to Central Station and walk to my hotel. 

I used to use the YHA regularly when travelling, and there is quite a good one right near Central, but this time I decided to spoil myself with a four star hotel, the Great Southern, which is also within easy walking distance. I just want to get there, buy dinner and head for my room, not have to go shopping for groceries and cook my own meal. And my membership has long expired, so I’d have to rejoin. Maybe next time.

On Tuesday I’m meeting a friend, Anne, who lives in the Blue Mountains, during the day, and going to the theatre at the Sydney Opera House, a world-famous building which I have only passed on the Manly Ferry, but never visited.

So, what is this show? Peter Schaffer’s Amadeus, starring Michael Sheen, whom you may know from Good Omens or Staged. He has done a lot of other stuff - I saw him as Tony Blair in The Queen. This production is not, as far as I know, coming to Melbourne, so… 

I saw the play many years ago, starring Fred Parslow, a wonderful Melbourne actor, as Salieri, and also the movie, with F.Murray Abraham in the role(winning an Academy Award for it), Tom Hulce as Mozart. I believe Michael Sheen once played as Mozart in this play. 

I wouldn’t go to see something just for the actor, but it’s an amazing play and an actor I admire is in it, so why not? 

In case you’re unfamiliar with it, it’s about the rivalry between composer Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, seen from the viewpoint of Salieri, who is hugely popular in his time, but insanely jealous of Mozart, whom he knows is much more talented than he is, but is also thoroughly irritating. So he sets out to destroy Mozart’s life…

I’ve actually heard some of Salieri’s music and it’s absolutely fine. But it’s Mozart whose music I play, and his operas I go to see. The Marriage Of Figaro and The Magic Flute are two I have not yet tired of, unlike some others, such as Madama Butterfly, which Opera Australia has a tendency to perform far too often.

Anyway, I’m going! And, expensive as this trip is, I’m worth it! 

Have you ever done something outrageously expensive just because?