C

Every Christmas since 1981 Sydneysiders have celebrated the season with "Carols in the Domain". The Domaine is part of a park that abuts the CBD (central business district or downtown) and that includes the Botanical Gardens, houses the Art Gallery of N.S.W., and stretches to the waterfront at Benelong Point where the Opera House is located. It's about a fifteen minute walk from our flat in Elizabeth Bay.

Carols in the Domain Main Stage

We had checked out the details on the web and were disappointed to learn that we wouldn't be allowed in with our nice camp chairs because they were too high. The rule of the day was "rugs and cushions". We wished we still owned the nice low beach chairs we had always used in NJ. So we compromised on a small floor-covering that we hoped would keep us dry for the two and a half hours the show was scheduled to last. Setting out from the Scotforth building at 7:45, we were disappointed to find that it was raining lightly. We thought of staying home and watching it on the tele, but decided that wasn't why we were here and at the least we would take an evening stroll and check things out. That was a good decision, because by the time we got over to the park, the rain had stopped and the evening air felt warm after our brisk walk.

Carols in the Domain Crowd with Xmas-Tree Candle Cubs

We found the entire grassy bowl in front of the stage covered with people and wondered if we would find a spot, but being only two and without all the paraphernalia that most groups had brought, we found an empty square meter in front of a trio of young people and asked could we sit there. They responded with the formulaic, but no less heart-warming "No worries", and after answering Gerry's questions about the candles everyone was carrying, gave us one that they said they didn't need. And so we joined the throng of candle-carrying would-be carol-singers. The effect of all those candles protected by red paper cups grew as dusk turned into night and the entire field was peppered with light. The atmosphere was warm and fun-loving, but somehow un-Christmassy in spite of Santa hats and reindeer ears because of the missing tang of cold winter air.

Carols in the Domain with CBD in background

And then the program began. We were lucky to be high enough to see most of the stage and all of two of four giant screens that would display the TV broadcast carried by one of the national commercial channels. The show began with a medley of favorite carols sung by various Aussi personalities, moved into a more updated mode with Christmas songs (rather than carols) sung by pop-stars including the latest Australian Idol, a young Irishman called Damien Lee. There was also an interlude for the kiddies with a famous team from a children's TV show called the Wiggles dancing and singing to welcome Santa to the stage. It was wonderful to see the little ones all around us dancing along to this part of the show.The last stage was more favorite carols like Silent Night and O Little Town of Bethlehem.

Perhaps the only peculiar appearance was that of a famous singer whose wife, also an actress/singer had recently died of breast cancer. His rendering of a Christmas song was accompanied not only by film clips of her before her illness but also by a recording of her singing the same song at the Domain Carols show from a previous year, creating a split-time duet.

Carols in the Domain - Finale Fireworks

And then came the finale with Joy to the World accompanied by fireworks. Jan voted it a great show. She especially liked the fact that she could sing along to her heart's content without embarassing herself or anyone else because the sound system easily masked her voice. A great introduction to Christmas Down Under.