Helena Rathbone, ACO Principal Violin
"I have been to a number of places in Italy. Firenze, Venezia, Lucca, Sorrento, Napoli, Pompeii, Pisa, Cremona, Milano, Bologna, Verona... to name a few! Among my favourite memories are high school chamber orchestra and choir trips to Venice where we played The Four Seasons in Vivaldi’s own church, the Pietà, and then waded through a flooded Piazza San Marco! Nearly 20 years later, my husband, Jerry, popped the question in Venice and we later honeymooned in Taormina, Sicily. So Italy holds a very special place in my heart." - ACO Principal Violin, Helena Rathbone.
* Helena's Italy quick-fire round *
Go-to dish at an Italian restaurant? Helena: "A Caprese salad"
Go-to pasta to cook? Helena: "For the family, probably a spaghetti bolognaise, and for myself I’d probably make something up, like linguine or spaghetti with lots of garlic, olive oil, mushrooms and spinach with a splash of wine, a pinch of chilli flakes and a swirl of natural yoghurt. Or just whatever happens to be in the fridge!"
Aperol Spritz or Negroni? "Negroni"
Pizza or pasta? "Pasta"
White wine or red wine? "White"
Spaghetti or gnocchi? "Spaghetti"
Coffee or gelato? "Gelato"
Ike See, ACO Violin
"I’ve only visited Italy once, for a fleeting two-day affair in Rome. When in Rome… you take in the history, the architecture, and carbonara. Lots of carbonara." - ACO Violin Ike See
* Ike's Italy quick-fire round *
Go-to dish Italian dish? "The restaurant's pasta special."
Go-to pasta to cook? "With a bit of forethought, the forever-family-friendly Bolognese. Without? Whatever is in the fridge with lots of olive oil and garlic."
Aperol Spritz or Negroni? "Negroni"
Pizza or pasta? "Pasta"
White wine or red wine? "Rosso"
Spaghetti or gnocchi? "Spaghetti"
Coffee or gelato? "AND. Not or."
*
Stefanie Farrands, ACO Principal Viola
"I love Italy. When I was living in Berlin, I spent a few years playing projects with the wonderful Italy-based orchestra, Spira Mirabilis. We played in many small towns, rehearsing day to night, being intensely curious about the music we played.
"I also spent some time on the beautiful island of Ischia when I had a playing injury and needed to take some time away. I was completely fascinated by the spectacular subtropical and Mediterranean garden created by Susana Walton - composer William Walton's wife - on the island. Walton loved the isolation and composed there for 35 years!
"We also had a beautiful family trip to Italy when I was a student which filled my heart with many happy memories." - ACO Principal Viola, Stefanie Farrands
* Stef's Italy quick-fire round *
Go-to Italian dish? "Pumpkin and Sage Gnocchi"
Go-to pasta to cook at home: "Probably an Ottolenghi Pasta if I’m honest! His Gigli Pasta with chickpeas and Za’atar is my go-to favourite ‘post tour’ pasta to cook at home. "
Aperol or Negroni? "As a near Tea totaller… Chinotto!"
Pizza or pasta? "Pasta"
White wine or red wine? "Tea…"
Spaghetti or Gnocchi? "Gnocchi"
Coffee or Gelato? "Gelato"
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Liz Woolnough, ACO Viola
"The only time I’ve been to Italy was a Sydney Conservatorium residency in Verona. Lost instruments thanks to Air Italia, too much pizza and grappa - both with dire consequences - and not enough air conditioning. Bellissimo!" - ACO Viola, Liz Woolnough.
* Liz's Italy quick-fire round *
Go-to dish at an Italian restaurant? Liz: "Hawaiian pizza"
Go-to pasta to cook? Liz: "Spagi B"
Aperol Spritz or Negroni? "Negroni"
Pizza or pasta? "Pasta. Unless it’s a Meat Lovers from Domino’s."
White wine or red wine? "Negroni"
Spaghetti or gnocchi? "Spaghetti"
Coffee or gelato? "Both!"
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Julian Thompson, ACO Cello
"I had an amazing trip to Sardinia in my 20s. Beautiful rugged place and wonderful warm people. I remember being warned that the knee-high surf was very rough and to be extra careful! They do actually get some pretty good surf over there on occasion I understand." - Julian Thompson, ACO Cello
* Julian's Italy quick-fire round *
Go-to dish at an Italian restaurant? "My Dad makes an epic version of Gnocchi Parisienne, a wicked, cheesy baked choux pastry gnocchi, so if there’s something on the menu like that I’m into it. It’s rarely as good as his though!"
Go-to pasta to cook? "Spirali with Amatriciana."
Aperol Spritz or Negroni? "Aperol"
Pizza or pasta? "Pizza"
White wine or red wine? "White"
Spaghetti or gnocchi? "That’s a line ball!"
Coffee or gelato? "Affogato"
Postcards from Italy tours until Tuesday 26 September. Click here to find out more and book.
