Turandot tells the story of a beautiful ice princess who challenges her many suitors to answer three riddles on pain of death.

It’s a fantasy opera of poetry and myth, set in an exoticised China where fear and love go hand in hand and death is just around the corner.

Marino describes the production as “spectacular” and emphasises that ex-dancer Graeme Murphy’s role as director ensures that the show is highly physical and visually arresting.

Marino will play the minister Pang, who forms part of the trio Ping, Pang and Pong, a set of amusing characters who act as mediators between performance and audience.

“It’s fascinating to watch and to listen to,” Marino said.

Turandot is also known for its extraordinarily famous aria Nessun Dorma, which Pavarotti sang to a huge crowd at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

“Everyone knows Nessun Dorma,” Marino said.

But it’s just one of the production’s magnificent moments.

The opera also features an amazing soprano aria In questa reggia sung by Turandot princesses Amber Wagner (until February 16) and Dragana Radakovic.

When asked on whether he found Puccini’s blatant “orientalism” or “exoticism” at all uncomfortable, Marino emphasised that the opera is an art form which for him, can be left in its creative context.

“Art is art and real life is real life,” he said.

“I just go to work and do my best.

“My idea is that provided your colleagues are comfortable, and everyone is comfortable, it’s fine.

“If someone has a problem you work around that.

“Turandot is an old production and so people just do what the director says, as it’s been running for almost 30 years.” 

But he added that any contemporary show would have to take contemporary ideas and attitudes into account.

Marino began his operatic journey as a boy soprano in the St Mary’s Cathedral College choir in Sydney.

He was also enticed to listen to classical music and opera by his father.

Both Marino’s mother and father migrated from Italy in the ’50s.

His father lived in Rome for some time and attended many shows at the historic Caracalla theatre in Rome, where he experienced the wonder of then opera stars such as Maria Callas and Mario del Monaco.

Marino’s father’s cousin was a tailor who made and mended clothes for famous opera singers.

Following his time at St Mary’s Cathedral College, Marino studied at the Sydney Conservatorium and Mannes College of Music in New York, periods which he described as “foundational” to his development.

He took masterclasses with figures such as Regina Resnik, the New York Metropolitan mezzo soprano opera star.

His professional debut was at Theater Regensburg in Germany, in the role of Il Duca di Mantua in Rigoletto.

Since then, Marino has taken on many roles for both Opera Queensland and Opera Australia, the latter with whom he made his debut last year as part of the ensemble in the hilarious Shostakovich production The Nose.

“It was amazing!” Marino exclaimed.

“It’s a controversial, interesting piece and musically it’s very complex – very difficult.”

Marino has been well reviewed for his comic abilities and timing, and has won a number of awards, including the Tenor Award at the Sydney Performing Arts Challenge, Dame Joan Sutherland Award, and was a finalist in both the McDonald’s Opera Competition.

Alongisde Turandot, he will perform in Wozzeck, and Salome in the Sydney summer season, before heading to Melbourne in May for Rigoletto, back to Sydney for a brand new digital production of Madama Butterfly in June and July, as well as an edgy, new production of Ghost Sonata in both Sydney and Melbourne in September.

Marino will certainly be flat out this year, as well as missing his wife and daughter, who live in Brisbane.

But he’s excited for the interesting roles he will tackle, and he finished up our conversation with a tip for maintaining a fantastic tenor voice.

“I try not to talk too much,” he said.

Turandot will run at the Sydney Opera House until Saturday, March 30, 2019.

Get your tickets at the Sydney Opera House’s website.