OPERA HOLIDAYS IN VIENNA - 2010
Those who favour opera set in the era intended by the composer over ‘conceptual’ productions will enjoy the generally traditional approach at the Vienna State Opera with its elaborate costumes and scenery and all visitors will enjoy the impressive casts. Among many distinguished artists in many productions there are

La Sonnambula – Michelle Pertusi, Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Florez.

Simon Boccanegra. Carlos Alvarez, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Roberto Aronica and Olga Guryakova.

La Forza del Destino. Nina Stemme, Carlos Alvarez, Francesco Hong, Ferruccio Furlanetto
and Nadia Krasteva.

Tosca. Martina Serafin, Jose Cura and Ruggiero Rainmondi

Götterdämmerung. Dtephen Gould, Matti Salminen and Eva Johansson

La Bohème. Piotr Beczula, Boaz Daniel, Anna Netrebko and Elizabeth Marin.

Beyond the State Opera House there are three other opera venues, the Theater An der Wien where many of Beethoven’s symphonies received their first performance, the Volks Oper and the Vienna Chamber Opera House. We will be pleased to provide information and tickets for performances.

Vienna’s concert life is a busy one; the city is visited by many top artists throughout the year and many of them perform at the famous Musikverein. There are also performances by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vienna Boys’ Choir will be giving a series of concerts called Mozart and More in the Brahmssaal of the Musikverein on September 11th, 18th 15th and October 2nd, 9th and 16th (All the performances begin at 4pm and the prices are Category 1 £85, Category 2 £75, Category 3 £63 and Category 4 £48). They can also be heard at the Imperial Court Chapel on most Sundays at 9.15am between September and may (Tickets £45).

The famous New Year’s day Concert given by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at the Musikverein is broadcast live to over fifty countries but if you would prefer to attend in person, Operas Abroad is offering a package, including three nights at the five-star Hotel Levante Parliament with breakfast, special limousine transfers between airport/hotel/airport, a good ticket for the concert, horse-drawn carriage ride to the concert, and a seven-course New Year dinner for £4,300 per person (single supplement £440). Alternatively, for a small fraction of the cost you could visit Vienna to see a concert of music by the Strauss family on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day given by the Vienna Residence Orchestra at the Auersperg Palace.

Music lovers can enjoy visiting the many composer’s homes in Vienna which are open to the public. Among the many famous residences are the homes of Schubert, Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven.

The prices shown for each hotel include return flights, return private transfer between the airport and your hotel, three hotel nights with breakfasts and opera synopses. It does not include the cost of the performance tickets. The prices shown on the programmes are for well-placed seats in the second category. Opera is also performed at the Volks Oper, the Theater an der Wien and the Vienna Chamber Opera, we will be pleased to obtain tickets if you would like to visit these theatres. We can also book concert tickets and arrange for guided sight-seeing.

We are always pleased to arrange holidays to meet individual requirements, extra nights, concerts
Tariff

Hotel Detail

	Hotel Sacher ***** Is everything that Vienna represents. It is a magnificent building offering history, culture and the highest levels of service. The Hotel was constructed in 1876 by Edward Sacher the son of the inventor of the Original Sacher-Torte. The hotel offers rooms and suites, which are all individually furnished with antiques and decorated with original oil paintings. There are a number of different room categories and suites in various sizes and styles. We offer the superior twin or double rooms as part of our packages but of course if you would like to upgrade that is no problem. Altogether this is a luxury hotel of the finest quality that is as much part of Vienna as the State Opera, the Ferris wheel, the Fiaker, and the Lipizzaner Horses.
	The SAS Radisson Palais ***** is another superb luxury hotel offering consummate 5 star facilities. The hotel has hosted an abundance of famous people including Mikhail Gorbachev and David Bowie.It has an excellent central location close to all of the Cultural and Historical attractions and is altogether a super hotel from which to base your city break in Vienna.
	Hotel Kaiserhof **** Is located on a small side street between Wieder Haupstrasse and Karlskirche. The hotel is located within a traditional building but has been recently renovated to offer its quests a lovely blend of old world charm and modern comforts. There is a health care centre, internet corner and a piano bar. It has won many hotel awards and altogether is an excellent mid-range hotel to choose as a base for exploring the majestic city of Vienna.
	The Carlton Opera Hotel *** Is situated on a quiet street just south of the Ring, close to Karlsplatz. It is particularly convenient for the Vienna State Opera House, only 10 minutes away. Guests receive a cosy welcome at this traditional styled hotel, which offers a lounge area by reception, and a large breakfast room on the lower ground floor. All rooms have tea and coffee making facilities and air conditioning, as well as en-suite bath with shower. The 52 well-equipped rooms each with a kettle, safe and a/c are attractively furnished in a range of styles. It is an ideal hotel for those visiting the Vienna State Opera.

Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Day Concert
Every January 1st millions of TV viewers around the world watch the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra starting the New Year with a concert dominated by the music of the Strauss family in the sumptuous Golden Hall of the Musikverein. The conductor in 2011 will be Franz Welser-Möst, only the sixth Austrian conductor to conduct this event. He is currently the Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra but in September he will return to Vienna to become the General Director of the Vienna State Opera.
Inevitably, such a prestigious concert has very high ticket prices but the price reduces dramatically on tickets for the same concert given on New Year’s Eve and on December 30th. Apart from the presence of the TV cameras these ‘pre-concerts are the same as the concert on January 1st; same venue, same players, same conductor, same programme, even the floral displays will be the same!
An alternative to the Golden Hall is to see the Salonorchester Alt Wien perform a programme of Strauss and Mozart at the Wiener Kursalon on New Year’s Day. The concert and special dinner at the Wiener Kursalon costs £165 in the VIP category.
It is possible of course to see an opera while in Vienna at the State Opera House, the Volks Opera House or the Vienna Chamber Opera. None of these opera houses has issued its programme for December and January yet.
The Wiener Symphoniker will be giving two performances of Beethoven 9th Symphony (The Choral) in the Great Hall of the Konzerthaus on the evening of December 30th and 31st with the Wiener Singakademie, Choir, Sandra Trattnigg Soprano, Yvonne Naef, Mezzo-Soprano, Endrik Wottrich, Tenor, Konstantin Wolff, Bass-Baritone and Marc Minkowski, Conductor. (Best category ticket £195)

Prices for the Vienna Philharmonic Concerts in the Musikverein.
Ticket Prices.

December 30th 2010 at 11am
Category 1. £552
Category 2. £495
Category 3. £450
Category 4. £420
Category 5. £365
Category 6. £260
Category 7. £235
Category 8. £190

December 31st 2010 at 7.30pm
Category 1. £1,305
Category 2. £1,105
Category 3. £1,035
Category 4. £925
Category 5. £780
Category 6. £599
Category 7. £565
Category 8. £380
Category 9. £325
Standing Ticket £45

January 1st 2011 at 11.15am
Category 1. £4,840
Category 2. £4,235
Category 3/4. £3,630
Category 5. £3,025
Category 6/7. £2,420
Category 8/9. £1,815
Standing Ticket £120

Operas Abroad are pleased to offer these tours in collaboration with TravellingFor.com (travel@mailstrom.org.uk www.travellingfor.com Tel. 0208 2866589). TravellingFor.com will be pleased to arrange tickets, flights, accommodation, transfers, etc.

Sea & Music - Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - July 7th – 17th. 2010
Kiel – Tallinn – St Petersburg – Helsinki – Stockholm – Kalingrad – Kiel
Following the success of last year’s cruise with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra the luxury cruise ship, Mein Schiff will again welcome all the members of the orchestra aboard. Concerts will be given to the passengers both on board the ship and onshore at several ports. In St Petersburg Valery Gergiev will conduct the orchestra in a gala concert at the Mariinsky Theatre (formerly the Kirov Theatre), in Helsinki Rudolph Buchbinder will join the orchestra to perform a selection of Beethoven’s piano concertos in the Finlandia Hall and in Kalingrad Christian Thieleman will conduct works by Beethoven and Otto Nicolai, the composer and conductor who founded the Vienna Philharmonic.
There will also be a concert in the Estonian capital, Tallinn given by members of the orchestra and the soprano, Ildiko Raimondi and in Stockholm Rudolph Buchbinder will give a piano recital of works by Beethoven and Chopin in the Grand Konserthuset.
While on board the ship the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra will also perform chamber concerts. An extensive programme of sight-seeing has been arranged for passengers.
Both English and German will be spoken on Mein Schiff, a luxury cruise ship built in 1996 and refurbished in 2009. The facilities include a swimming pool, a luxury spa and fitness centre, an onboard doctor, a library, a casino, shops, internet access, a theatre/music hall, outdoor sports facilities for golf, diving & biking, a hairdresser, laundry, four restaurants, ten bars, six bistros, lounges and a sundeck area.
Cruise packages from £2,679 include return flights from London Heathrow, transfers to/from the ship, full board accommodation, all onshore excursions, all nine concerts, access to occasional rehearsals on board, an autograph session, an onboard lecture by Prof. Clemens Hellsberg (Chairman of the orchestra) and transport to/from all onshore concerts.

THE ITINERARY July 7th – July 17th 2010

Travel from to Kiel. Germany's largest passenger port, Kiel, is a leisurely one-hour drive north east of Hamburg’s International Airport. As a large university town as well as a naval base there’s plenty to do with Kiel’s unique blend of culture, history and maritime charm. Hamburg and Berlin are also close by, which gives you ample opportunity for pre and post cruise exploration.

Thursday, July 8th 2010 - Relax at Sea

Friday, July 9th 2010 - Tallinn
Located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, Tallinn is a charming yet compact city best explored on foot. At its heart lies the Old Town district of Toompea, a captivating medieval labyrinth of cobble-stoned streets, alleyways and historic churches.
The enchanting soprano Ildikó Raimondi will perform a concert, with an ensemble of the Vienna Philharmonic, in the Estonian capital’s main square, singing Mozart and Strauss.
Optional Excursions:
o City Walk with additional classical music concert in St Nicholas Church.
o The Best of Tallinn - an extensive tour of the city's main highlights.
o Uptown Tallinn & visit to the open-air museum Rocca-al-Mare, a reproduction of a typical Estonian village of the 18th/19th Century.

Saturday, July 10th & Sunday, July 11th 2010 - St Petersburg
Peter and Paul Fortress, St Isaac’s Cathedral, Hermitage, the Neva River, almost everything in this intoxicating city is soaked in history. Though no longer the capital of the Russian Empire, St. Petersburg still boasts more than 40 international festivals every year. One of the most magical and must-see things to encounter during your visit is the White Nights, a curious phenomenon of nature where, for a few weeks every year, the sun barely dips below the horizon.
The celebrated Russian maestro Valery Gergiev will conduct the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in St. Petersburg’s majestic Mariinsky Theatre, where many of the great masterpieces of Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov premiered.

Optional Excursions:

10th July 2010
o St Petersburg City Highlights
o Catherine's Palace & Park
o City Highlights & the Hermitage

11th July 2010
o St Petersburg Walking Tour
o Rivers & Canals of St. Petersburg
o Peter & Paul Fortress
o Peterhof & St. Isaac's Cathedral

 

Monday, July 12th 2010 - Helsinki
Made up of a series of peninsulas and large bays; Helsinki is an ordered symmetry of streets and straight boulevards. Visit the Kamppi district for the historic half-timbered houses, the Kallioarea for its atmospheric eateries, and the Toolonlahti quarter for the boat-filled harbour and stunning coastal scenery. Helsinki’s rhythm is laid back yet at the same time refreshingly active. Everything is close in this pocket-sized metropolis, making it the ideal place for visitors.

Finlandia Hall is the venue for our second concert with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, where Rudolf Buchbinder will perform Beethoven piano concertos.

Optional Excursions:
o City Highlights.
o Porvoo - one of the oldest and most scenic villages in Finland.
o Walking Tour of Helsinki.

Tuesday, 13th July & Wednesday, 14th July 2010 - Stockholm
Uniquely built on 14 islands connected by 57 bridges, the capital of Scandinavia is one of the most intriguing places in the Baltic. With its long history and cutting-edge cultural scene, Stockholm is bound to both entertain and enlighten you in equal measure.
On this excursion, Rudolf Buchbinder will perform Chopin and Beethoven in Stockholm’s grand Konserthuset.

Optional Excursions:
o Scenic City Tour & Vasa Museum.
o Old Town 'Gamla Stan' & Town Hall.
o Scenic City Tour by bus & boat.

Thursday, July 15th 2010 - Kaliningrad
The Russian enclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea is situated between Poland to the south and Lithuania to the north and east. Kaliningrad, previously known as Königsberg, is the former capital of the German province of East Prussia. From 1945 until 1991 it was one of the most militarised and closed parts of the Soviet Union and, as such, is a particularly absorbing place to visit.
The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra has chosen Kaliningrad for their special celebratory concert, in homage to the Orchestra’s founder, Otto Nicolai, who was born here 200 years ago. Christian Thielemann will conduct this once-in-a-lifetime event.
Please note: The ship will dock at the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda. Passengers will be transferred to the Vienna Philharmonic Anniversary Concert in Kaliningrad. A complimentary excursion of this previously forbidden city will be included.

Friday, July 16th 2010 - Relax at Sea

Saturday, July 17th 2010 - Disembark in Kiel
Organised onward journey to Hamburg International Airport

The Music Programme (subject to amendment)
o Onboard lecture by Professor Dr. Clemens Hellsberg
o Chamber music concerts on board by ensembles of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
o Open-air concert in Tallinn’s main square with a mixed concert programme of Mozart and Strauss Performance by Ildikó Raimondi, accompanied by the ensemble ‘Die Wiener’ (The Viennese) Conducted by Professor Zeman
o Public rehearsal of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra on board with Valery Gergiev
o Matinée with Valery Gergiev in St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre:
Haydn: Symphony No 88
Tchaikowsky: Serenade for Strings
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 5
o Public rehearsal of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra on board
with Rudolf Buchbinder
o Onshore gala concert in Helsinki’s Finlandia Hall
with Rudolf Buchbinder
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 2
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 1
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 4
o Piano recital in Stockholm by Rudolf Buchbinder
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 ‘Pathetique’
Chopin: Piano Sonata No 3 in H Minor, Op. 58
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No 23 in F Minor, Op. 57 ‘Appassionata’
o Public rehearsal of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra on board
with Rudolf Buchbinder and Christian Thielemann
o ‘Meet the Vienna Philharmonics’
o Excursion to Kaliningrad for the Vienna Philharmonic’s celebratory concert
In honour of the 200th birthday of their founder Otto Nicolai, conducted by Christian Thielemann.
Otto Nicolai: Overture ‘Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor’
(The Merry Wives of Windsor)
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 3 performed by Rudolf Buchbinder
Beethoven: Symphony No 7
o Closing ceremony including signing session and charity auction of the conductor’s baton together with Christian Thielemann, Rudolf Buchbinder and members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

The Artists
The first concert is scheduled for St. Petersburg’s majestic Mariinsky Theatre where the Russian maestro Valery Gergiev will take to the podium.

Rising gloriously from the edge of Toolo Bay, Helsinki’s Finlandia Hall is the amazing setting for our second concert, where the celebrated Rudolf Buchbinder will perform Beethoven piano concertos. The final concert is scheduled for the wonderfully atmospheric city of Kaliningrad, in the westernmost territory of Russia. Kaliningrad was in 1810 the birthplace of the German composer and conductor Otto Nicolai, the Vienna Philharmonic’s illustrious founder. Kaliningrad has been chosen as the ultimate setting in which to celebrate the 200th birthday of this extraordinary artist. Classical music’s rising star Christian Thieleman will conduct works by Nicolai and Beethoven on this momentous occasion.

Soloist will be Rudolf Buchbinder and he will perform all five Beethoven piano concertos during the cruise. In addition, soprano Ildiko Raimondi will perform a unique solo concert, in the Estonian capital Tallinn, accompanied by an ensemble of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Born in Berlin, Christian Thielemann, is currently serving as principal conductor of the world-renowned Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. After twenty years of opera experience Thielemann is presently concentrating on a select few orchestras and exclusive opera houses.
He has taken the podium at the world's most prestigious opera houses with London’s Covent Garden, New York’s MET, the Lyric Opera Chicago and the Vienna State Opera to name a few. A regular conductor at the Bayreuth and Salzburg festivals he considers himself to be a staunch advocate of the Austro-Germanic conducting traditions, which harks back to Richard Wagner and continues on to Thielemann’s own mentor Herbert von Karajan.
Thielemann is intense without the histrionics. He draws, instead, an extraordinary energy from an Orchestra by sheer force of creative personality. His philosophy is a mixture of compassion, respect and sincerity and this has probably both contributed to and underpinned his success

As a member of the Vienna State Opera, Ildikó Raimondi has performed in more than 40 opera-roles from Pamina to Mimi and from Susanna to Rosalinde. She regularly appears in the Wiener Musikverein and, travelling extensively, she continues to be heard in the world’s most celebrated opera-houses and concert halls.
In addition, there have been countless radio and TV appearances in Europe, Japan and Israel. She is also a regular performer at the Deutsche Opera in Berlin, the Semper Opera in Dresden and the Bayerische State Opera in Munich, where she performed as a soloist with remarkable success. With a blissful blend of beauty and power she brings a rare brand of excitement to concert halls across the world and her repertoire leans eagerly towards music of the 20th century.

Once described as carrying a disproportionate share of the music world on his shoulders, Valery Gergiev is something of a national hero in Russia for having kept St Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre alive after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Born in Moscow in 1953 to Ossetian parents, he was awarded, at the age of 23, the prestigious Herbert von Karajan Conductors' competition in Berlin, which set him on the road to becoming the fanatical maestro we know today. Gergiev's recordings have garnered worldwide success and were undoubtedly instrumental in bringing global recognition to the Mariinsky. He has won countless international prizes, among them the Classic Music Award at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1993. Animated and intensely passionate, Gergiev might conceivably be described as the kind of man who, when conducting an orchestra, calls on something primitive, something deep within.

Rudolf Buchbinder began his comprehensive musical career as chamber musician. In the meantime, he performed as soloist with all great orchestras and conductors all over the world and is regular guest at the Salzburg Festival. The wide-ranging repertoire of Rudolf Buchbinder is evident and he has released over hundred records highlighting numerous 20th century compositions. For the outstanding recording of the complete piano work by Joseph Haydn, he received the "Grand Prix du disque".
He attaches great importance to meticulous study of sources and owns an extensive collection of first and original editions. One of his major concerns is the interpretation of the "New Testament" in piano repertoire, for which The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung entitled Buchbinder as "one of today's most important and competent Beethoven performers".

Life Aboard Mein Schiff
Many composers over the centuries have discovered the symbiosis between the ocean and classical music. We hope you will enjoy a similar experience as you cruise aboard ‘Mein Schiff’ in the company of the full complement of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The ship has recently been refurbished and was specifically designed as a luxurious cruise liner for passengers to enjoy some of the world’s greatest food, service and entertainment. It boasts 13 decks with an expansive 2,200sqm deck space around the swimming pool. There are 10 differently themed restaurants and a wide choice of bars and bistros to suit all tastes and moods. An experienced team of chefs and waiters are constantly on hand to satisfy even the most discerning palate. A special feature of dining aboard ‘Mein Schiff’ is the policy of unrestricted meal times with open sittings to suit passengers’ convenience. Guests can choose at any time between self-service restaurants and restaurants with table service. In addition, the ship offers a luxurious 1,700sqm spa area that includes a spectacular Finnish sauna with an unbeatable panoramic view of the ocean.

Ship Information
o Built in 1996, entirely refurbished in 2009
o Crew: 780
o Languages: English, German
o Cabins: 974
o Decks: 13
o Restaurants: 4
o Bars:10
o Bistros: 6
o Lounges: 2
o Sundeck area: 11,992 sqm
o Operated by TUI Cruises GmbH

Onboard Facilities
o Swimming pool
o Luxury spa and fitness centre
o Onboard doctor and full medical facilities
o Library
o Casino
o Shops and boutiques
o Internet access
o Theatre/music hall
o Outdoor sport facilities:golf, diving, biking
o Hairdresser
o Laundry service

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