Great Opera Companies of Europe

On this delightful two week journey from Amsterdam to Paris, discover three of Europe’s most respected opera companies - the Netherlands Opera, Belgium’s La Monnaie and the Paris Opera - and enjoy performances by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Belgium and the Orchestre de Paris.

The wonderfully rich operatic repertoire ranges from the opera buffa of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville and Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges, to the heavyweight masterpieces of Verdi’s Il Trovatore, Wagner’s Parsifal and Richard Strauss’ Arabella.
See and hear some of the great musicians of our era, including conductors Iván Fischer, Marc Minkowski, Marco Armiliato, Phillipe Jordan and Paavo Jarvi; singers Renée Fleming, Marina Poplavskaya, Joyce di Donato, Karine Deshayes, Petra Lang, Misha Didyk, Scott Hendricks, Kurt Rydl and Falk Struckmann; and violinists Vadim Repin and Lorenzo Gatto.

As well as the superb opera and music, enjoy stays in three of Europe’s most charming smaller cities – Amsterdam, Bruges and Brussels – and unpack your bags for a full week in Paris.

Palais Garnier



Opera House Paris



ITINERARY
Fri 15 June 2012 / Depart Australia Suggested departure from Australia on Singapore Airlines via Singapore. Overnight in flight.

Sat 16 June/ Arrive Amsterdam Early morning arrival in Amsterdam. Make your way to the Ambassade Hotel (pre-booked shuttle service available on request, EUR15 pp). This 57-room boutique hotel is comprised of ten 17th-century canal-side houses on the distinguished Herengracht in the historic centre of Amsterdam, within walking distance of museums, restaurants and important places of interest.

This evening join Christopher Lawrence and opera lovers for a welcome briefing and dinner. (Meals included - D)

Sun 17 June / Amsterdam Dubbed the ‘Venice of the North’, Amsterdam is made up of more than a hundred kilometres of canals, about 90 islands and 1,500 bridges. Today will begin with a canal cruise which will introduce you to the history and culture of Amsterdam which dates back to the 13th century but which enjoyed its ‘Golden Age’ in the 17th century as the capital of a vast international trading network. Cruise along tree-lined canals lined with 17th century houses, pass the Montelbaanstoren, built in 1512 and one of the few remaining sections of the medieval city wall, and see the exciting contemporary architecture such as the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ (‘Amsterdam’s Concert Hall of the 21st Century’). Following the cruise, enjoy a walking tour of the historic centre, passing the Nieuwmarkt, Grimburgwal, Oudemanhuispoort, Staalstraat, the Zuider Church and the Munt tower, to finish at the Bloemenmarkt, the world’s only floating flower market.

Following a break for lunch on your own and time to change, transfer to the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam’s historic concert hall, for an afternoon concert (2.15 pm) featuring the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Marc Albrecht, with Alice Coote (mezzo-soprano) and Burkhard Fritz (tenor).

Programme
Beethoven – Symphony No. 8
Mahler – Das Lied von der Erde

Following the concert, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. (BD)

Mon 18 June / Amsterdam Following a pre-performance talk on this evening’s opera, depart the hotel for the Rijksmuseum. On the way pass through ‘The 9 Streets’ area, a delightful area of unique shops, small bars and restaurants. At the Rijksmuseum, enjoy a tour of ‘The Masterpieces’ from its collection currently housed in the Philips Wing of the museum during the restoration of the main building.

Following the visit to the Rijksmuseum, the rest of the day is at leisure to further explore Amsterdam and its famous museums. The Rembrandt Museum is situated in the house where Rembrandt lived from 1639 until 1659. For impressionism, visit the Van Gogh Museum, which houses some 200 paintings and 550 sketches showing Van Gogh in all his moods.

Late afternoon transfer to the Amsterdam Music Theatre for Wagner’s Parsifal by the Netherlands Opera (5.30 pm). Featuring the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Iván Fischer, the production stars Alejandro Marco-Buhrmester (Amfortas), Kurt Rydl (Titurel, Klingsor), Falk Struckmann (Parsifal) and Petra Lang (Kundry) in a new production by Pierre Audi. (B)

Tue 19 June / Amsterdam – Antwerp – Bruges Depart Amsterdam for a morning drive to Antwerp (170 km, approx 2 hr 30 min). The second largest city of Belgium and a major European port, Antwerp is indelibly associated with the painter Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) and is the worldwide centre of the diamond trade.

Begin with a visit to the Rubens House, an Italian-style villa built by Rubens and where he spent most of his life. In the adjacent studio he and his students executed many of the works for which Rubens is famous. Continue to the Grand Place with its traditional old guild houses, Brabo fountain, beautiful City Hall and Our Lady’s Cathedral – featuring two masterpieces by Rubens: ‘The Elevation of the Cross’ and ‘The Descent of the Cross’. Witness some diamond cutting, showing the various stages of the transformation of the rough stone into the diamond itself. After a break for lunch on your own, continue to Bruges (90 km, approx 1 hr 30 min), arriving late afternoon. Dinner at your hotel. (BD)

Wed 20 June / Bruges After a leisurely breakfast, enjoy a morning walking tour of Bruges beginning with the Lake of Love, then the old interior harbour, followed by the Almshouses, also called ‘God’s houses’ – originally built by the guilds for widows. Continue to the Burg Square, the Basilica of the Holy Blood, the City Hall and the Belfry on the Grand Place, built between the 13th and 16th century. Visit the Notre Dame Church which houses the ‘Madonna with Child’ statue, made from white marble carved by Michelangelo. Your morning will finish with a boat tour on the beautiful canals.

After lunch at a local restaurant, the afternoon is at leisure to further explore Bruges on your own. (BL)

Thu 21 June / Bruges – Ghent – Brussels Depart Bruges for the nearby city of Ghent (54 km, approx 1 hr). Often overlooked in favour of the larger cities of Antwerp and Bruges, Ghent is a charming historic city of quaint cobbled streets, winding canals and more listed buildings than any other Belgian city. A very wealthy city in medieval times, having been Europe’s largest cloth producer and the continent’s largest city outside Paris, Ghent survived the World Wars pretty much intact. During a walking tour discover the ‘Three Towers of Ghent’ - St Bavo’s Cathedral, the Belfry and St Nicholas’ Church – which all form a line pointing towards St Michael’s Bridge.

After a break for lunch on your own, continue to Brussels (60 km, 1 hr 30 min) arriving mid-afternoon.

After time to settle in and refresh, depart the hotel for dinner, followed by a concert by the National Orchestra of Belgium, conducted by Walter Weller, with Lorenzo Gatto (violin). (BD)

Programme
André Christen – Las cataratas de Iguazú
Mendelssohn – Concerto for violin and orchestra No. 2, op. 64
Schubert – Symphony No. 9, D 944

Fri 22 June / Brussels Following a pre-performance talk, depart the hotel for a comprehensive morning tour of Brussels, the capital of Belgium and of the European Union, the home of the European Parliament and the headquarters of NATO.

Begin with a walk on the Grand Place, the central market square of Brussels. Said to be the most beautiful square in the world the Grand Place is dominated by the magnificent 15th century Town Hall, and surrounded by splendid 17th century buildings. Continuing by coach, see St Michael’s Cathedral, the Congress column, the botanical gardens, the Royal crypt, the Atomium, the Chinese Pavilion and the Japanese Tower. Return to the city passing the Royal Residence and the Sablon district with its countless antique dealers and the beautiful garden of the Petit Sablon.

The tour continues past the Palace of Justice, Louise Square, the Royal Square, the Royal Palace and the Houses of Parliament to arrive in the Cinquantenaire district, renowned for the Triumphal Arch, exceptional museums and splendid Art Nouveau houses. Finish with a drive past the imposing EU buildings housing the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.

Afternoon at leisure before this evening’s performance of Verdi’s Il trovatore at Le Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie (‘la Monnaie’) by the National Opera of Belgium. Conducted by Marc Minkowski, this new production by Dmitri Tcherniakov stars Scott Hendricks (Count di Luna), Misha Didyk (Manrico), Sylvie Brunet (Azucena), Marina Poplavskaya (Leonora) and Giovanni Furlanetto (Ferrando). (B)

Sat 23 June / Brussels Enjoy a full day at leisure to further explore Brussels on your own. Amongst the many museums are the Royal Museums of Ancient and Modern Art (with a special section on the well-known Belgian surrealist Magritte), the Museum of Natural History with its collection of dinosaur skeletons, the Museum of Art and History, Autoworld (the largest collection of old and new cars in the world) and the Museum of Comic Strips, housed in a beautiful Art Nouveau building. (B)

Sun 24 June / Brussels – Paris Depart Brussels for a full day’s drive to Paris (approx 320 km). En route, stop at the Australian War Memorial near Villers-Bretonneux.

In WWI, on April 1918, the small town of Villers-Bretonneux was the site of the world’s first battle between two tank forces: three British Mark IVs against three German A7Vs. The Germans took the town, but that night and the next day it was recaptured by the 4th and 5th Division of the AIF at a cost of over twelve hundred Australian lives.

The people of Villers-Bretonneux continue to express gratitude to Australia to this day. The Australian War Memorial in France is located just outside Villers-Bretonneux and in front of it lie the graves of over 770 Australian soldiers, as well as those of other British Empire soldiers involved in the campaign. The school in Villers-Bretonneux was rebuilt using donations from school children of Victoria and above every blackboard is the inscription “N’oublions jamais l’Australie” (Never forget Australia). The annual ANZAC Day ceremony is held at this village each year.

After lunch in nearby Amiens, continue to Paris, arriving late afternoon. (BL)

Mon 25 June / Paris This morning start your exploration of Paris with a tour of western Paris. From the Palais de Chaillot with its spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower, you will see the Arc de Triomphe and drive along the Champs Elysées to the Place de la Concorde, Jardin des Tuileries, past the Louvre and the Palais Royal. Continue via the Grands Boulevards to the Hotel de Ville, Place des Vosges and the Marais. The morning will finish with a tour of the Palais Garnier, the sumptuous ‘Paris Opéra’ building designed by the architect Charles Garnier and inaugurated in 1875.
Following an afternoon at leisure return to the Palais Garnier for an evening performance by the Opéra National de Paris of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. French mezzo-soprano Karine Deshayes revives her virtuoso and sensitive portrayal of Rosina, accompanied by Antonino Siragusa (Almaviva), Maurizio Muraro (Bartolo) and Tassis Christoyannis (Figaro) in this production by Coline Serreau conducted by Marco Armiliato. (B)

Tue 26 June / Paris This morning journey to the east of Paris. Begin with a visit to the Opéra Bastille, second home of the Opéra National de Paris. Opened in 1989, the Opéra Bastille is the work of the Canadian-Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott, who was chosen in November 1983 after an international competition that attracted entries from some 1,700 architects. Its architecture is marked by transparent façades and by the use of identical materials for both the interiors and the exteriors.

Continue through the 12th arrondissement, known as Bercy, which has undergone revitalisation in recent years and is now the new, trendy spot in Paris for the younger crowd. Following lunch at a restaurant in Bercy village, the afternoon is at leisure.

Evening recital at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées by Joyce di Donato, the award-winning American mezzo-soprano particularly admired for her interpretations of the works of Handel, Mozart, and Rossini. Accompanied by David Zobel, Ms di Donato will perform works by Vivaldi, Rossini, Fauré and Michael Head’s seldom-heard Songs of Venice. (B)

Wed 27 June / Paris Depart Paris for a day in the country, along the Seine River. During the day you will visits sites associated with the Impressionist artists and French composers. Full tour details to be confirmed. (BL)

Thu 28 June / Paris Following a pre-performance talk on this evening’s concert and tomorrow’s opera, enjoy a full day at leisure to explore Paris on your own.

Tonight, enjoy a concert at the Salle Pleyel by the Orchestra de Paris, conducted by Paavo Jarvi, with the acclaimed Russian violinist Vadim Repin. (B)

Programme
Gounod – Symphony No. 1
Saint-Saëns – Concerto for violin No. 3
Shostakovich – Symphony No. 1

Fri 29 June / Paris Enjoy a second day at leisure in Paris.
This evening attend the Opéra Bastille for a performance of Prokofiev’s joyful opera buffa The Love for Three Oranges by the Opéra National de Paris, conducted by Alain Altinoglu. (B)

Sat 30 June / Paris Following a pre-performance talk on this evening’s performance, go backstage at the Lido, the famous cabaret on the Champs-Élysées. See the ice rink and water features, the Lido’s silent, invisible machinery which make its extraordinary shows possible. Your guide will take you through the areas reserved for dancers, wardrobe masters and dressing assistants, as well as all of the technical and stage management teams who bring the Lido’s 26th revue, ‘Bonheur’ to the stage every evening and draw their spectators into the magic of this legendary Parisian cabaret.

Following the visit to the Lido, celebrate the conclusion of the tour with a special farewell lunch cruise along the River Seine, with magnificent views of Paris from every angle.

This evening, return to the Opéra Bastille for Richard Strauss’ Arabella. Conducted by Phillipe Jordan, the performance stars Kurt Rydl as Graf Waldner, Doris Soffel as Adelaide and Renée Fleming as Arabella. (BL)

Sun 1 July / Depart Paris Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast.
If returning to Australia, make your way to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for midday departure from Paris on Singapore Airlines via Singapore. (B)

Mon 2 July / Arrive Australia Evening arrival in Australia.