Opera Bellissima
with Michael Lewis OAM
Once again our popular annual Italian ‘Opera Bellissima’ tour explores opera in the country that can claim to have invented the art form. From Milan’s iconic La Scala in the north to the Teatro San Carlo in Naples in the south, discover the extraordinary living heritage of opera in some of the world’s most famous opera houses.
Included in the line-up of performances are two standout new productions at La Scala: Luc Bondy’s interpretation of Verdi’s Rigoletto, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, and Wagner’s Siegfried, from Guy Cassiers’ extraordinary new Ring Cycle, to be conducted by Daniel Barenboim.
Aside from glorious nights at the opera, indulge in all that Italy offers in abundance: art and architecture, fashion and shopping, food and wine, passion and drama! And to lead the tour, we warmly welcome Michael Lewis OAM, one of Australia’s most distinguished opera singers and an acclaimed exponent of the Italian repertoire.
At a glance…
• At least five operas including: Wagner’s Siegfried; Verdi’s Rigoletto, Otello and Don Carlo; Ponchielli’s La Gioconda; opera in Turin (TBA)
• Concerts by the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome and the Filarmonica della Scala in Milan
• Leisurely stays in Parma, Rome, Turin and Milan with full- and half-day excursions
Teatro alla Scala, Milan
IMPORTANT
At the time of brochure publication (20 April) details of the Verdi Festival in Parma have only just been announced and details of performances in Turin are yet to be announced (May 2012).
At this stage estimatedtour prices are AUD10,000 – 12,000 per person, twin-share (AUD2,000 – 3,000 single supplement). Final tour prices will be confirmed following announcement of final performances in Turin.
In the meantime, you may ‘pre-register’ for the tour with a pre-registration deposit of AUD 250 per person, to guarantee a place on the tour (a maximum of 20 pre-registrations will be accepted). Your pre-registration deposit will be credited towards your final deposit of AUD 1,000 which will be due following announcement of the final programme and prices.
To pre-register, please call 1300 727 095 (AU) or 0800 403 621 (NZ).
ITINERARY
Tue 23 Oct / Depart Australia
Suggested departure from Australia on Emirates airlines via Dubai. Overnight in flight.
Wed 24 Oct / Parma
Arrive in Milan Malpensa Airport at 1.45pm. Transfer by coach to Parma. (Tour members arriving on other flights may also join this transfer at no cost).
An important market town, Parma has a rich musical history, not least because it was the birthplace of legendary 20th century conductor Arturo Toscanini and home to one of the oldest universities in the world. Apart from also being the centre of the annual Verdi Festival, its other most famous by-products are of course its cheese and dry-cured ham. In the early evening enjoy a pre-tour briefing followed by a welcome dinner at the hotel. (D)
Thu 25 Oct / Parma
Today you will travel to Bussetto, birthplace of Giuseppe Verdi, Italy’s most famous opera composer. See the Villa Roncole, Verdi’s birthplace, while close to the town’s main square is the Casa Barezzi, the home of the man who supported the young Verdi’s early endeavours, later also becoming his father-in-law. Then visit the Teatro Verdi, a small 300-seat theatre built by the municipality with Verdi's support, but not with his approval. Finally, in the nearby village of Sant'Agata, see the Villa Verdi, the house which he commissioned in 1848 while living in Busseto and where his parents lived until 1851, after which it became Verdi's home for the rest of his life. Return to Parma in the late afternoon; the evening is at leisure. (BL)
Fri 26 Oct / Parma
After breakfast join Michael for a pre-performance briefing followed by a half-day tour of Parma, which starts with the Romanesque-style Duomo. It is famous for its frescos painted by Antonio da Correggio between 1522 and 1530 and the medieval Baptistery built in splendid Verona rose-coloured marble and decorated with 13th century frescoes depicting scenes from the Life of Christ and the Golden Legend. Also visit the Baroque Teatro Farnese, the prototype of the modern playhouse. End with a visit to the Casa Toscanini, which houses many of the master’s possessions and documents connected with his family. Return to the hotel in the early afternoon. Following an early dinner, attend this evening’s performance of Verdi’s Otello. (BD)
Sat 27 Oct / Parma
Following a pre-performance briefing, enjoy the remainder of the morning at leisure. In the early afternoon, transfer by coach to the nearby city of Piacenza, which boasts an impressive collection of historical palaces and splendid gardens. Enjoy a sightseeing tour of the city’s main highlights including the temarkable Lombard-Romanesque cathedral, the town’s main square, Piazza Cavalli, the imposing late-Renaissance Palazzo Farnese, and the Palazzo Communale, built in 1281. Following an early dinner, attend this evening’s performance of Verdi’s Don Carlo. After the performance return to Parma by coach. (BD)
2012 Verdi Festival
Born on October 10, 1813, in a village near Bussetto in the province of Parma, Giuseppe Verdi is celebrated annually during the month-long Verdi Festival, which takes place at the famous Teatro Regio in Parma, with performances also in nearby Modena and Piacenza. The 2012 Festival – on the eve of the bicentenary of Verdi’s birth – will feature new productions of two of Verdi’s most powerful works, Otello, and Don Carlo.
With musical direction by Gianluigi Gelmetti, Pierfrancesco Maestrini’s production of Otello stars Frank Porretta (Otello), Leo Nucci (Iago), Alberto Gazale (Cassio) and Alisa Zinovjeva (Desdemona).
Don Carlo will be conducted by Massimo Zanetti and will be presented at the Teatro Municipale in Piacenza. Verdi spent much of his later life at the Villa Verdi, a house near the city of Piacenza.
Sun 28 Oct / Parma – Rome
Check out of your hotel mid-morning and transfer by coach to Rome arriving in the early evening to check into your hotel. Dinner at/near the hotel (BD)
Mon 29 Oct / Rome
After breakfast, join an ‘opera-themed’ walking tour of Rome, ending with a backstage visit of the Rome Opera. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure.
Evening performance TBA
Pre-concert dinner followed by a performance of the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (conductor and programme to be announced) at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome’s main concert venue.
(BD)
Tue 30 Oct / Rome
Following breakfast, join Michael for a pre-performance talk in advance of this evening’s performance of Ponchielli’s La Gioconda. The remainder of the day is free to enjoy Rome in any way you wish. After a pre-theatre dinner, transfer This evening walk to the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma for tonight’s opera performance. (BD)
La Gioconda by Amilcare Ponchielli
An opera in four acts by Amilcare Ponchielli La Gioconda (‘The Ballad Singer’) is set to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Angelo, tyran de Padoue, a play in prose by Victor Hugo, dating from 1835. First performed in 1876, La Gioconda was a major success for Ponchielli, as well as the most successful new Italian opera between Verdi's Aida (1871) and Otello (1887). It is also a famous example of the Italian genre of Grande opera, the equivalent of French Grand-Opéra.
Conducted by Roberto Abbado, this production by Pier Luigi Pizzi stars a fine international cast including Jennifer Wilson / Elisabete Matos (La Gioconda), Olga Borodina / Ekaterina Semenchuk (Laura Adorno), Kwangchul Youn (Alvise Badoero), Elisabetta Fiorillo (La Cieca), Aquiles Machado / Walter Fraccaro (Enzo Grimaldo) and Claudio Sgura (Barnaba).
Wed 31 Oct / Rome – Turin
Check out of your hotel and transfer to Rome airport for a short domestic flight to Turin, the first capital city of the newly created Kingdom of Italy. Apart from a buoyant publishing and manufacturing industry, music also thrives in Turin, thanks to the presence of the RAI National Symphony Orchestra and the prestigious Teatro Regio. Dinner at/near hotel (BD)
Thu 1 Nov / Turin
After a pre-performance talk, enjoy a guided morning tour of Turin’s main highlights, which are located mostly in the old historic centre. Unlike Rome, with its chaotic jumble of architectural treasures, Turin’s centre has a harmonious baroque feel. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. (BD)
Evening performance TBA
Opera and Music in Turin
The history of opera in Turin dates back to the 17th century, however it was not until 1740 that the Teatro Regio ('Royal Theatre') was opened. This historic theatre was destroyed by fire in 1936. The current theatre, with its striking contemporary interior design hidden behind the original facade, was inaugurated on 10 April 1973 with a production of Verdi's I Vespri Siciliani directed by Maria Callas and Giuseppe Di Stefano.
The forthcoming season of the Teatro Regio, which will run from October 2012 until June 2013, will be announced in May 2012. Traditionally the Teatro Regio presents at least ten opera and ballet productions per year.
In addition to the Teatro Regio, Turin is the home of the Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra and boasts the excellent Renzo Piano-designed Giovanni Agnelli Auditorium (1994), venue for visiting orchestras, ensembles and soloists.
Fri 2 Nov / Turin
After breakfast depart on a full-day tour to Reggia di Venaria, included in the UNESCO Heritage List in 1997, and one of the largest royal residences in the world, comparable in size and structures to those of Versailles and Caserta. In the morning, visit the Palace and gardens, and after lunch visit the old town. Return to Turin in the late afternoon. This evening is at leisure to take a leisurely passeggiata along the Via Roma for window shopping or to drop in to one of the glorious gilded cafés for which Turin is famous. (BL)
Sat 3 Nov / Turin – Milan
After breakfast check out of your hotel and transfer by coach to Milan, Italy’s commercial, banking and industrial powerhouse, and centre of fashion and design. In the afternoon join an orientation walking tour of the city that will include famous Milan icons like the Piazza Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle. (BD)
Sun 4 Nov / Milan
Join Michael for a pre-performance talk about this afternoon’s performance. The remainder of the morning is at leisure to take in Milan’s sophisticated atmosphere. After lunch, depart the hotel for La Scala for Wagner’s Siegfried starting at 3pm. (BL)
Mon 5 Nov / Milan
This morning visit the poignant Casa di Riposo per Musicisti. More commonly known as Casa Verdi, this is a resting home for retired opera singers and musicians, founded by Verdi in 1896. Both Verdi and his wife are buried there. After lunch, visit the excellent Poldi-Pozzoli Museum, one of the most significant house museums in Europe and home of nobleman Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli’s (1822-1879) collection of Renaissance Italian paintings, porcelain, glasses, textiles, clocks, jewellery and metalworks. Return to the hotel in the mid-afternoon; the remainder of the afternoon and evening is at leisure. (BL)
Tue 6 Nov / Milan
After an early breakfast and pre-performance talk, join a guided morning tour of the Ansaldo Workshops of the Teatro Alla Scala, where almost 60,000 costumes, belonging to over 280 productions from 1911 up to today, are kept in 1,400 wardrobes. In the early afternoon, visit the Santa Maria delle Grazie church to view the mural of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, which is in the refectory of the convent. Return to the hotel in the mid afternoon; following a pre-theatre dinner, transfer to La Scala for tonight’s performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto. (BD)
Wed 7 Nov / Milan
Today is a free day to enjoy Milan at its best. Revisit some sights, browse in a favourite museum or art gallery, or take in the shops. In the early evening, there will be a farewell dinner following a concert at La Scala of the Filarmonica della Scala conducted by Daniel Harding, and with Daniel Barenboim on the piano. (B)
PROGRAMME:
Beethoven – Piano concerto No 3 in C min. op 37
Elliott Carter - Dialogues II (World Premiere)
Tchaikovsky – Piano concerto No. 1 in B flat. min. op 23
Thu 8 Nov / Depart Milan
Tour’s arrangements conclude after breakfast. If returning to Australia today, depart for Dubai on Emirates flights this afternoon or evening via Dubai.
Fri 9 Nov / In flight
Evening arrival in Australia (some flights arrive the following day).
Wagner, Verdi, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky at La Scala, Milan
On the eve of next year’s bicentenary of their births in 1813, it is only appropriate that your two operas at La Scala will be by the undisputed masters of 19th century opera – Wagner and Verdi.
The third instalment of La Scala’s new production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, with staging by Guy Cassiers and musical direction by Daniel Barenboim, Siegfried stars a superb cast including Lance Ryan (Siegfried), Peter Bronder (Mime), Juha Uusitalo (The Wanderer), Johannes Martin Kränzle (Alberich), Dean Peterson (Fafner), Anna Larsen (Era), Nina Stemme (Brünnhilde) and Rinnat Moriah (The Woodbird).
Another new production, with staging by Gilbert Deflo, Rigoletto will be conducted by star conductor Gustavo Dudamel, with Vittorio Grigolo as the Duke of Mantua, George Gagnidze as Rigoletto and Elena Mosuc as Gilda.
The tour will finish with a concert of the Philharmonic Orchestra of La Scala conducted by Daniel Harding, with Daniel Barenboim performing both Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
