edinburgh international festival friends and patrons tour to dresden

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
FRIENDS AND PATRONS TOUR TO DRESDEN
a five night escorted holiday | 7 June 2014
Celebrate the 150th birthday of Richard Strauss
in a Gala Evening of his music.
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Dresden is one of Europe’s most important centres of musical excellence with a long and
distinguished history. The city’s opera house, the Semper Oper and its Dresden Staatskapelle
orchestra are among the most important in the world. Our visit coincides with the city’s
38th Music Festival and the 150th birthday of Richard Strauss. Although Strauss was
born in Munich on 11 June 1864, it is Dresden that is most closely associated with the
composer – the premieres of nine out of his fourteen operas took place in Dresden.
Our tour will include the biggest and grandest birthday party of them all on 11 June
with a mouth-watering line up of star sopranos who will perform excerpts from six
operas with the Dresden Staatskapelle under Christian Thielemann. Over the past few
years, Dresden has probably undergone the most impressive rehabilitation of any German
city since the fall of the Berlin Wall and now today is restored to its former glory. We will
visit all the major sights in the city, as well as Meissen and Graupa.
Saturday 7 June
Wednesday 11 June
We fly from Edinburgh to Berlin and transfer
by coach to Dresden where we stay at the
Radisson Blu Gewandhaus Hotel located
close to the historic centre and within walking
distance of the Semper Opera house.
We drive to Meissen this morning.
The distinguished history of Meissen porcelain
began in the Albrechtsburg Castle just over
three hundred years ago in 1710. There will
be a tour of the factory followed by a walking
tour of the historic city including a visit
to the cathedral. We will also go to Graupa
to see the house where Wagner composed
Lohengrin during his visit in 1846 and visit
the Carl Maria von Weber museum at the
summerhouse where he composed his three
best-known operas.
DATE
PRICE SINGLE SUPP
7 June 2014 £1,975
£195
The deposit for this tour is £350 pp
INSURANCE - Everyone who books to
travel on this holiday must be fully insured.
As tour operators are now not permitted to
sell travel insurance it is essential that you
make your own insurance arrangements
for the duration of your holiday. The tour
will be limited to 25 participants with a
minimum take-up of 15.
20.00 Semperoper
Richard Strauss 150th Gala Birthday
concert
Dresden Staatskapelle, conductor Chritian
Thielemann
Three great divas, Nina Stemme, Anja Harteros
and Camilla Nylund and orchestra perform
extracts from Salome, Arabella, Daphne, Die
agyptische Helena, Intermezzo and Die
Schweigsame Frau.
FLIGHT DETAILS
Flights from Edinburgh to Berlin
with Easyjet:
Depart Edinburgh 12.40, arrive Berlin 15.45
Depart Berlin 17.55, arrive Edinburgh 19.05
(The journey time by coach between Berlin
and Dresden is approximately two hours)
Sunday 8 June
This morning we will have a guided walking
tour through the historic centre of Dresden
including visits to the magnificently restored
Frauenkirche and the Zwinger Palace where
we will see one of the world’s greatest
collection of Old Masters.
20.00 Semper Oper
Dresden Festival Orchestra
Balthasar Neumann Choir
Beethoven: Missa Solemnis Op.123
Monday 9 June
We will begin with a morning concert.
11.00 Semper Oper
Gewandhaus Orchestra
Conductor Riccardo Chailly
Mozart: Overture to Idomeneo KV366
Brahms: Serenade No.2 in A major Op.16
Richard Strauss: Tod und Verklarung Op 24 –
Till Eugenspiegel Op.28
Thursday 12 June
This morning is free. We drive to Berlin
airport for the flight back to Edinburgh.
The afternoon is free for independent
sightseeing.You might want to cross the River
Elbe today and discover Dresden Neustadt,
a residential area with imposing baroque
architecture.
TOUR INFORMATION
WHAT WE INCLUDE
•Return flights from Edinburgh to Berlin
•Five night’s accommodation with breakfast
at the Radisson Blu Gewandhaus Hotel
•Three dinners - one at the hotel and two
carefully selected local restaurants
•One lunch
•Tickets for performances as described
•All entrance fees, sightseeing as described
and gratuities
•Services of a member of Edinburgh
International Festival staff and a local guide
on the excursions
20.00 Frauenkirche
Orchestra Mozart
Arnold Schoenberg Choir
Conductor TBA
Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
(excerpts) – Symphony No.2 Choral
Symphony Hymn of Praise
Tuesday 10 June
This morning we walk to the Residenzschloss,
once the seat of the Saxon Kings and Electors.
The palace is in the middle of a lengthy
restoration project but visitors can still enjoy
the famous Historic Green Vault and the
Turkish Chamber.
Optional opera performance:
21.00 Residenzschloss
Richard Strauss: Feuersnot – One Act oper
Price: £67 for a second category ticket in the stalls
Residenzschloss Green Vault
To make your reservation,
please telephone Lucy Ayling
on 020 7593 2286
or email lucy.ayling@kirkerholidays.com
www.kirkerholidays.com