TRAVEL WITH FRIENDS IN 2013

Two Bites of the Big Apple

ART AND THEATRE IN NEW YORK

with Jonathan Biggins and Brian Ladd 5–15 January 2013 (11 days) Final theatre program announced! Tour Two Bites of the Big Apple leaders

New York is the most dynamic and exciting metropolis in the world, bursting with energy and exuberance. It is also one of the greatest art and theatre destinations. Over ten days visit the dazzling collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, including the Cloisters; the Museum of Modern Art, the Frick Collection, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Whitney Museum of American Art. For the latest in contemporary art, spend time in the commercial gallery district in Chelsea and SoHo. And take your seats for five nights of memorable music and theatre, including Jonathan Biggins is an actor, a revival of a Broadway classic, the latest Tony or Pulitzer prize-winning drama, writer and director, perhaps a spectacular night at the Metropolitan Opera, “the” musical production of the best known as one of the creators of The Wharf Revue. moment as well as the best of contemporary American theatre off-Broadway. He has acted for all the state theatres and opera companies and he won a Helpmann Award for his direction of the musical Avenue Q. A regular contributor to the Good At a glance Weekend magazine and former host of ABC TV’s arts program Critical Mass, Jonathan’s first • The Great God Pan – an off-Broadway play by the emerging playwright play, Australia Day, will debut for Amy Herzog the MTC and STC in 2012. • Star-studded revival of The Heiress • The charming and moving musical Once, winner of 8 Tony Awards • See the new Broadway hit musical Book of Mormon • Maria Stuarda - the new Metropolitan Opera production at Lincoln Center

Brian Ladd is a specialist in European and Australian sculpture and brings a broad knowledge and enthusiasm to the study of visual art. From 1996–2010 Brian was Head of the Public Programs Department at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Brian lectures for the Art Gallery Society and, since 1995, has led tours to Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Central Europe and the United States of America. Metropolitan Museum Itinerary

Sat 5 January 2013 Australia – New York Mon 7 Jan New York Suggested departure from Australia on Qantas flights. Arrive New Start your exploration of the museums of New York with a private York late afternoon on the same day. Check in to your hotel located tour of the Museum of Modern Art. Enjoy the experience of in the Midtown area near the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Central touring the museum without the crowds, one hour before the Park, MoMa, Times Square and Fifth Avenue’s famous shops. doors open to the public.

Sun 6 Jan New York In 2004 MOMA re-opened to acclaim after a major expansion and refurbishing program at its mid- site. The new MOMA Welcome to the Big Apple! After a welcome briefing and breakfast was designed by the Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi and depart the hotel for a full-day orientation tour which will introduce houses celebrated works of art of the past 150 years. There are you to Downtown and Midtown Manhattan. Begin in the Financial outstanding examples by Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Matisse and District surrounding Wall Street and continue to Battery Point, Pablo Picasso, including his seminal cubist painting Les Demoiselles making a stop at “Ground Zero”, the site of the former World d’Avignon (1907), as well as major photography and film collections. Trade Centre. Time at leisure to remain at the museum. After lunch, drive through , home to contemporary art In the late afternoon join Jonathan and Brian for a pre-performance galleries, chic cafés, designer boutiques and the downtown hip to talk about tomorrow’s performance and introduction to the the Midtown district. See Times Square, the Rockefeller Centre, the Metropolitan Museum followed by dinner. B D Broadway Theatre District, St Patrick’s Cathedral, the Empire State Building and Madison Square Garden. Tue 8 Jan New York Tonight start your exploration of the New York theatre scene Today explore the dazzling art collections of the vast and with an off-Broadway play staged by Playwrights Horizons, a encyclopedic Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Metropolitan writer’s theatre dedicated to the support and development of has extraordinary holdings of Egyptian and Greco-Roman contemporary American playwrights, composers and lyricists, antiquities, impressive Asian collections and European masterpieces and to the production of their new work. See the closing night representing the foremost artistic traditions from 1500 to 1900s performance of The Great God Pan at the Mainstage theatre. B L (Titian, El Greco, Rembrandt, Vermeer and Ingres) and including important works by innovators of the modern era (Manet, Rodin, Renoir, Cezanne and Gauguin). The Great God Pan Begin with an orientation tour of the museum, after which the rest of the afternoon is free to explore the museum and its special Jamie’s life in Brooklyn seems just fine: a beautiful girlfriend, exhibitions on your own. a budding journalism career, and parents who live just far enough away. But when a possible childhood trauma comes Tonight see the Broadway hit musical Book of Mormon, winner of nine ® to light, lives are thrown into a tailspin. Unsettling and deeply Tony Awards including best musical from Trey Parker and Matt compassionate, The Great God Pan tells the intimate tale of Stone, the creators of South Park. The Book of Mormon follows a pair what is lost and won when a hidden truth is unloosed into the of mismatched Mormon boys sent on a mission to a place that’s about world. Written by Amy Herzog, directed by Carolyn Cantor. as far from Salt Lake City as you can get. B

Guggenheim Museum Thu 10 Jan New York The Book of Mormon This morning join Jonathan and Brian for talks about the ‘upcoming’ performances and museum visits. The Book of Mormon is a religious satire musical with a book, Late morning visit to the Frick Collection housed in a luxurious lyrics, and music by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Fifth Avenue mansion built in 1913 by Henry Clay Frick, one of Stone. Best known for creating the animated comedy South America’s most successful steel and railroad industrialists. The old Park, Parker and Stone co-created the music with Lopez, master paintings are exceptional! The collection, including superb who co-wrote and co-composed Avenue Q. The show decorative arts, evokes the splendour and tranquility of a bygone lampoons organized religion and traditional musical theatre, era and at the same time testifies to how some great American reflecting the creators’ lifelong fascination with Mormonism art collections came into being. Highlights include works by Bellini, and musicals. Bronzino, Holbein, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Boucher and Fragonard. The Book of Mormon tells the story of two young Mormon After lunch at a local restaurant, walk to The Whitney Museum of missionaries sent to a remote village in northern Uganda, American Art. Founded in 1931 by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, where a brutal warlord is threatening the local population. the museum houses a superb collection of twentieth century work Naive and optimistic, the two missionaries try to share the by leading exponents, including Edward Hopper, Jackson Pollock, Book of Mormon, one of their scriptures—which only one Andy Warhol, David Smith, Frank Stella and Roy Lichtenstein. of them knows very well—but have trouble connecting with the locals, who are more worried about war, famine, Tonight return to Broadway to see The Heiress at the Walter Kerr poverty, and AIDS than about religion. Theatre. B L After nearly seven years of development, the show opened on Broadway in March 2011. The Book of Mormon has garnered positive critical response and numerous theatre awards including nine Tony Awards ®, one of which The Heiress was for Best Musical and Grammy Award for Best Musical The Heiress is the story of Catherine Sloper, the shy and Theatre Album. sheltered daughter of a prominent New Yorker. Caught between the demands of an emotionally distant father and the attentions of a passionate young suitor, Catherine must Wed 9 Jan New York navigate the terrain of love and regret, desire and duty, a Continue your exploration of Greater with a chance for happiness and the burden of fortune… as only tour to Brooklyn, New York City’s most populated borough an heiress can. with 2.5 million residents. Brooklyn was an independent city until its consolidation with New York City in 1898, but continues to Jessica Chastain (Academy Award nominee for The Help) maintain a distinct culture, independent art scene, and unique makes her Broadway debut alongside David Strathairn architectural heritage. Visit the Brooklyn Museum, the second- (Academy Award nominee for Good Night, and Good Luck), largest art museum in New York City, and one of the largest in the Dan Stevens (Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey) in the USA. It is one of the premier art institutions in the world, with its Tony Award-winning play, The Heiress. Written by Ruth and permanent collection including more than one-and-a-half million Augustus Goetz and directed by Tony Award-nominated objects, from ancient Egyptian masterpieces to contemporary art. playwright and director Moisés Kaufman. Evening at leisure. B

MoMA Sculpture Garden Chrysler Building Fri 11 Jan New York Weather permitting, take a walk on the , a 1.6 km linear This morning join Jonathan and Brian for introductory talks, park built on a section of the former elevated New York Central followed by a morning tour of the and Railroad spur called the , which runs along the lower Harlem. The area has been associated for a long period with the west side of Manhattan; it has been redesigned and planted as an American black community, crime and poverty but Harlem is now aerial greenway. The High Line Park currently runs from Gansevoort th experiencing an economic and social gentrification. Street, up to 30 Street, through the neighborhood of Chelsea. Continue to the Cloisters, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum After lunch explore colourful Chelsea, the heart of New York’s devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe, located in avant-garde art world. During the 1990s Chelsea evolved into one northern Manhattan’s . This building incorporates of Manhattan’s most trendy neighbourhoods. Former warehouses elements from five medieval French cloisters. have been converted into gallery space, and Chelsea has become a thriving quarter for new art. Visit some galleries such as Gagosion, Discover the Cloisters collection, which comprises approximately five Matthew Marks and Agora Galleries. thousand works of art from medieval Europe, dating from about the ninth to the fifteenth century. Return to the hotel mid-afternoon. Tonight attend the Metropolitan Opera’s premiere production of Maria Stuarda with mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato sings the role Tonight see the 2012 Tony Award winning musical Once at the of the doomed Mary, Queen of Scots, Elza van den Heever sings Bernard B. Jacobs theatre. B Elizabeth I and Maurizio Benini conducts. B L

Once Maria Stuarda Based on the Academy Award-winning film, it tells the story David McVicar, who staged last season’s Met premiere of of an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant drawn together Anna Bolena, directs the company premiere of the second by their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful opera in Donizetti’s famous trilogy of operas about Tudor- week, their unexpected friendship and collaboration evolves era queens. into a powerful but complicated romance, heightened by the raw emotion of the songs they create together. “Donizetti’s three Tudor operas are very different in tone, mood, and musical content,” McVicar says. Brought to the stage by an award-winning team of “With Maria Stuarda being a different kind of opera than last visionary artists and featuring an ensemble cast of gifted season’s Anna Bolena, which we presented with a great deal actor/musicians, Once is a musical celebration of life and of historical accuracy, we’ve gone for a visual style which is love: thrilling in its originality, daring in its honesty... and freer. Rather than reflecting history, it reflects the romantic unforgettable in every way. nature of this retelling of the story and the sweeping romantic nature of Donizetti’s music.” Joyce DiDonato sings the title role of the defiant Mary, Sat 12 Jan New York Queen of Scots. South African soprano Elza van den Heever Today explore the art scene of SoHo and Chelsea. Start with a visit makes her Met debut as Mary’s formidable rival, Queen to the DIA Art Foundation which exhibits two works by Walter De Elizabeth I. Maurizio Benini conducts a cast that also includes Maria: The New York Earth Room and The Broken Kilometer. Francesco Meli as the Earl of Leicester, Joshua Hopkins as Cecil, and Matthew Rose as Talbot.

Central Park in Winter Lincoln Center Credit David Lamb Sun 13 Jan New York Morning at leisure. This afternoon, take a backstage tour of the Metropolitan Opera House and increase your understanding of how the company works. Backstage tours visit production areas not Tour Prices usually seen by the general public. Evening at leisure. B Per person, twin-share AUD 7,750 Mon 14 Jan New York Single supplement AUD 1,550 Morning at leisure. Afternoon visit to the magnificent Frank Lloyd Deposit (per person) AUD 500 Wright-designed Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum located on Fifth Avenue. The Guggenheim is home to one of the world’s most Final payment due 6 November 2012 integrated collections of modern and contemporary art in one of the * Single travellers may request to share. Please advise at time th greatest modern architectural icons of the 20 century. Return to the of booking. hotel under own arrangements. Tonight join Jonathan and Brian for a farewell dinner at the Russian Tour code AG1301 Tea Room. B D Qantas Tue 15 Jan Depart New York Suggested airline Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast. Suggested departure Competitive airfares are available on Qantas as well as on Qantas flights in the early evening. B V Australia, United and Delta Airlines. Please contact Renaissance Tours for current fares and bookings. Wed 16 Jan In-flight Thu 18 Jan Arrive Australia Visas Morning arrival in Australia. Australian and New Zealand passport holders do not require a visa for the USA. You do however have to register on the website of the Department of Homeland security: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov prior to departure from Australia. Tour prices include • Ten (10) nights accommodation in centrally located four star superior hotel with daily breakfast B • Meals as per itinerary ( L =Lunch, D =Dinner) including a welcome reception. • Wine with dinners. • Premium and A-reserve tickets to 5 performances – opera, musical and drama. • Pre-performance talks and museum introductions with Jonathan Biggins and Brian Ladd. • Transfers and sightseeing, including entrance fees as per itinerary, in comfortable air-conditioned coaches. • Gratuities for local guides and drivers. • Hotel porterage (1 piece per person). Tour price does not include

Le Parker Meridien, entrance • International airfares. • Transfer on arrival and departure in New York. • Items of a personal nature, including telephone, laundry, room service etc. • Travel insurance. • Airport porterage Your hotel New York – Le Parker Meridien  Tower Park View Room Hotel of a similar standard may be substituted.

Le Parker Meridien, Tower Park View Room Terms & Conditions

How to Book booked by Renaissance Tours, such as air Fitness and Participation Complete, sign and return the Booking tickets, hotels and travel insurance premium. For the overall benefit of the group, all tour Form available from Renaissance Tours with If the reason for cancellation is covered by members must possess a moderate level of your deposit. the insurance policy, you may be able to mobility, including the ability to: reclaim these charges. Deposit/Final Payments • negotiate airports and railway stations Your deposit is due at the time of booking b) Cancellation by Us – We reserve the without wheelchair assistance and is used to pay hotel, airline, performance right to cancel a tour for any reason • use combined shower/bath facilities tickets and/or other deposits. It is non- (such as failure to reach minimum tour (it is impossible to guarantee walk-in refundable in the event of your cancellation. participant numbers). Except for force shower facilities) majeure, we will not cancel a tour less than • undertake walking tour of 2–3 hours Final payment is due 60 days before 60 days before departure. No further duration, including using stairs, walking over departure. Failure to make the final payment compensation will be paid in the event of cobblestones and other uneven surfaces by the due date may result in cancellation of cancellation by Renaissance Tours. A full • stand for long periods in museums and your booking and loss of deposit. refund of monies paid for tour costs will be other sites Payments are accepted in cash and by the full extent of our liability. • embark/disembark coaches, trains and other methods of transportation cheque, bank transfer, American Express, Cancellation and/or amendment fees may without assistance Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa. A 3% apply for additional travel arrangements • handle your own luggage service charge applies for payment by booked by Renaissance Tours. American Express and Diners Club. If you (or we) have any doubts about your Passports, Visas and Vaccinations Cancellation & Refunds ability to participate in your chosen tour, All travellers must be in a possession of a you may be required to have a doctor’s a) Cancellation by You – Cancellation valid passport – most countries require a charges will be applied as shown below, appraisal. This would require a doctor to 6-month validity from your date of entry read the itinerary of your chosen tour and calculated from the day written notification or exit. For some countries (e.g. China, is received by Renaissance Tours. In addition provide you with a written confirmation of Vietnam, India, Russia), visas are included your ability to participate. to cancellation fees for tours operated by in the tour cost and will be arranged by Renaissance Tours as shown below, airlines, Renaissance Tours prior to travel. For other Terms & Conditions hotels and other third parties may impose countries, it is your responsibility to ensure You can find the full terms & up to 100% cancellation charges. you have the appropriate visa(s). conditions on the Renaissance Tours booking form. They can also be found at 60 days or more Forfeit of deposit You are also responsible for obtaining all www.renaissancetours.com.au or 59–45 days 25% of tour cost necessary inoculations and preventative we would be happy to post you a 44–31 days 50% of tour cost medicines as may be required for the copy on request. 30–15 days 75% of tour cost duration of the tour. Less than 15 days 100% of tour cost Travel Insurance The above cancellation charges include It is a condition of travel that you are applicable GST. covered by comprehensive travel insurance In addition to the above, cancellation charges for international tours. Your travel insurance may apply for additional arrangements can be arranged by Renaissance Tours.

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Front cover: Times Square at night Back cover: Book of Mormon

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