TRAVELFOR THE ARTS SPRING, SUMMER & AUTUMN FESTIVALS 2019 OPERA, BALLET CLASSICAL MUSIC HOLIDAYS NEW TOURS FOR 2019 OPERA & ZARZUELA ARTS & CULTURE IN BILBAO IN MINSK page 8 page 10 CHOPIN & BALLET GARSINGTON OPERA IN WARSAW & THE GETTY LIBRARY page 17 page 23 www.travelforthearts.com +44 20 8799 8350 [email protected] welcome welcome to the world of OPERA, DANCE, CLASSICAL MUSIC & ARTS HOLIDAYS With over 30 years experience, Travel for the Arts understands what it takes to put together quality tours that offer unique and unforgettable experiences for opera, ballet and classical music lovers. Once again, we have taken exceptional care in programming a number of specialized group tours that will enable you to visit countries old and new, whilst experiencing a choice of the best that the performing arts world has to offer. In this 2019 Spring, Summer and Autumn brochure you will find a wide range of destinations and musical moments that we hope will tempt you. Holidays are a special time and here at Travel for the Arts we aspire to make yours one to remember! Tel: 020 8799 8350 | Email: [email protected] | www.travelforthearts.com SPRING, SUMMER AND AUTUMN BOOKING DETAILS FESTIVALS 2019 All tours mentioned in this brochure (as well as additional tours) We have taken great care in selecting for you the following are available to view online at www.travelforthearts.com programme of opera, ballet and classical music taking place Many of our holidays are filled very quickly after the brochure throughout the Spring, Summer and Autumn of 2019 in the UK, launch. Sometimes they are fully booked after appearing on our Europe and beyond. website or as advance information in our Newsletter, so we would encourage you to book early if you are interested in one of our group tours. CONTENTS Page Tours with late availability 4 MAKE AN ENQUIRY Tours 5 – 35 You can make an enquiry about one of our tours in three ways: À la Carte information 36 – 37 • Call us on 020 8799 8350 • Email [email protected] CALENDAR OF TOURS • Visit our website www.travelforthearts.com and make a booking enquiry by going into the tour and completing Date Tour the Booking Enquiry Form. 15 – 20 Mar Czech Culture, Castles and Classical Music 6 If space is available on the tour of your choice you will be 1 – 6 May Omaggio a Palladio Festival 7 given a 7-day option. 20 – 24 May Opera and Zarzuela in Bilbao 8 24 – 27 May Opera and Ballet in Riga 9 COMPLETE A BOOKING FORM 26 – 31 May Arts and Culture in Minsk 10 Once you have your option, we require a completed booking form. This can be downloaded from our website 30 May – 2 Jun Blackwater Valley Opera Festival 11 http://www.travelforthearts.com/how-to-book/ 3 – 7 Jun Cultural Feasts in Tallinn 12 When you return your booking form we require your 7 – 11 Jun The Salzburg Whitsun Festival 13 deposit or full payment (see Late bookings). You must 10 – 17 Jun Mountains, Museums and Music in Georgia 14 – 15 read and agree to the Terms and Conditions. 14 – 17 Jun The Opéra Royal at Versailles 16 27 Jun – 1 Jul Chopin and Ballet in Warsaw 17 LATE BOOKINGS If you book within 8 weeks of departure, you will need to provide 28 Jun – 1 Jul Swiss Alps Classics Festival 18 a credit/debit card number or send us a cheque for the full amount 6 – 13 Jul Opera in Historical Sofia and Plovdiv 19 of the holiday. 13 – 16 Jul 40th Anniversary at Buxton Festival Opera 20 13 – 17 Jul Festivities in Aix-en-Provence 21 BOOKING REFERENCE 13 – 17 Jul Verdi in Spain 22 When you make an enquiry you will be given a booking 18 – 22 Jul Garsington Opera and the Getty Library 23 reference. Please quote your booking reference on all subsequent correspondence. 20 – 24 Jul Bregenz Festival – a unique opera stage 24 1 – 5 Aug Macerata Opera Festival 25 MOBILITY 2 – 5 Aug A Celebration of Plácido Domingo in Verona 26 – 27 Please note that most tours involve walking tours of approximately 17 – 21 Aug The Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro 28 3 hours. If you have difficulty with mobility you may be asked to sit 28 Aug – 2 Sep The Salzburg Festival 29 out some of the activities on the itinerary. 10 – 14 Sep Outstanding artists at the Enescu Festival 30 PERFORMANCE TICKETS in Bucharest All performance tickets are subject to confirmation. This is due to 2 – 6 Oct The Verdi Festival in Parma 31 the differences in the way opera houses administer their ticket sales and the limited availability of certain performances. We will inform TOURS IN ASSOCIATION WITH CARPENTER HOLIDAYS you at the point of booking when we expect to receive confirmation 21 – 25 Mar Printemps des Arts in Monte Carlo 32 – 33 of the performance tickets; in most cases this will be 12 weeks prior 29 May – 2 Jun Bergfrühling Festival in Ossiach 34 – 35 to departure, although this can vary depending on the destination. SEATING ARRANGEMENTS For all included performances we obtain best available tickets (as specified by the venue). However many of the older theatres in All information is available on our website www.travelforthearts.com. Europe have non-staggered rows, little rake, cramped legroom and All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays in this brochure are financially sometimes poor sightlines. Please be assured that we do our best to protected by the ATOL scheme under ATOL no.2178. When you pay for a flight request the best available tickets for all performances but that, on inclusive holiday you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other occasion, allowances might need to be made for the age and layout services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information of the venue. or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate OPENING HOURS Our office hours are Monday – Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm. We are closed on UK public holidays. There is an answerphone and we will return any out-of-hours telephone calls on the next working day if you leave your name and telephone number. Travel For The Arts 12-15 Hanger Green London W5 3EL UK Telephone: +44 20 8799 8350 Fax: +44 20 8998 7965 DIDO AND AENEAS BY FESTIVAL D’AIX-EN-PROVENCE © VINCENT PONTET E-mail: [email protected] COVER IMAGE: THE SLEEPING BEAUTY BY ESTONIAN NATIONAL OPERA www.travelforthearts.com 31 welcome EXPERTS IN CULTURAL TRAVEL All our tours are led by travel experts, and many of our tour managers are also professional musicians and music specialists. Below is a selection of the many people who work with us to ensure that you have the best experience possible. Simon Rees is a freelance writer, lecturer Stephen Carpenter has planned and led and translator. For 23 years he was several tours in association with us over dramaturg at Welsh National Opera. the last three years and continues to offer tours to music festivals with his company, Carpenter Holidays. Carol Savage is a professional concert Patrick Mylon will be familiar to many and opera singer, with a degree in History of our guests, having tour managed for of Art from London University. over 10 years. He is a true opera fan, particularly of Wagner, and has attended more than 10 Ring Cycles. Zita Stockwell has been leading our Eva Gordon-Smith is a consultant, lecturer tours for over 25 years and is an expert and Blue Badge Guide. She has been on many destinations, particularly her managing concert tours in a number of native Budapest. She is a keen opera European countries for 25 years. and concert attendee. David Waite is a professional Blue Badge Raffaella Golinucci is a freelance Tourist Guide and also the Founder & professional Tour Manager and has Director of Guiding You Ltd, a tour guiding worked in the music business for many and training company. years. She also often looks after well- known musicians. TRAVEL FOR THE ARTS TEAM Richard Savage Joel Rubenstein Pablo Basombrio Vanessa Kyriacou Mark Saunsbury C.E.O. Head of Tour Sales and Product Manager à la Carte Operations Reservations Reservations Manager Manager NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT We are delighted to be able to offer our single travellers the opportunity to book some of our tours with No Single Supplement. Please look out for this features in the introduction box of the relevant tour. 2 Tel: 020 8799 8350 | Email: [email protected] | www.travelforthearts.com BROCHURE HIGHLIGHTS BLACKWATER VALLEY OPERA FESTIVAL 30 May – 2 June Tour code: ORK1 Price from £1575 pp This is our first tour to Blackwater Valley Opera Festival near Cork and with a focus on Irish singers and music it is bound to charm and delight. A particular highlight is Donizetti’s Don Pasquale which will be staged in the stableyard of Lismore Castle – a magical backdrop for an enchanting evening. page 11 MOUNTAINS, MUSEUMS AND MUSIC IN GEORGIA 10 – 17 June Tour code: TBS1 Price from £1875 pp Home to the imposing Caucasus Mountains, this tour allows you to explore stunning landscapes, taste world- class Georgian wines and attend a performance of Verdi’s Macbeth at the richly-decorated State Theatre. page 14 – 15 A CELEBRATION OF PLÁCIDO DOMINGO IN VERONA 2 – 5 August Tour code: VRN1 Price from £1895 pp A special night is dedicated to Plácido Domingo who celebrates his Golden Anniversary at the Arena di Verona.