MARTIN RANDALL TRAVEL

ART • ARCHITECTURE • GASTRONOMY • ARCHAEOLOGY • HISTORY • MUSIC • LITERATURE

Wagner in 2022 All thirteen in the composer’s birthplace

19–27 June 2022 (mi 402) 9 days • from £3,390 Lecturer: Barry Millington

29 June–4 July 2022 (mi 403) 6 days • from £2,360 Lecturer: Barry Millington

6–11 July 2022 (mi 404) 6 days • from £2,860 Lecturer: Barry Millington

All of Wagner’s thirteen operas including the monumental Ring of the Nibelung cycle performed in the composer’s birthplace. We have packaged the festival into three tours which can be booked individually or in combination. Talks on the operas by Barry Millington, chief music critic for London’s Evening Standard and editor of The Wagner Journal. Guided walks with local guides to explore the architecture and museums of this historic Leipzig, Market Square & Old Town Hall, wood engraving c. 1890. and lively city as well as excursions to the surrounding area. it tells of political ambition and the abuse of In Renaud Doucet’s Die Feen a comfortable power, but also of humanity’s countervailing Biedermeier domestic scene is transformed capacity for love in all its sensual and into a literally enchanting fairyland; Aron compassionate manifestations, is unfolded Stiehl’s celebrates the joys of In the summer of 2022, the eyes of the within a timeless, mythical framework and free love in Wagner’s inventive and engaging musical world will be on the Oper Leipzig: in abounds in soaring lyricism and luxuriant Shakespearian comedy; while Nicolas Joel’s ’s birthplace, all thirteen of harmonies. Little wonder that many believe the explores Wagner’s timely portrayal of the composer’s operas will be performed in Ring cycle to be one of the pinnacles of Western the rise and fall of a charismatic political leader. the order in which they were written (though civilisation. The production is by the English- There is always a special frisson in with the four parts of the Ring cycle given in a born, German-trained choreographer and experiencing Wagner in the city of his birth. continuous sequence). director Rosamund Gilmore, whose staging Many great composers have had associations The programme will be performed by the was described by magazine as ‘strong on with the Saxon city, but Leipzig has made a proven and Wagner-experienced ensemble of story-telling’ and full of memorable imagery, special effort to reclaim Wagner. And although the Leipzig Opera as well as guests associated with Carl Friedrich Oberle’s sets evoking Wagner pilgrims will find no birth-house (it with the institution, who are known worldwide grand, decaying interiors. was knocked down just three years after his for their Wagner interpretations. Already In addition to the Ring a corpus of death), Leipzig is the city of many projects confirmed are Evelyn Herlitzius (Kundry), productions of Wagner operas has been built connected with the composer, including the Jennifer Holloway, Lise Lindstrom, Daniela up in Leipzig over recent years. Those of other founding of the first Wagner Society (1909), Sindram, Manuela Uhl, Markus Eiche, René masterpieces include Enrico Lübbe’s Tristan now a worldwide phenomenon. Leipzig was Pape, Iain Paterson, Andreas Schager (Tristan), und Isolde, whose central focus is the resonant also the first place – after Bayreuth – to see a Stefan Vinke, Klaus Florian Vogt and Michael image of a shipwreck, with the lovers returning complete Ring, in 1878, just two years after Volle (Wotan in Das Rheingold). The Leipzig after theLiebestod to a pristine ship, never the cycle had been premiered at Wagner’s own Gewandhaus Orchestra, renowned for the previously seen, as well as stagings of Der Festspielhaus. refulgence of its sound, will be conducted by fliegende Holländer, Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, The musical history of Leipzig encompasses the Opera’s music director . Die Meistersinger and Parsifal by such leading not only Wagner but also J.S. Bach, Telemann, The final week of the festival is devoted directors as David Pountney, Calixto Bieito, Robert and Clara Schumann, Mendelssohn, to The Ring of the Nibelung, the crowning Roland Aeschlimann and Michiel Dijkema, Richard Strauss and Mahler. Morning walks achievement of Wagner’s oeuvre, occupying But Leipzig is also one of the few houses to and visits investigate this heritage, and also a unique place in musical history. The story do justice to Wagner’s three earliest operas. take in the art and architecture of the city. book online at www.martinrandall.com Telephone 020 8742 3355 MARTIN RANDALL TRAVEL

Wagner in Leipzig 2022 continued

Leipzig is now, again, a handsome and 6–11 July (6 days, 4 operas) Included: air travel (Euro Traveller) on British lively city, following an almost miraculous Airways flights (Airbus A320); private coach or transformation during the 1990s and beyond. 6 July. Morning flight from London Heathrow car for transfers; accommodation as described Cleaning, restoration and rebuilding went hand airport to Berlin (British Airways). Drive to below; opera tickets; breakfasts, 1 lunch 2 in hand with the emergence of cafés, smart Leipzig. Dinner in the hotel. dinners and interval finger food and drinks shops and good restaurants. There are excellent at 3 performances (19–27 June) 1 lunch and 1 7 July: Das Rheingold museums, including the Fine Arts Museum dinner and interval finger food and drinks at in spectacular new premises, the radically 8 July: Die Walküre 3 performances (29 June–4 July & 6–11 July); refurbished Museum of Musical Instruments admission to museums, etc.; all tips for waiters, 9 July: Siegfried and the Bach Museum. drivers and local guides; all taxes; the services 10 July: Götterdämmerung of the lecturer and a tour manager. 11 July. Afternoon flight from Berlin to London Music: tickets for 19–27 June and 6–11 July 19–27 June (9 days, 5 operas) Heathrow airport, arriving c. 3.30pm (or are in the second category, 29–4 July are in the 19 June. Morning flight from London remain in Leipzig). third category. Parisfal tickets are first category. Heathrow airport to Berlin (British Airways). Accommodation: Drive to Leipzig. Dinner in the hotel. Parsifal: 14 July (ticket and Hotel Fürstenhof (hotelfuerstenhof-leipzig. 20 June: Die Feen accommodation only) com): the finest hotel in the city, yet not large 21 June: Das Liebesverbot and with the feel of a discreet private club. A Option to extend your stay and attend the converted 19th-century building, it is furnished 22 June: no performance production of Parsifal on 14th July 2022. throughout with antique furniture. Situated just outside the line of the medieval walls, the 23 June: Rienzi Contact us if you are interested– we are offering hotel is a 15-minute walk from the opera house. this on an accommodation- and ticket-only Lectures are held in this hotel. 24 June: no performance basis (there is no lecture on the performance). 25 June: Der Fliegende Holländer or 26 June: Tannhäuser Lecturer Park Hotel (parkhotelleipzig.de). Five minutes on foot from the opera house, this is a modern 27 June. Afternoon flight from Berlin to Barry Millington. Writer, lecturer and and comfortable hotel. The quirky design London Heathrow airport, arriving c. 3.30pm broadcaster specialising in Wagner. He is uses plenty of wood and is vaguely nautical. (or remain in Leipzig). founder/editor of The Wagner Journal and Bedrooms are a good size. There is a glass author of eight books on Wagner including The panel in the wall separating bathrooms and 29 June–4 July (6 days, 3 Wagner Compendium and Richard Wagner: bedrooms. Good restaurant. Morning lectures The Sorcerer of Bayreuth. He is Chief Critic for all participants take place in the Hotel operas) for the Evening Standard. He has also acted Fürstenhof. as dramaturgical adviser at opera houses 29 June. Morning flight from London internationally. Single rooms are doubles for sole use. Heathrow airport to Berlin (British Airways). How strenuous? Vehicular access is restricted Drive to Leipzig. Dinner in the hotel. Practicalities in the city centre and participants are expected 30 June: Lohengrin to walk to the opera house. Average distance by Price. Please see the chart opposite. Flights coach per day: 45 miles (although only on the 1 July: Tristan and Isolde are only charged once if two or more packages first and last days of the tour between Leipzig are combined. There is a further reduction 2 July: no performance and Berlin Tegel airport). of £50 per person for combining more than 3 July: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg one package and £100 per person for all three. Group size: between 10 and 22 participants. Additional nights between packages can be 4 July. Afternoon flight from Berlin to London booked for a supplement. Heathrow airport. (or remain in Leipzig). Deduct £180 from the prices opposite for taking no flights.

book online at www.martinrandall.com [email protected] Prices – per person Hotel Fürstenhof Park Hotel

Two sharing Single occupancy Two sharing Single occupancy

19–27 June 2022 £3,980 £4,650 £3,390 £3,730

29 June–4 July 2022 £2,710 £3,130 £2,360 £2,570

6–11 July 2022 £3,190 £3,610 £2,860 £3,070

Two additional nights: 27, 28 June 2022 £220 £380 £125 £210

Two additional nights: 4, 5 July 2022 £220 £380 £125 £210

book online at www.martinrandall.com Telephone 020 8742 3355