Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
You are invited to join us for the
B A R C E L O N A S P R I N G F E S T I V A L 2 0 2 0
also visiting the Guggenheim Museum in B I L B A O plus … Guernica, San Sebastian, Pamplona, Rioja Wineries and
the art galleries of M A D R I D plus … the E S C O R I A L , and ancient S E G O V I A
our Barcelona Festival concerts will be …
Wagner’s “LOHENGRIN” - at the Liceu
Verdi’s “MANZONI REQUIEM” - at the Auditorium
Valery Gergiev – SYMPHONY CONCERT – Mariinsky Orchestra
(the best time of year to visit Spain)
Wed 25th M A R C H to Sat 4th A P R I L 2 0 2 0
$ 5, 4 9 5 US p.p. sharing (single supplement $ 1, 2 9 5 US)
10 nights in four-star hotels, top priced tickets, first class train, domestic air, luxury coach, all breakfasts and one group meal each day are included. International air fare is not included.
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
Four-star and five-star hotels …
3 nights in BILBAO
3 nights in BARCELONA
4 nights in MADRID
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
OUR (draft) ITINERARY AT A GLANCE
Tuesday 24th MARCH, 2020 independent flights overnight to EUROPE
Wednesday 25th MARCH, 2020 arrive in BILBAO @ the GRAND HOTEL DOMINE for 3 nights visit the Guggenheim Museum
Thursday 26th MARCH, 2020 coach trip - visit the BASQUE region including GUERNICA and San SEBASTIAN
Friday 27th MARCH, 2020 coach trip – visit the top-rated WINERIES of the Rioja Region and PAMPLONA
Saturday 28th MARCH, 2020 late morning - fly to BARCELONA @ the AVENIDA PALACE for 3 nights
Wagner’s “LOHENGRIN” at the Liceu
Sunday 29th MARCH, 2020 Gergiev/Mariinsky SYMPHONY CONCERT
Monday 30th MARCH 2020 Verdi’s “REQUIEM”
Tuesday 31st MARCH, 2020 late morning - fast train to MADRID @ the NH NATIONAL HOTEL for 4 nights
Wednesday 1st APRIL, 2020 explore MADRID
Thursday 2nd APRIL, 2020 coach trip - visit the ESCORIAL palace and ancient SEGOVIA
Friday 3rd APRIL, 2020 final day to explore MADRID
Saturday 4th APRIL, 2020 fly home – independent flights
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
Our Hotel in BILBAO overlooks the Guggenheim Museum The * * * * * GRAND HOTEL DOMINE
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
Frank Gehry’s astonishing 1997 creation – the GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM in BILBAO
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
A wall mosaic of Picasso’s iconic “GUERNICA” – in the Guernica town center.
When we get to Madrid, we will see the original (1937) painting - in the REINA SOFIA MUSEUM.
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
The Basque port of SAN SEBASTIAN has a splendid harbour, a sandy beach and a fascinating old town.
And it has some of the best TAPAS restaurants in all of Spain. (San SEBASTIAN also has the largest number of Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe).
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
Frank Gehry’s MARQUES DE RISCAL winery. and Santiago Calatrava’s BODEGA YSIOS (built into the hillside).
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
Don’t worry - we will safely walk down this street in PAMPLONA where the annual “running of the bulls” (the San Fermin Festival) is held each July.
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
Our * * * * hotel in BARCLONA is very close to the central Square.
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
A view from a hill above the bustling sea-port of BARCELONA
Notice how the “old” (medieval) city is beside the harbour and how it is now surrounded by the extensive “new” (grid plan) city
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
Antonio Gaudi’s architecture (from the 1910s and 20s) has come to define BARCELONA
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
We will see Wagner’s “LOHENGRIN” at the fabled LICEU Opera House in Barcelona.
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
Our SYMPHONY CONCERT and the VERDI REQUIEM will be at the stunning new home of the Barcelona Symphony the CATALAN AUDITORIUM.
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
our three outstanding events at the Barcelona Spring Festival …
Wagner’s “LOHENGRIN” (first performed in Leipzig in 1850) was the last of Wagner’s three early pre-Ring operas (following “The Flying Dutchman” and “Tannhauser”).
The LICEU’s new production is by Katharina Wagner … which means it will be “non-traditional” - and stars Klaus Florian Vogt, Evelyn Herlitzius, (Canada’s) Erin Wall, and Günther Groissböck.
The VALERY GERGIEV CONCERT with the MARIINSKY ORCHESTRA will feature works by Scriabin, Strauss and Liszt.
The brilliant piano soloist will be SEONG-JIN CHO.
Giuseppe VERDI’s “MESSA DA REQUIEM” (in honour of Alessandro Manzoni – first performed in Milan in 1874) will be performed at the Catalan Auditorium.
It will be conducted by VALERY GERGIEV and will feature St Petersburg’s MARIINSKY ORCHESTRA.
(Vocal soloists … t.b.a.)
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
We will relax in comfort on the HIGH-SPEED TRAIN from BARCELONA to MADRID. It covers 620 km in just 2 1/2 hours!
For comparison TORONTO – MONTREAL is 540 km.
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
The elegant * * * * NH NATIONAL hotel is very close to the PRADO and to the other major art galleries of MADRID.
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
Madrid – the gigantic PRADO ART GALLERY. One of the three world-class art galleries in the city.
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
We will have three days to explore Madrid – Spain’s impressive royal capital city
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
North of Madrid, we will visit THE ESCORIAL – Philip II’s majestic Monastery and Palace. It was, for centuries, the largest building in Europe.
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
and we will visit SEGOVIA – to see the amazing Roman Aqueduct and the magnificent Alcazar Castle.
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]
Tour of northern Spain – Spring 2020
If any of the above has intrigued you … for further information, please contact Iain –
then, to register, please send your deposit with the booking form (see website) to …
G E O R G E H A R D Y at
Georgia Hardy Tours 20 Eglinton Avenue West # 1 1 0 4 Toronto ON M 4 R 1 K 8
(4 1 6) 4 8 3 7 5 3 3 x 1 2 4
Registration number # 2747543
$ 5, 4 9 5 U S p.p. (sharing) Single supplement $ 1, 2 9 5 U S. 10 nights in four-star hotels, top priced tickets, first class train, domestic air, luxury coach, all breakfasts and one group meal each day are included. international air fare is not included.
Tour will go if at least 12 people have enrolled by Friday 11th October, 2019 Deposits ($2,000 p.p.) will be returned if there is insufficient enrolment.
www.opera-is.com (416) 486 8408 [email protected]