Act1 Austin Opera UK20 ITIN.Indd
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Patrons of Austin Opera Visit Glyndebourne Festival & Garsington Opera Glyndebourne Opera House (courtesy Leigh Simpson) Garsington Opera Pavilion (courtesy Mike Hoban) July 7-13, 2020 Summer in England is celebrated as nowhere else, with a blend ITINERARY of traditional cultural, sporting and social events that take full advantage of those long, languid days. Wimbledon, Ascot races, TUESDAY, JULY 7 cricket and garden parties are some of the more familiar Independent air departures for London’s Heathrow airport diversions, and then there are the country opera festivals that with suggested flight BA 190, departing AUS at 6:30pm, or combine world-class artistic standards with a uniquely English consider arriving a day earlier and an independent transfer way of drawing the most enjoyment possible from our art form. to Hartwell House. The program begins with two nights at the highly regarded WEDNESDAY, JULY 8 Hartwell House in Buckinghamshire. Built in the early 1600s, 9:55am Arrival at LHR and group coach transfer to Hartwell the house is part of the Hartwell Estate owned by the Ernest House, near the town of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. Cook Trust, one of England’s largest educational charities. From there we will visit the Garsington Opera Festival, established in (Airport transfers outside this window can be arranged 1989 by the late Leonard Ingrams and his wife Rosalind at either through the hotel concierge or Act 1 Tours for an Garsington Manor, near Oxford and subsequently relocating in additional charge). 2011 to the Wormsley Estate, home of the Getty family. Light lunch together on arrival and prepare for the coach We continue with a coach transfer to Glyndebourne, the departure at approximately 4:30pm for Garsington Opera, quintessential blending of bucolic English countryside and fine staged in a custom-made pavilion on the Wormsley Estate opera. Dating back to 1850, Horsted Place is a lovely Tudor at Stokenchurch, near High Wycombe. The performance Revival country house, and will be our home for three nights, as of Rusalka starts at 5:40pm and this evening we will it was for many years the residence of Lord and Lady Rupert share a long interval dinner created by Chef Ollie Dabbous, Nevill, counting Queen Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh who comes to Garsington Opera to showcase his talents among some of their frequent house guests. Set in secluded at the Long Room Restaurant. This is a new production gardens and close to Glyndebourne, Horsted Place’s gracious from Sir Michael Boyd and the Philharmonia Orchestra is style makes it an absolute favorite place to stay while in the led by Garsington Opera’s Artistic Director Douglas Boyd Glyndebourne area. (Romaniw, Schneider, Hayward, Ingram, Bardon). Mid to late afternoon we take the short drive to Glyndebourne for pre-performance champagne on the terrace. Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites (C: Ticciati, D: Kosky, de Niese, Schultz, Cargill, Soffel) is this evening’s performance. Dinner featuring classic British cuisine is catered by Leith’s at Glyndebourne during the long interval in the Mildmay restaurant. Post-performance refreshments in the drawing room at Horsted Place and opera discussion led by Annie and Jennifer. Hartwell Hotel Drawing Room, Garsington On return to Hartwell House we gather for refreshments and a post-performance discussion with Annie and Jennifer. (each of the two evenings). THURSDAY, JULY 9 Enjoy the first of the daily included breakfasts and then transfer by coach to nearby Waddesdon Manor, a Rothschild House & Gardens, for a morning guided tour and independent lunch in the Stables Café or Treaterie. Relax back at Hartwell House before a late afternoon departure for the Wormsley Wormsley Cricket Pavilion (courtesy Christopher Jonas) Estate with plenty of time to enjoy a glass of champagne and a stroll through the grounds. Fidelio, a revival of John SATURDAY, JULY 11 Cox’s acclaimed staging starts at 6:20pm. South African This morning Blue Badge guide Rebecca Howard meets the Maestro Gérard Corsten makes his Garsington Opera debut group and we transfer to Hever Castle, dating from the year leading a strong cast of singers that includes Toby Spence as 1270 and featuring an excellent collection of Tudor art, Florestan and Johanni van Oostrum as Leonore. This evening furniture, magnificent gardens and a famous Yew maze. we gather for a traditional English picnic during the long Hever Castle was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. interval. Casual lunch in the café is independent. Returning to Horsted Place, the balance of the afternoon is open. Tonight is our traditional British gastropub evening featuring supper at the seventeenth century Pelham Arms in Lewes. Waddesdon Manor (courtesy Daderot) FRIDAY, JULY 10 After a leisurely start we leave mid-morning for Horsted Place, arriving in the early afternoon. The drive should be approximately two and a half hours. After settling in, Afternoon Tea will be served in the drawing room or garden. Hever Castle, Kent INCLUSIONS • Two nights Hartwell House • Three nights Horsted Place • Full breakfast served daily at the hotels Charleston House and Garden (www.charleston.org.uk) • Four operas with prime seating SUNDAY, JULY 12 • Share of Glyndebourne Festival and Garsington Opera After breakfast Rebecca meets us again and we depart for donations a visit to Charleston House and Garden. This is the former • Five dinners, one lunch, one afternoon tea, two champagne home of artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant and offers receptions, post-performance refreshments an intriguing insight into the life and times of the early • Guided morning visit to Waddesdon Manor twentieth century Bloomsbury Group. Continue with a short stop at Anne of Cleves home in Lewes. Independent lunch • Guided tour of Charleston House back at Horsted Place. • A guided visit to Hever Castle and house of Anne of Cleves The final performance in our program is Mozart’s Singspiel • Private coach transfers to/from the festival performances Die Entführung aus dem Serail, a revival of David McVicar’s • Group transfer from Heathrow airport to Hartwell House highly regarded 2015 production, led by Nicholas Carter, • Group transfer from Horsted Place to Heathrow airport with Lisette Oropesa as Konstanze and Ante Jerkunica as Osmin. Champagne reception on arrival and dinner in • Gratuities for guides, drivers and group arrival and Middle and Over Wallop during the opera’s long interval. departure bell staff Final celebratory toast and wrap up discussion with Annie • Austin Opera Leadership throughout and Jennifer back at Horsted Place. • Escorted by an Act 1 Tours’ partner throughout MONDAY, JULY 13 NOT INCLUDED: 7:30am Group coach departure for London Heathrow timed • Airfares for the 11:55am BA departure for Austin, or independent • Independent airport transfers to/from hotels (arranged continuation. on request) • Meals and personal expenses not part of the itinerary RATES • $7,450 per person double occupancy • $8,500 per person single occupancy Optional extra night, with breakfast at Hartwell House, per room, single or double: $575 PAYMENT A deposit of $3,450 per person is due at registration ($2,450 non- refundable to cover advance ticket purchases and hotel contractual commitments) by January 10 with the balance due by May 8, 2020. Horsted Place INSURANCE Note: For those wishing to extend the trip in London, assistance Trip insurance is strongly advised in case of unforeseen events and will be offered by Act 1 Tours to secure appropriate accommodation can be arranged through Act 1 Tours. Policies may be arranged and performance tickets to the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. that waive pre-existing medical conditions if purchased within 15 days of making the initial deposit. Performances: July 13 6:00pm Don Carlo July 14 7:30pm Madama Butterfly July 15 7:30pm Tosca Dress: Note that at both Garsington and Glyndebourne the emphasis is on maintaining a uniformly festive look and it is customary for the gentlemen to wear tuxedos (black tie) and a corresponding level of formality for the ladies, with room for P.O. Box 1137 ❘ New York, NY 10159-1137 individual interpretation. Tel: 646.918.7401 ❘ Fax: 646.478.9740 www.hartwellhouse.com • www.horstedplace.co.uk www.act1tours.com ❘ [email protected] www.garsingtonopera.org • www.glyndebourne.com.