THE TOUR INCLUDES: Prime seats for 6 concerts and 1 opera (plus options) 13 nights deluxe, central accommodations Full breakfast daily, 5 lunches, 4 dinners All transportation between cities (2 flights, 1 train, 1 luxury coach) Private/guided tours in each city Private airport-hotel transfers On site Tour Direction Cost: $11,475 US Single Supplement: $1975 US Deposit: $3000 US Balance due: December 11, 2009 Optional Il turco in Italia at Covent Garden: $300 Optional Billy Budd at the Bastille: $250 Optional Die Fledermaus at Berlin Komische Oper: $250

OPTIONS FLIGHTS We include flights between Paris & vienna and Vienna & Berlin. Return overseas flights are not included, though we will be happy to make these arrangements, including reward travel with your preferred carrier, for $75 per person. AIRPORT-HOTEL TRANSFERS We offer one group transfer for arrivals/departures; please book arrivals for London on April 19 before 10 am and departures either from Leipzig or from Berlin for late morning or after on May 2. TOUR ADDITIONS The itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and desires. Please call us to discuss any changes or amendments you wish to make. INSURANCE We strongly recommend that all tour members purchase cancellation insurance upon registration. We can assist you with this, though you are welcome to purchase a policy at your own discretion. If you would like information on the policies offered by our supplier, please contact us for details, or click HERE for an insurance brochure and application.

A classical music lover’s dream come true: six great cities and seven of the greatest orchestras in the world—the Berlin Philharmonic, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, Vienna Philharmonic, Orchestra de Paris, Opera national de Paris and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Not to mention optional operas in London, Paris, Vienna and Berlin, plus elegant hotels and lavish meals at the very best restaurants (with superb wine) in each city. All of this in one thirteen night tour—truly the musical trip of a lifetime.

London is one of the world’s most vital and exciting cities. Its tapestry of cultures is evidenced in its cuisine, shops, music and colourful festivals. Despite a population of over seven million, more than 30 percent of London is made up of parks and green space, greater than any other city of its size in the world. This space provides the perfect opportunity for walks and relaxation during leisure time. We include several brief and informative guided (private) tours in and around the city, including a city overview, a tour of the National Gallery, and a tour of the Royal Albert Hall. Here we attend a performance by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the resident orchestra of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera.

April in Paris...what could be better? What if we included an elegant hotel in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés, in depth tours at the Louvre and Versailles, unforgettable meals, a performance of Satie and Stravinsky at the Orchestra de Paris and Il barbiere di Siviglia at L'Opéra de la Bastille? That’s better.

Many claim the “City of Music” moniker as their own, but in our estimation, Vienna is without peer in this regard. The city boasts a musical heritage with close associations to the greatest composers (Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert, Brahms, Johann Strauss Sr., Schönberg), as well as some of the greatest artists (Klimt, Schiele) and thinkers (Freud, The Vienna Circle) in history. It continues to be a cultural beacon, and today it is home to no less than three opera companies, a renowned Boys' Choir and a number of outstanding orchestras. The most famous of these, the Vienna Philharmonic, we will have the pleasure of hearing in one of the most revered of venues, the Musikverein.

Berlin is the most changed and changing city in Europe, perhaps in the world. This city has reinvented itself, more than once, over the last nine centuries. The devastation it suffered during WWII and the subsequent division of the city during the Cold War have left their marks. But the city retains a spirit of vibrancy and creativity that must be experienced. We will explore the cultural highlights and hear the renowned Berlin Philharmonic in its landmark home with Daniel Barenboim conducting.

Leipzig is the birthplace of Bach and Mendelssohn, the city where Goethe studied (and drank at the Auerbach’s Keller), and home to the Gewandhaus and its Gewandhausorchester, one of the world’s finest.

Dresden, completely destroyed by Allied bombing during WWII, has been painstakingly restored in recent decades. The Frauenkirche, Zwinger Palace, Semperoper and many other historic gems have been rebuilt brick by brick. We will hear the famous Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, founded in 1548 and now under the direction of Fabio Luisi, in the spectacular Semperoper.

THE ITINERARY

Sunday, April 18
Departures from North America for London. One group transfer will be included (roughly 09:30).

Monday, April 19
Arrival in London and transfer (included) to the superb Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel, recently voted best luxury hotel in the UK. This evening we gather for introductions and a Welcome Dinner in the hotel’s excellent Restaurant. Optionally, a performance of Il turco in Italia is available at the Royal Opera. Seating subject to availability at time of booking.

Tuesday, April 20
This morning we meet our guide and depart on a city coach and walking tour, featuring some of the most important musical sights in the city (including the Handel Museum and a backstage tour at the Royal Albert Hall), as well as the historic and architectural “must sees”. Lunch is included near the hotel. The evening is at leisure (optional concert/musical).

Wednesday, April 21
Today we offer a guided tour of the National Gallery, with one of the world’s great collections of European painting, including masterpieces by Van Gogh (”Sunflowers”), Botticelli, Leonardo, Ruebens, Rembrandt and many more. This evening we attend a performance by the London Symphony Orchestra or the London Philharmonic (Bernstein Symphony No. 2, Shostakovich Symphony No. 2).

Thursday, April 22
Late morning, we check out and depart on a Eurostar train (First Class) to Paris. Upon arrival, transfer and check in at the Hotel Luxembourg Parc in the famous Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Late afternoon, we transfer to the Salle Pleyel to hear the Orchestra de Paris (Stravinsky and Satie). Afterward, we enjoy a memorable dinner at a famous café near the hotel.

Friday, April 23
This morning we enjoy a guided tour of the incomparable Louvre. The tour takes in the extensive French collections, beginning in the Cour Marly, arguably one of the most beautiful spots in the museum. In addition to important sculptures, we will trace the history of French painting from the 14th to the 19th century, viewing works by Rubens, Watteau, Corot, David, Delacroix and Géricault, amongst others. This evening we include a performance of Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Bastille.

Saturday, April 24
This morning we depart to Château de Versailles for a private guided tour. We concentrate on the Grands Appartements, the glittering Hall of Mirrors, the Opéra that Gabriel designed for Louis XV in 1748 and the spectacular Gardens of Versailles. Lunch is included at Le Potager du Roy in the Petit Trianon Palace. Evening at leisure (optional Billy Budd).

Sunday, April 25
This morning we check out and fly to Vienna, where we check in at The Ring Hotel, within site of the Staatsoper in the heart of the city. This evening we gather for a very special performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 by the Vienna Philharmonic at the Musikverein (Thielemann; Dasch, Fujimura, Beczala, Holl).

Monday, April 26
This morning we enjoy a private walking tour of Old Town Vienna, giving us unique insight into the city's rich history and musical past. We visit St. Stephen's Cathedral, Austria's most eminent Gothic edifice, the Imperial Library, Crypt and Vault, and the sites associated with Mozart’s time in Vienna. Lunch is included. PM: Optional touring (Belvedere Palace).

Tuesday, April 27
Late morning we make the short flight to Berlin, where we check in at the Westin Grand Hotel on the Gendemenmarkt. Lunch included. This evening we attend a concert by the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Daniel Barenboim (programme tba).

Wednesday, April 28
This morning we meet for a guided coach/walking tour of the city's most significant points of interest. The afternoon is at leisure. This evening we gather for dinner at one of Berlin’s best restaurants.

Thursday, April 29
Enjoy a full day at leisure (though we will offer an optional tour of the Pergamon and Jewish museums). PM: Optional string concert or Die Fledermaus.

Friday, April 30
Depart for Leipzig via Potsdam, where we tour Frederick the Great’s rococo San Souci Palace. After lunch at Cecilienhof, it’s on to Leipzig and the deluxe Radisson BluHotel in the Old Town, across from the Gewandhaus. This evening we gather for a concert by the Gewandhausorchester (Prokofiev, Brahms).

Saturday, May 1
Morning at leisure. PM: A brief musical tour of Leipzig (Bach and Mendelssohn) before a day in Dresden. We enjoy a guided tour of Dresden (Albertinum, Zwinger Palace). Farewell Dinner at the Bastei Castle Restaurant before a concert by the Staatskapelle Dresden at the Semperoper (R. Strauss).

Sunday, May 2
Airport transfers (Leipzig or Berlin) are included. Please book flight for late morning or afternoon.