THE TOUR INCLUDES: 6 nights deluxe accommodations at the deluxe Inn of the Anasazi, across from the Plaza Top category seats for 5 performances Full breakfast daily plus two lunches and two dinners one pre-performance lecture Private tours of Santa Fe and Abiquiu plus an optional tour to Bandelier National Monument airport-hotel transfers On-site tour direction by an Aria Tours representative Cost: $5375 US Single Supplement: $975 US Bandelier excursion: $200 US * includes lunch Deposit: $2500 Balance Due: May 17, 2009

OPTIONS FLIGHTS We will be happy to make any flight arrangements, including reward travel with your preferred carrier, for $75 per person. Return flights should be booked to Albuquerque International Sunport or Santa Fe Municipal Airport. 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.

There are arguably other cities as exotic as Santa Fe...just not in North America. Rarely does a place speak to so many people on so many levels. Art lovers, opera lovers, history lovers, food lovers, nature lovers and, of course, good old-fashioned love lovers have all fallen under Santa Fe's spell. The landscape conspires to take your breath away. The narrow, winding streets invite you to walk closer together. The 400 year-old adobe buildings ask: "What's the hurry?" There is certainly plenty to explore, from the spectacular Sangre de Cristo Mountains outside of town to the world-renowned galleries, boutiques and restaurants just outside our hotel door. To truly understand why the readers of Conde Nast Traveler put Santa Fe near the top of their must-see list, you must experience it first hand and start a love affair of your own.

With a population of 70,000 primarily Hispanic, Anglo and Native American people, Santa Fe, which is Spanish for "Holy Faith", is New Mexico's third largest city behind Albuquerque and Las Cruces. Situated at 7,000 feet above sea level in the foothills of the southern Rocky Mountains, it was founded between 1607 and 1610, making it the second oldest city as well as the highest and oldest capital in the U.S. In 2005, Santa Fe became the first U.S. city to be chosen by UNESCO as a Creative City, one of only nine cities in the world to hold this designation. Santa Fe has long been a center for the arts and culture. It now ranks as the country's third largest art market with nearly 300 galleries and dealers. There are also more than a dozen major museums showcasing an array of art, culture, history and traditions, as well as—of course—the world-class Santa Fe Opera. The performance setting is unforgettable—a nearly 360-degree panorama of breathtaking scenery, with the Jemez mountains to the west and the Sangre de Cristos to the east.

We will have top category seats for five performances, stay just steps from the famous Plaza in the heart of the city, at its finest hotel (Inn of the Anasazi), and dine at several of the most renowned restaurants in the area. This itinerary offers proof that you needn't travel across the globe for a very special opera getaway.

THE ITINERARY

Monday, August 17
Flight arrivals in Albuquerque. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to Santa Fe and the historic Inn of the Anasazi, located just steps from the Plaza, the cultural heart of the city. After settling in, we gather for introductions and then enjoy a Welcome Dinner at the superb Anasazi Restaurant in the hotel.

Tuesday, August 18
After breakfast we depart on a guided city tour (private), featuring, amongst other sites the Santa Fe Plaza, Loretto Chapel and its miraculous staircase, St. Francis Cathedral (where we see the city's 400-year history in its doors), San Miguel Mission and Palace of the Governors. We learn how the city's two unique styles of architecture developed, and we cross the Santa Fe Trail. Our guide will point out interesting shops, galleries and restaurants as well as other features many visitors miss. This evening, we gather and make our way by private coach for the Santa Fe Opera, where we enjoy a special pre-performance dinner and lecture. Afterward, we enjoy top category seats for The Letter, Paul Moravec’s operatic adaptation of Somerset Maugham’s famous short story, featuring Patricia Racette and Anthony Michaels-Moore.

Wednesday, August 19
Enjoy the day at leisure in Santa Fe. This evening we depart once again for the Sante Fe Opera and a new production of Christoph Gluck’s Alceste, a new production for the Santa Fe Opera, conducted by Kenneth Montgomery. The cast includes Paul Groves, Wayne Tigges and Christine Brewer as Alceste.

Thursday, August 20
This morning, we gather in the hotel lobby and depart by private coach, crossing the Rio Grande to explore the red rock landscapes of Ghost Ranch. Here we let the vivid colors inspire us as they did Georgia O'Keeffe. We will see penitente chapels and the bones of early dinosaurs on our excursion. We then visit O'Keeffe's simple adobe home and studio in Abiquiu before our elegant lunch at the Relais & Chateau Rancho de San Juan. This evening we return to the Santa Fe Opera for Donizetti’s sparkling comedy, The Elixir of Love. This new production is conducted by Corrado Rovaris, directed by Jerry Zaks and features Jennifer Black and Dimitri Pittas.

Friday, August 21
This morning we offer an optional tour to Bandelier National Monument, where we explore the ancient cliff dwellings of the Anasazi. We learn about Indian and Spanish history, the fascinating volcanic geology, and how the atomic age began in this rugged mesa and canyon country. Afterward, we drive to Los Alamos, where we enjoy lunch at the famous Hill Diner before a guided visit at the Bradbury Museum. Our visit includes the “History Wing”, tracing the entire WWII period. There is a wonderful film about the building of Los Alamos and the design and testing of the first atomic bomb. The remainder of the Museum gives a fascinating insight into the cutting-edge research currently being carried out at the Nuclear Lab (LANL). Return to Santa Fe at 5pm. This evening we attend a performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, featuring Elza van den Heezer, Susanna Phillips, Charles Workman and Lucas Meachem as Giovanni.

Saturday, August 22
Spend your final morning at leisure in Santa Fe. Mid-afternoon we enjoy a Farewell Lunch at the lovely La Casa Sena, which features one of the finest in-house wine shops in the country. This evening we attend our final performance at Santa Fe Opera, Verdi’s La traviata, where internationally-renowned soprano Natalie Dessay returns to Santa Fe for her first-ever performance as Violetta and Alfredo will be sung by the young Albanian tenor, Saimar Pirgu. Conductor Frédéric Chaslin makes his Santa Fe Opera debut.

Sunday, August 23
Departure to Albuquerque International Sunport or Santa Fe Municipal Airport is included.