The Stefan Herheim production of Der Ring des Nibelungen conducted by Music Director Sir Donald Runnicles, in his farewell. With Ya-Chung Huang (Mime), Iain Paterson and Thomas J. Mayer (Wotan), Annika Schlicht (Fricka), Michael Sumuel (Alberich), Matthew Newlin (Siegmund), Elisabeth Teige (Sieglinde, Brünnhilde), Clay Hilley (Siegfried), Trine Møller and Catherine Foster (Brünnhilde) and Albert Pesendorfer (Hagen / Fasolt).
Another Ring in urbane Berlin, this time at the Deutsche Oper. Our cycle marks the farewell of Music Director Sir Donald Runnicles, and what a bittersweet thrill it will be to witness that.
We will stay in Deluxe rooms at the 5-Star Rocco Forte Hotel de Rome, on the edge of the historic Gendarmenmarkt, a stone's throw from the Staatsoper. Our touring will include the most interesting and important historical sites in the city as well as the finest museums and galleries. We will also visit Potsdam and, as always, our included meals (and wines) will be second-to-none.
ITINERARY
Sunday, May 24
Independent departures from North America.
Monday, May 25
Upon arrival in Berlin, you are met and transferred to the elegant Rocco Forte Hotel de Rome on the historic Gendarmenmarkt, adjacent to the Staatsoper Unter den Linden. Tonight we gather in the lobby for introductions and cocktails prior to our Welcome Dinner at the hotel.
Tuesday, May 26
10.30 Following breakfast (included each day), we gather in the hotel lobby and depart for a guided coach/walking tour of the city’s most significant points of interest (Brandenburg Gate, Pariser Platz, Unter den Linden, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church).
16.30 Depart for early dinner in RDO at the Deutsch Oper before the 19.30 curtain of Das Rheingold.
Wednesday, May 27
10.00 Depart for a guided tour of the Gemäldegalerie, with its collection of masterpieces, including paintings by van Eyck, Bruegel, Dürer, Raffael, Titian, Caravaggio, Rubens, Rembrandt and Vermeer.
16.15 Depart once again for the Deutsch Oper and the 17.00 curtain of Die Walküre. We dine at RDO during the interval.
Thursday, May 28
10.00 Today we visit Potsdam and Sanssouci, Frederick the Great’s vast Rococo complex of gardens, palaces and pavilions, as well as Cecilienhof, site of the Potsdam Conference that ended WWII. Lunch is included.
PM: Tonight's performance is TBA.
Friday, May 29 09.45 Depart for the Neue Nationalgalerie for a guided tour. We have time to explore the collection after the tour.
15.15 Depart for the Deutsch Oper and the 16.00 curtain of Siegfried. We dine at RDO during the interval.
Saturday, May 30 10.00 Today we tour the Jewish Museum in the Kreuzberg section of the city. Designed by Daniel Libeskind, the museum is one of the outstanding institutions on the European museum landscape.Â
19.00 Tonight we have a special dinner at Lutter & Wegner.
Sunday, May 31
The morning is at leisure.
15.15 Depart for the Deutsch Oper and the 16.00 curtain of Götterdämmerung. We dine at RDO during the interval.
Monday, June 1
10.00 Today we visit Potsdam and Sanssouci, Frederick the Great’s vast Rococo complex of gardens, palaces and pavilions, as well as Cecilienhof, site of the Potsdam Conference that ended WWII. A lovely Farewell Lunch is included.
Tuesday, June 2
Transfers to your departure airport are included.
TOUR INCLUDES
Top Category seats for all performances as listed
8 nights in Deluxe rooms at the Rocco Forte Hotel de Rome (5-star)
Full breakfast daily, 2 lunches, 6 dinners and 1 receptionÂ
Private tours as listed
Airport-hotel transfersÂ
On-site Tour Direction
Comprehensive Tour Guidebook
FLIGHTS
Flights are not included in tour pricing. Return flights should be booked to Berlin for arrival on May 25, departure on June 2.
TRANSFERS
We provide airport/rail station—hotel transfers for arrivals and departures within within 3 days of the start/end of our tour from the cities listed above. We also provide transfers for group meals and performances that are beyond a 10 minute walk.
MOBILITY
There is minimal walking with some stairs during the guided tours. As for all of our tours, we are happy to accommodate you regardless of your mobility level. Please make clear your mobility concerns at the time of registration. We provide transfers for group meals and performances that are beyond a 10 minute walk.
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. For more information about our travel insurance, click here.
Your Tour Director
Emanuela Moroni
Since 1993, Emanuela Moroni has been a professional guide in Turin and the entire region of Piemonte, as well as in Milan. Between 2010-2014, she was the President of the Piedmont Tour Guides Association. Since 1991, she has directed tours for groups in Italy, the U.K., Holland, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Russia, France, Switzerland, Spain (mainland, Balearic and Canary Islands), Portugal, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar, South Africa, Maldives, India, Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, China and Mongolia, Indonesia, Canada, U.S.A. (East and West Coast, Florida with Keys Islands, Louisiana, National Parks), Cuba, Jamaica, Caribbean Islands, Brazil, and Polynesia.
In addition to being a warm and professional director and guide, Emanuela is a committed ecologist and cyclist, often leading her tours on two wheels! She speaks Italian (mother tongue), English, French, German, and Chinese (Cantonese).