SCANDINAVIA

4 nights in Oslo, 4 in Copenhagen, 4 in Stockholm, with at least 7 performances. Optional post-tour Helsinki with 3 nights and overnight cruise from Stockholm. 5-star hotels.

It has been some time since our last trip to this part of the world, and we are excited to return to these wonderful cities with their superb opera programmes and venues.

Our tour begins in Oslo, the 1000-year-old Norwegian capital, with its lush green spaces and modern architecture, including its relatively new opera house. We will stay at the 5-star Grand Hotel Oslo and enjoy three performances at the stunning new opera house: The Marriage of Figaro, La Bayadère (ballet) and a Leonard Bernstein concert .

On to urbane Copenhagen, a city dense with incredible architecture, art, cafés and restaurants, and bicycles, the ubiquitous bicycles! The majestic and modern Operaen will welcome us for at least 2 performances, including a recital by opera's reigning diva (and new mom of twins) Lise Davidsen, and we will stay at the refined Hotel d'Angleterre.

We end in Stockholm, with a stay at one of the finest Old World hotels anywhere--the Grand, on the inner harbour, overlooking the Old Town and Royal Opera House. We hear two timeless Puccini classics at the Royal Swedish Opera: Madama Butterfly & Turandot.

We include day trips to Odense, Karen Blixen House and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art while in Copenhagen, a day trip to Uppsala in Stockholm, and the finest local touring each city has to offer.

Those wishing to extend their stay and join us in Helsinki will cruise (gently) overnight from Stockholm, stay 3 nights in one of our favourite hotels (the Kämp), visit the charming home of Jan Sibelius ("Ainola") in Järvenpää, partake of exquisite cuisine and enjoy at least 2 performances. Program for this portion TBA. Please indicate interest when registering.

To reserve your space, click here.

ITINERARY

TUESDAY, MAY 12

Independent overnight flights to Oslo.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13

Upon arrival in Oslo, you are met and transferred to the majestic Grand Hotel Oslo, in the heart of the city.

19.00 Tonight we meet for a Welcome Reception and Dinner in the hotel.

THURSDAY, MAY 14

10.00 Gather in the lobby and depart for a private survey tour of Oslo, including such landmarks as the Royal Palace, Vigeland sculpture park and Akershus Fortress, overlooking Oslo Fjord.

13.00 Lunch is included at Gamle Raadhus after the tour.

17.15 This evening we transfer to the striking Oslo Opera House for La Bayadère (18.00 curtain; runs 2 hr, 50 mins; 2 intervals). Ever since its premiere in St. Petersburg in 1877, the ballet about the temple dancer (‘la bayadère’) Nikiya has captivated audiences. The Norwegian press described this production from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden as ‘a masterpiece’, ‘a cornucopia’ and ‘an enchanting experience’ when the Norwegian National Ballet last brought it to the stage in 2019 and 2022.

FRIDAY, MAY 15

10.00 Gather in the lobby and depart for private tours of the Nobel Peace Centre and national Museum.

13.00 Lunch is included.

18.15 This evening we depart by coach to hear Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro at the striking

Oslo Opera House (19.00 curtain; runs 3 h 15 min; 1 interval).

SATURDAY, MAY 16 11.00 This morning we sleep in a little before embarking on a relaxed cruise on the Oslo Fjord, including lunch.

17.15 This evening we transfer once again to the Oslo Opera House for Wonderful Bernstein!, a concert featuring excerpts from Wonderful Town, Candide and West Side Story. (18.00 curtain; runs 2 hr, 40 mins; 1 interval).

SUNDAY, MAY 17

08.00 We check out and depart for the airport for our 1 hr 20 min flight to Copenhagen, where we check in at the stately Hotel d'Angleterre.

15.00 Today we attend a dream performance: the world’s most sought-after soprano, Lise Davidsen, in a full concert performance of Verdi’s Macbeth, conducted by the legendary Antonio Pappano.

There is no one quite like Lise Davidsen. Her voice is immense and breathtakingly beautiful—mastered with a technique that is truly exceptional. She is one of the most in-demand opera soloists in the world, making it a remarkable coup to have secured her for this performance alongside one of opera’s greatest conductors, Antonio Pappano.

“She has a voice in a million. When she opened her mouth, we were all left speechless,” said Antonio Pappano of his collaboration with Lise Davidsen in London.

A conductor with an extraordinary dramatic instinct, Pappano has a deep and enduring passion for Verdi’s music—evident both in his tenure as Music Director at the Royal Opera House in London and in his countless acclaimed recordings of Verdi’s operas.

With Lise Davidsen in the intensely dramatic role of Lady Macbeth and Antonio Pappano at the podium, this promises to be a rare and unforgettable Verdi celebration. The two opera superstars will be joined by a stellar international cast, including renowned Verdi baritone Quinn Kelsey, alongside soloists from the Royal Danish Opera.

19.00 Following the performance, we enjoy a special dinner in the opera house.

MONDAY, MAY 18

10.00 Today we venture to Karen Blixen House and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. Return by 15.00.

19.30 Dinner is included at historic Hyttefadet.

TUESDAY, MAY 19

10.00 This morning we explore Copenhagen’s history and architecture (van, walking), including the Town Hall, Christiansborg Palace and Rosenborg Castle.

19.15 Transfer to the Opera House for the Royal Danish Ballet's Lady Macbeth. Renowned choreographer Akram Khan comes to Denmark to create an entirely new work. Drawing inspiration from Shakespeare’s psychological thriller, Khan turns his focus to the formidable Lady Macbeth. 20.00 curtain.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20

Enjoy the morning at leisure.

14.00 Late lunch is included at Amalie.

18.30 Depart for the Operaaen Robert Carsen’s acclaimed and timely staging of Mozart’s Idomeneo.

Idomeneo was Mozart’s first great opera, composed in 1781 by a 25-year-old genius as a festive commission for the Elector’s new theatre in Munich. Mozart’s creativity knew no bounds, and this extraordinary score places immense demands on both soloists and the grand opera chorus.

In his critically acclaimed production, master director Robert Carsen explores the devastating effects of war—what it means to lose both homeland and family. Together with an international team of artistic stars, he presents a strikingly relevant and visually stunning production, set in a stark, atmospheric world between sea and sky.

Soloists from the Royal Danish Opera’s ensemble take on the demanding roles, and Sofie Lund guests the Royal Danish Opera as Ilia. Mozart specialist Julia Jones conducts this dramatic masterpiece.

THURSDAY, MAY 21

09.00 This morning we take the high speed train to Stockholm, enjoying the wonderful scenery in 1st Class comfort and arriving just after check-in time at the majestic Grand Hotel Stockholm, truly one of the world's finest hotels.

18.00 This evening we stroll through lovely Gamla Stan (Old Town) on our way to a special dinner.

FRIDAY, MAY 22

10.00 After breakfast, we tour the area of central Stockholm near our hotel, including the Royal Palace, the Nobel Prize Museum, the Cathedral or the German church. We then tour the Vasa Museum, which houses the only almost fully intact 17th-century ship that has ever been salvaged: the 64-gun warship Vasa that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628.

13.00 Lunch is included today at Ulla Winbladh.

18.15 Gather and make the short walk to the Royal Swedish Opera for Puccini's irresistible Madama Butterfly. Izabela Matula sings Cio-cio-san, with Dmytro Popov as Pinkerton. 19.00 curtain.

SATURDAY, MAY 23

10.00 Gather in the lobby and depart for an exploration of Stockholm by boat, passing under fifteen bridges and through two locks connecting the Baltic Sea with Lake Mälaren.

16.45 Walk to the Royal Swedish Opera foran early dinner before another Puccini gem: Turandot, with Rebecca Nash in the title role.

19.00 Curtain.

SUNDAY, MAY 24

Enjoy your final day at leisure is Stockholm.

18.00 Meet for cocktails before our Farewell Dinner in the hotel.

MONDAY, MAY 25

Airport transfer are included.

OPTIONAL HELSINKI

Price: $5995

Single Supplement: $1495

MONDAY, MAY 25

Enjoy the day at leisure in Stockholm. Bags can be stored at the hotel after check out.

16.00 In the afternoon we depart for the Värtahamnen terminal where we board the MS Silja Serenade for an overnight cruise to Helsinki. We will have Deluxe Sea View Cabins with double beds(separable), flat screen-TV, trouser press, complimentary refreshments in the minibar. 16.45 departure.

19.00 Dinner is included on board in the fine dining restaurant Bon Vivant.

TUESDAY, MAY 26

Buffet breakfast is included.

10.30 Upon arrival at Helsinki Olympia Terminal, we are met and transferred to the elegant Hotel Kamp, perfectly situated on the Esplanade in the heart of the city.

13.00 Once checked in, we enjoy a guided tour of Helsinki (Senate Square, cathedral, Church in the Rock, Uspenski Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Sibelius Park and Monument).

19.00 This evening we gather for dinner in the Kamp Café in our hotel.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27

09.45 Gather in the hotel lobby and depart to the ferry terminal for our day trip to Tallinn, where we tour the Estonian capital, a true jewel of the Baltics. We see medieval and classical buildings (Toompea Palace, Gothic cathedral, Russian cathedral, town hall, church of the Holy Ghost).

Lunch is included.

19.30 Upon arrival back in Helsinki, the evening is at leisure.

THURSDAY, MAY 28

09.30 We gather in the hotel lobby and depart for a visit to the shores of Lake Tuusula, where Jean Sibelius made his charming home at Ainola. Within the administrative area of the town of Järvenpää, Ainola was the home of the composer Jean Sibelius and his family after 24th September 1904. While living in Ainola Sibelius wrote the final version of the violin concerto, symphonies 3-7, Tapiola and many other masterpieces. Ainola became an essential part of the artistic community living by Lake Tuusula, and the Sibeliuses frequently met the families of Pekka Halonen at Halosenniemi, Eero Järnefelt at Suviranta and Juhani Aho at Ahola. Sibelius died in his beloved Ainola on 20th September 1957. Aino Sibelius, the composer's wife, continued to live there until the end of the 1960s. In 1972 Jean Sibelius's daughters sold Ainola to the Finnish State as a museum. The house was opened to the public in 1974.

We also visit Villa Kokkonen, the home of the Composer Joonas Kokkonen, designed by famed architect Alvar Aalto.

13.00 Lunch is included at the elegant and historic Krapihovi manor, dating to 1883.

15.30 Arrival back in Helsinki late afternoon.

18.15 Gather and depart for our 19.00 performance at Finnish National Opera. For the first time, two captivating works are performed together in a single evening: Luonnotar by Jean Sibelius and Iolanta by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Both feature two female protagonists, two creation myths, and two journeys of self-discovery. Sibelius composed his symphonic poem Luonnotar in 1913 at the request of Aino Ackté, a pioneering opera singer and a leading figure in Finnish opera. Based on a poem from the Finnish national epic, Kalevala, the piece was dedicated to Ackté. This performance marks the 150th anniversary of her birth. Luonnotar, which depicts the birth of the world, is performed by soprano Silja Aalto and the Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera. Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta was first and last performed at the Finnish National Opera in 1919. His final opera tells the story of Princess Iolanta, whose blindness is such a closely kept secret that even she herself does not know it. When Count Vaudémont falls in love with the princess, he reveals the truth to her. A doctor tells her that she can regain her sight, but the choice is hers: to continue life as she knows it or embrace an utterly unknown future.

The opera explores diverse themes, from independence to self-discovery, sexual awakening, and equality.

FRIDAY, MAY 29

After breakfast and check out, transfers to the airport are included. Timings announced on site.

TOUR INCLUDES

• Top Category seats for at least 8 performances

• 12 nights Deluxe accommodation in 5-star hotels

• Full breakfast daily, plus 11 additional meals 

• Private tours as listed

• Airport-hotel transfers 

• On-site Tour Direction

• Comprehensive Tour Guidebook

HELSINKI OPTION INCLUDES

• Top Category seats for 1 performance

• 4 nights Deluxe accommodation (1 in a Deluxe Sea View Cabin on the Silja Serenade, 3 in Executive Park View rooms at the Hotel Kämp)

• Full breakfast daily, plus 2 lunches and 2 dinners 

• Private tours as listed

• Airport-hotel transfers 

• On-site Tour Direction

  
  

FLIGHTS

Flights to Oslo and from Stockholm are not included in tour pricing. Flights should be booked to arrive in Oslo no later than late afternoon on May 13, returning from Stockholm any time on May 25. Thos joining the Helsinki option should return from Helsinki on May 29. Both short flights within the tour program are included in tour cost. For assistance with transcontinental flight bookings or for VIP airport service, click here.

TRANSFERS

We provide airport/rail station—hotel transfers for arrivals and departures within within 3 days of the start/end of our tour. We also provide transfers for group meals and performances that are beyond a 10 minute walk.

MOBILITY

There is minimal walking with some stairs and uneven terrain 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.