THE VIENNA RING

Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Vienna State Opera under the baton of Pablo Heras-Casado. Plus Così fan tutte, Kate Lindsey at the Konzerthaus, Sheku Kanneh-Mason at the Musikverein. Budapest day trip. The incomparable Sacher Hotel.

This tour is a cultural treasure at every step, with one of the finest hotels in our catalogue, impossible to get tickets for unforgettable performances, off-the-beaten-path tours and a perfect mix of fine dining and the best local cuisine. And Tour Director Richard Koegl will take superb care of you the entire way.

Vienna is the City of Music, yes, but so much more. Its museums and galleries provide some of the best visual art experiences to be had anywhere, and countless cafés each have their own charm, history and loyal patrons.

In this special Wagner year (the 150th anniversary of the first production of the Ring as a complete cycle), we have top-category seats (6th & 7th rows) for the Sven-Eric Bechtolf production of Wagner's epic Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Vienna State Opera, under the baton of Pablo Heras-Casado. The stellar cast includes Andreas Schager, Günther Groissböck, Georg Nigl, Camilla Nylund and Michael Volle.

In addition to the Ring, we enjoy a performance of Così fan tutte at the Staatsoper, a recital by mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsay at the Konzerthaus, and a cello concert (Elgar, Stravinsky) at the glorious Musikverein.

Our home in Vienna is the peerless Sacher, the quintessential Old World hotel, directly across from the Staatsoper.

Only 16 spaces available. To reserve your space, click here.

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THE VIENNA ‘RING’

Conductor Pablo Heras-Casado

Director Sven-Eric Bechtolf

JUNE 6

DAS RHEINGOLD

Michael Volle - Wotan

Clemens Unterreiner - Donner

Daniel - Jenz Froh

Matthäus Schmidlechner - Loge

Szilvia Vörös - Fricka

Jenni Hietala - Freia

Wiebke Lehmkuhl - Erda

Georg Nigl - Alberich

Gerhard Siegel - Mime

Simonas Strazdas - Fasolt

Matheus França - Fafner

JUNE 7

DIE WALKÜRE

Michael Spyres - Siegmund

Günther Groissböck - Hunding

Michael Volle - Wotan

Simone Schneider - Sieglinde

Camilla Nylund - Brünnhilde

Szilvia Vörös - Fricka

JUNE 10

SIEGFRIED

Andreas Schager - Siegfried

Camilla Nylund - Brünnhilde

Michael Volle - Der Wanderer

Georg Nigl - Alberich

Wiebke Lehmkuhl - Erda

Gerhard Siegel - Mime

Matheus França - Fafner

Florina Ilie - Stimme des Waldvogels

JUNE 14

GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG

Andreas Schager - Siegfried

Attila Mokus - Gunther

Günther Groissböck - Hagen

Georg Nigl - Alberich

Camilla Nylund - Brünnhilde

Regine Hangler - Gutrune

Szilvia Vörös - Waltraute

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ITINERARY

Thursday, June 4

Independent departures for overnight flights to Vienna.

Friday, June 5

Arrival in Vienna and transfer to the iconic Sacher Hotel, the Gold Standard for "Old World" 5-Star hotels, in the heart of Old Town Vienna’s pedestrian Kärntnerstrasse, directly beside the Vienna State Opera. This evening, we gather for introductions before our Welcome Dinner in the hotel.

Saturday, June 6

Following breakfast (included each day), we enjoy a walking tour of the Old Town, including Mozart sites and Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral), Austria's most eminent Gothic edifice and home to a wealth of art treasures, some of which can only be seen during a guided tour. Following the tour, we enjoy a traditional Viennese lunch at the famous Figlmuller. This evening, we attend our first performance at the Vienna State Opera: Das Rheingold.

Sunday, June 7

Today we explore the Imperial Hofburg Palace, which, for seven centuries—until 1918—was inhabited by the Habsburg family and was the centre of its empire. We will also visit the stunning Imperial Library. This evening, we attend a performance of Die Walküre at the Staatsoper where we dine during the intervals. 

Monday, June 8

This morning, we meet for a private tour of sites related to Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, Mahler and more. This evening, we meet for an early dinner and then make our way to the glorious Konzerthaus for a recital by American mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey (accompanied by pianist Helmut Deutsch), performing songs by Robert Schumann, Hugo Wolf, Joseph Marx, Alexander Zemlinsky and Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

Tuesday, June 9

This morning we depart on a full-day excursion by rail to Budapest, where we tour the city highlights including Castle Hill, the Liszt Academy and the Magyar Opera. After a late lunch/early dinner, we return to Vienna.

Wednesday, June 10

Enjoy the full day at leisure to explore Vienna on your own. Tonight, we make the short walk to the Staatsoper for Siegfried (Andreas Schager, Anja Kampe). A dinner reception is included during the intervals.

Thursday, June 11

Today we tour the Albertina Museum, which holds works by all of modern and contemporary art history’s great artists. From French Impressionism and Fauvism to works of Expressionist artist groups and the Russian Avant-Garde, as well as numerous masterpieces by Picasso, Kiefer, and Lassnig, the Albertina is home to all of the pioneering artistic ideas of the modern era and the present. This evening, we dine at the famous Café Imperial before a performance at the storied Musikverein by the British cello virtuoso Sheku Kanneh-Mason who won the 2016 BBC Young Musician award. He was the first black musician to win the competition since its launch in 1978. He played at the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle on 19 May, 2018 under the direction of Christopher Warren-Green, and at the age of 20, he was made a Member of the British Empire.

PROGRAMME Shostakovich Scherzo in F-sharp minor, Op. 1

Elgar Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in E minor, Op. 85

Stravinsky Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring)

Friday, June 12

Today we tour the superb picture gallery at Upper Belvedere Palace, summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663 - 1736). The gallery shows a marvellous collection of Austrian as well as international art from the last two centuries: the highlight is "Vienna around 1900 and the Art of the Classical Modern" featuring the largest collection of Klimt paintings (including his gilt pictures The Kiss and Judith), and a number of works by Egon Schiele. Tonight we gather for a special dinner.

Saturday, June 13

This morning we attend a Gala Performance by the world-renowned Lipizzaner Horses at the Spanish Riding School. This evening, we meet for a cocktail reception before crossing the street to the Vienna State Opera for a performance of Mozart’s Così fan tutte. Louis Langrée conducts a Barrie Kosky production featuring Elsa Dreisig, Angela Brower, Peter Kellner,

Filipe Manu, Maria Nazarova and Christopher Maltman.

Sunday, June 14

The final day is at leisure before our final performance at the Staatsoper: Götterdämmerüng. A dinner reception is included during the intervals.

Monday, June 15

Transfers to the airport for departure flights are included.

TOUR INCLUDES

• Top Category seats for at least 7 performances including at least 5 operas and two concerts

• 10 nights Deluxe accommodation at the Sacher Hotel Vienna

• Full breakfast daily, 3 lunches, 6 dinners and 2 receptions 

• Private tours as listed

• Airport-hotel transfers 

• On-site Tour Direction

• Comprehensive Tour Guidebook

FLIGHTS

Flights are not included in tour pricing. Flights should be booked to arrive in Vienna on June 5 (early afternoon latest), and depart on June 15.

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 cobblestones 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.