OPERA, BALLET CLASSICAL MUSIC HOLIDAYS...OPERA, BALLET CLASSICAL MUSIC HOLIDAYS ... Zaza...

1Tel: 020 8799 8350 | Email: [email protected] | www.travelforthearts.com

TRAVEL FOR THE ARTS

FESTIVAL DELLA VALLE D’ITRIA

BUENOS AIRES AND BEYOND

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RARE DONIZETTI IN BERGAMO

NEW RING CYCLE IN CHICAGO

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NEW DESTINATIONS FOR 2019 AND 2020

SPRING LIBRETTO 2019

www.travelforthearts.com +44 20 8799 8350 [email protected]

OPERA, BALLET CLASSICAL MUSIC

HOLIDAYSESCORTED TOURS AND BESPOKE HOLIDAYS

Tel: 020 8799 8350 | Email: [email protected] | www.travelforthearts.com

welcome to the world of

OPERA, BALLET CLASSICAL MUSIC HOLIDAYSTravel for the Arts offers you the opportunity to visit countries across the globe with small like-minded groups of friendly aficionados to enjoy a high-level of performing arts in a relaxed manner. Our tours are all carefully planned, expert-led and we strive to bring you knowledgeable speakers, the best tickets and, on occasion, the chance to meet the artists themselves.

A broad selection of tours and new destinations have been added for you to choose from in this Spring libretto. These include an award-nominated Festival in Puglia, a World Premiere in Wexford, a World Premiere staging in Bergamo, a highly-anticipated Ring cycle in Chicago and an incredible voyage to South America - an exciting new destination! In addition, we have joined forces for the first time with Hastings Horizons who have put together a fascinating musical journey along the Ganges.

We pride ourselves on offering unique and unforgettable experiences for opera, ballet, classical music and arts lovers - whatever your tastes.

BOOKING DETAILSDetails of all tours featured in this brochure are available on our website www.travelforthearts.com. Many of our holidays are taken up very quickly after the brochure launch, so we would encourage you to get in touch as soon as possible if you are interested in making a booking.

MAKE AN ENQUIRYYou can make an enquiry about one of our tours in three ways:• Call us on 020 8799 8350• Email [email protected]• Visit our website www.travelforthearts.com

and make an enquiry by going into the tour.In addition we can offer a 7-day option to hold places on a tour depending on availability.

EXTENSIONSOn all of our tours we can arrange private extension options before or after the group tour. Please contact us for further details.

OPENING HOURSOur office hours are Monday – Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm.We are closed on UK public holidays. There is an answerphone and we will return any out-of-hours telephone calls on the next working day if you leave your name and telephone number.

Flights for our tours are usually arranged from London airports. However we are able to look into flights from any other airport, subject to availability, so please get in touch with us to discuss your

requirements. *Additional costs may apply.

Fly from regional airports*

All information is available on our website www.travelforthearts.com.All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays in this brochure are financially protected by the ATOL scheme under ATOL no.2178. When you pay for a flight inclusive holiday you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate

SIEGFRIED BY LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO © TODD ROSENBERG

COVER IMAGE: DIE WALKÜRE BY LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO © CORY WEAVER


MOUNTAINS, MUSEUMS AND MUSIC IN GEORGIA

Price from £1875 pp

10 – 17 June 2019 Tour code: TBS1

NEW DESTINATION | NEW PRODUCTION

Another exciting new destination for 2019 is Georgia. A country at the intersection of Europe and Asia, its natural beauty boasts the imposing Caucasus Mountains and the world’s oldest wine-producing region. Its capital city, Tbilisi, runs along the twisting valley of Mtkvari River and is known for its abundance of medieval architecture and churches as well as the charm of its Old Town. In addition, this tour will allow you to explore ancient crafts and experience Georgian hospitality via its food and famous Georgian wines.

MON 10 JUN Late departure for the overnight flight to Tbilisi.

TUE 11 JUN Early morning arrival in Tbilisi and check-in at the 5-star Iota Hotel. Relax before joining your guide for an afternoon tour of this charming city. Visit the historic district of Metekhi, the ancient Narikala Fortress, the legendary 17th-century sulphur baths as well as the Great Synagogue, the Sioni Cathedral and a visit to the National Museum of Georgia. Dinner is at a traditional Georgian restaurant followed by a folk show.

WED 12 JUN Spend the morning at the Art Museum of Georgia with artefacts that showcase the skill of Georgian goldsmiths. At the Cloisonné Enamel School you will have the chance to make your own piece of jewellery before exploring the Rustaveli National Theatre, one of the oldest theatres in the country. The afternoon and dinner are at leisure before the evening’s opera performance.

THU 13 JUN Depart for the ancient capital of Mtskheta, an important religious centre, stopping en route at the 6th-century Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Spend time in Mtskheta before the scenic drive towards the Kazbegi region and Gergeti Trinity Church overlooking the Caucasus Mountains. Dinner and an overnight stay in Kazbegi.

FRI 14 JUN The morning is in Kazbegi with an opportunity to learn how traditional Georgian felt is crafted. Travel back to Tbilisi via the historic Ananuri castle complex and Château Mukhrani for a tour of Prince Bagrationi’s castle and taste the wine produced at this award-winning winery. Return to Tbilisi for dinner at the Iota Hotel.

SAT 15 JUN Today’s excursion is to the Kakheti region, Georgia’s oldest wine-producing region and an area rich in history. Visit the 11th-century Alaverdi Monastery and the small town of Telavi, once the capital of the Kakheti kingdom. Continue to Vardisubani and witness local craftsmen making Qvevri, egg-shaped earthenware vessels used to store wine. Lunch is at the Shumi winery in Kvareli. The afternoon will be spent in Tsinandali and its historic winery. Tour the museum and garden before returning to Tbilisi.

SUN 16 JUN Travel along the Silk Road to Gori, the birthplace of Stalin, and visit the Stalin Museum before proceeding to the ancient cave town of Uplistsikhe. Return to Tbilisi via the Sarajishvili Brandy Factory where you will sample some of the brandies made at this prize-winning company. Dinner and the evening at leisure.

MON 17 JUN Time for last-minute sightseeing or shopping in Tbilisi before transferring to the airport for the flight home.

opera

Tour price includes: Flights and airport taxes, group transfers from and to airport and for included activities where applicable, accommodation, breakfast daily, three dinners, one lunch, sightseeing tours as described including guides and entrance fees, first category ticket for each included performance, opera synopses, restaurant guide and city notes, the services of our local representative or tour manager.

FLIGHTS Georgian Airways 10 Jun London Gatwick - Tbilisi dep: 22.50 arr: 06.40 (+1) 17 Jun Tbilisi - London Gatwick dep: 19.00 arr: 21.20Flight schedules are subject to alteration. Flights from other UK airports can be arranged on request.

PRICE (PER PERSON)

Tour price £1875 Single room supplement £350 Business class flight upgrade from £1200 Land-only tour price £1645 Deposit required £400

PROGRAMME AT THE TBILISI STATE THEATRE

12 Jun 20.00 MACBETH Verdi Inc D: Daniele Abbado C: Zaza Azmaiparashvili Cast includes: Soloists of the Tbilisi Z. Paliashvili Opera and Ballet State Theatre New production from Teatro Reggio di Parma

Casting will be confirmed closer to the date of departure.

TBILISI STATE THEATRETBILISI

TBILISI STATE THEATRE © GIORGI SHERMAZANASHVILI

TBILISI STATE THEATRE

2 Tel: 020 8799 8350 | Email: [email protected] | www.travelforthearts.com

FESTIVAL DELLA VALLE D’ITRIA


29 July - 2 August 2019 Tour code: BRI1

NEW PRODUCTIONS | NEW TOUR NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT

Set in the beautiful Itria Valley in the heart of Puglia, Martina Franca is home to the Festival della Valle d’Itria, recently nominated for ‘Best Festival’ in the 2019 International Opera Awards. This year’s festival offers two rarely-performed operas - Ecuba and Il matrimonio segreto - directed by one of the great masters of Italian theatre, Pier Luigi Pizzi. Both are set in the open-air courtyard of the Palazzo Ducale, whilst the third opera - L’ammalato immaginario - will be charmingly presented in a local masseria.

MON 29 JUL Arrive late morning in Bari and transfer to Martina Franca (approx. 75 minutes). Check-in at the 4-star Park Hotel San Michele, conveniently located close to the centre. Spend the afternoon at leisure before dinner in a local restaurant.

TUE 30 JUL Start the day with guided visits to two picturesque local towns, Alberobello and Locorotondo. Famed for its many ‘trulli’, Alberobello is deservedly an UNESCO World Heritage Site. No less impressive is Locorotondo which has the accolade of being “one of the most beautiful villages in Italy”. Return to Martina Franca for lunch at leisure followed by a mid-afternoon treat at the nearby winery ‘I Pàstini’, known for its white wines. Relax back at the hotel before the short walk to the Palazzo Ducale for the evening’s opera performance.

WED 31 JUL Join your guide this morning for a visit to the medieval hillside town of Ostuni, known as the ‘White City’. Explore this unique town - in particular the impressive 15th-century Gothic cathedral - before lunch at a local restaurant. Return to Martina Franca where the afternoon is yours to enjoy as you wish before the late evening performance.

THU 1 AUG A half-day excursion starts with a guided tour of the ancient town of Conversano with its medieval castle and cathedral. This is followed by a short journey to the coastal town of Polignano a Mare which combines charming, whitewashed streets, crystal clear waters and impressive views of the Adriatic Sea. It is the birth place of Domenico Modugno, who wrote the hugely popular song ‘Volare’. After returning to the hotel, the afternoon

and dinner are at leisure before a special evening performance in a local masseria (farmhouse).

FRI 2 AUG Morning transfer to the airport for the homeward flight.

OSTUNI

ALBEROBELLO

PROGRAMME

Tour price includes: Flights and airport taxes, group transfers from and to airport and for included activities where applicable, accommodation, breakfast daily, one dinner, two lunches, wine tasting, sightseeing tours as described including guides and entrance fees, first category ticket for each included performance, opera synopses, restaurant guide and city notes, the service of our local representative or tour manager.

FLIGHTS

British Airways 29 Jul London Gatwick - Bari dep: 07:20 arr: 11:10 2 Aug Bari - London Gatwick dep: 14:00 arr: 15:55Flight schedules are subject to alteration. Flights from other UK airports can be arranged on request.

PRICE (PER PERSON)

Tour price £2000 Club Europe flight upgrade from £350 Land-only tour price £1800 Deposit required £400

30 Jul 21.00 ECUBA Manfroce Inc D: Pier Luigi Pizzi C: Fabio Luisi Cast: tbc Venue: Palazzo Ducale New production

31 Jul 21.00 IL MATRIMONIO SEGRETO Cimarosa Inc D: Pier Luigi Pizzi C: Michele Spotti Cast: tbc Venue: Palazzo Ducale New production

1 AUG 21.00 L’AMMALATO IMMAGINARIO Vinci Inc D: Davide Gasparro C: Sabino Manzo Cast: tbc Venue: tbc New production

opera

POLIGNANO A MARE

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THE ROSSINI OPERA FESTIVAL IN PESARO


13 - 17 August 2019 Tour code: PES1

NEW PRODUCTIONS

This annual Festival is entirely devoted to Pesaro’s most famous son, the composer (and gourmet) Gioachino Rossini. The 2019 Festival offers the opportunity to hear two early works – Demetrio e Polibio and L’equivoco stravagante – both written when Rossini was still a teenager, and the more mature Semiramide – a true gem of bel canto. As ever, Pesaro attracts some of the best singers, conductors and directors in the world of opera.

TUE 13 AUG Arrive late afternoon in Bologna and transfer to Pesaro (approx. 2 hours). Check in at the 4-star Hotel Savoy, situated in the heart of Pesaro, and then enjoy a light dinner in a local restaurant.

WED 14 AUG Join your guide for a morning walking tour ‘in the footsteps of Rossini’. View a section of the 6th-century mosaic floor at the Cathedral before spending time at Casa Rossini, the great composer’s birthplace and now a museum housing a large collection of memorabilia. Lunch and the afternoon at leisure. The performance that evening is a new production of Semiramide, based on Voltaire's tragedy Semiramis, at the Vitrifrigo Arena.

THU 15 AUG Spend the morning discovering the ancient town of Fano. Highlights include the Roman Arch of Augustus, the 12th-century Cathedral, Palazzo del Podestà and the Malatesta tombs. Return to Pesaro for lunch

in a local restaurant. The afternoon is free for independent exploration or relaxation before transferring to Teatro Rossini for Demetrio e Polibio, Rossini's first attempt at a full-scale opera, written when he was still a student.

FRI 16 AUG The day is spent at Rimini, one of Italy’s most famous seaside resorts, replete with ancient Roman and Renaissance monuments. Accompanied by a local guide, visit the city’s Arch of Augustus, Tempio Malatestiano, Bridge of Tiberius, the recently-excavated Surgeon’s House and the City Museum. Lunch in a local restaurant before returning to Pesaro for the evening performance of L'equivoco stravagante (The Curious Misunderstanding), another early work by Rossini.

SAT 17 AUG Spend the morning as you wish and enjoy an independent lunch before transferring to Bologna for the evening flight home.

DEMETRIO E POLIBIO © STUDIO AMATI BACCIARDI

opera


PROGRAMME

14 Aug 19.00 SEMIRAMIDE Rossini Inc D: Graham Vick C: Michele Mariotti Cast includes: Salome Jicia, Varduhi Abrahamyan, Nahuel di Pierro, Antonino Siragusa, Martiniana Antoine, Carlo Cigni, Alessandro Luciano, Sergey Artamonov Venue: Vitrifrigo Arena New production

15 Aug 20.00 DEMETRIO E POLIBIO Rossini Inc D: Davide Livermore C: Paolo Arrivabene Cast includes: Jessica Pratt, Cecilia Molinari, Juan Francisco Gatell, Riccardo Fassi Venue: Teatro Rossini

16 Aug 20.00 L’EQUIVOCO STRAVAGANTE Rossini Inc D: Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier C: Carlo Rizzi Cast includes: Teresa Iervolino, Paolo Bordogna, Davide Luciano, Pavel Kolgatin, Claudia Muschio, Manuel Amati Venue: Vitrifrigo Arena New production

FLIGHTS British Airways13 Aug London Heathrow - Bologna dep: 14.45 arr: 17.5517 Aug Bologna - London Heathrow dep: 18.50 arr: 20.10Flight schedules are subject to alteration. Flights from other UK airports can be arranged on request.

PRICE (PER PERSON)

Tour price £1995 Single room supplement £400 Club Europe flight upgrade from £350 Land-only tour price £1850 Deposit required £450Tour price includes: Flights and airport taxes, group transfers from and to airport and for included activities where applicable, accommodation, breakfast daily, one dinner, two lunches, sightseeing tours as described including guides and entrance fees, first category ticket for each included performance, opera synopses, restaurant guide and city notes, the services of our local representative or tour manager.

BUST OF GIOACHINO ROSSINI CASA ROSSINI


THE SALZBURG FESTIVAL


28 August - 2 September 2019 Tour code: SZG2

NEW PRODUCTIONS

Many of the world’s greatest artists will gather in the city of Mozart to deliver a programme of musical depth and discovery with two new productions: Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, conducted by Valery Gergiev, and Offenbach’s entertaining Orhpée aux Enfers, plus a concert performance of Verdi’s Luisa Miller starring Plácido Domingo, Nino Machaidze and Piotr Beczała. Andris Nelsons conducts the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and pianist Murray Perahia performs with the Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of the legendary Bernard Haitink.

WED 28 AUG Morning arrival in Salzburg and transfer to either the comfortable 4-star Hotel NH Salzburg City or the luxurious 5-star Hotel Bristol, both located in the city centre. Early welcome dinner at the award-winning gourmet restaurant Carpe Diem in the Old Town before the option of the evening’s orchestral performance.

THU 29 AUG Morning excursion to the beautiful Bavarian Alps and Berchtesgaden, a town steeped in myths and legends. Visit the Royal Palace with its antique furniture, exquisite porcelain and paintings and take in the splendid view from the Upper Rose Garden. Lunch is at the nearby spectacular Edelweiss restaurant where you can enjoy haute cuisine and stunning panoramic vistas of the Alps and the imposing Watzmann mountain. Return to Salzburg in the afternoon in time for the opera performance.

FRI 30 AUG A late morning concert performance is followed by an independent lunch and the afternoon at leisure before the opera performance that evening.

SAT 31 AUG A guided walking tour of Salzburg will allow you to visit some of the most important sights of the city such as the Mozarteum, Landestheater, Mirabell Palace and the Cathedral, as well as some lesser-known places of interest. Lunch will be served at restaurant M32 located in the Museum of Modern Art and overlooking the historic district of Salzburg. The afternoon is at leisure before the evening's performance.

SUN 1 SEP This morning there will be backstage tours of the main Festival houses: the Grosses Festspielhaus, Haus für Mozart and the Felsenreitschule, subject to rehearsal

schedules. The afternoon is at leisure to further enjoy this magnificent baroque city. Farewell dinner at the elegant Sacher restaurant.

MON 2 SEP Transfer to the airport for the late morning flight home.

WIENERPHILHARMONIKER © ANNEZEUNER / SALZBURG FESTIVAL

ANDRIS NELSONS © MARCO BORGGREVE

opera & classical music

PROGRAMME

28 Aug 21.00 GEWANDHAUSORCHESTER Inc LEIPZIG C: Andris Nelsons Programme: Bruckner - Symphony No. 8 in C minor Venue: Grosses Festspielhaus

29 Aug 19.00 SIMON BOCCANEGRA Verdi Inc D: Andreas Kriegenburg C: Valery Gergiev Cast: Luca Salsi, Marina Rebeka, René Pape, Charles Castronovo, André Heyboer, Antonio Di Matteo Venue: Grosses Festspielhaus New production

30 Aug 11.00 VIENNA PHILHARMONIC Inc C: Bernard Haitink Piano: Murray Perahia Programme: Beethoven - Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 4 in G, Op. 58 Bruckner - Symphony No. 7 in E Venue: Grosses Festspielhaus

30 Aug 19:00 ORPHÉE AUX ENFERS Offenbach Inc D: Barrie Kosky C: Enrique Mazzola Cast: Marcel Beekman, Martin Winkler, Joel Prieto, Kathryn Lewek, Max Hopp, Anne Sofie von Otter, Peter Renz, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya, Frances Pappas, Lea Desandre, Nadine Weissman Venue: Haus für Mozart New production

31 Aug 19.00 LUISA MILLER Verdi Inc C: James Conlon Cast: Nino Machaidze, Piotr Beczała, Plácido Domingo, Roberto Tagliavini, John Relyea, Teresa Iervolino Venue: Grosses Festspielhaus Concert performance

FLIGHTS British Airways28 Aug London Gatwick - Salzburg dep: 06.45 arr: 09.452 Sep Salzburg - London Gatwick dep: 11.40 arr: 12.40Flight schedules are subject to alteration. Flights from other UK airports can be arranged on request.

PRICE (PER PERSON)

Tour price (4-star Hotel NH Salzburg City) £3325 Single room supplement £490 Tour price (5-star Hotel Bristol) £3925 Single room supplement £500 Club Europe flight upgrade from £300 Land-only discount £230 Deposit required £1000

*High deposit due to great demand for tickets. Deposits will only be refunded if we are unsuccessful in obtaining tickets for our included performances.

Tour price includes: Flights and airport taxes, group transfers from and to airport and for included activities where applicable, accommodation, breakfast daily, two dinners, two lunches, sightseeing tours as described including guides and entrance fees, first or second category ticket for each included performance, opera synopses, restaurant guide and city notes, the services of our local representative or tour manager.

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MUSIC AND MORE IN MILAN


24 - 27 October 2019 Tour code: MIL1

NEW PRODUCTION

Immerse yourself in the world of opera, ballet, theatre and musicality in this cultural city. At the famed Teatro alla Scala enjoy a night at the ballet Onegin, and a new production of Handel’s Giulio Cesare performed on historical instruments with Cecilia Bartoli, Bejun Mehta and Philippe Jaroussky in the leading roles. This tour also includes private visits to the Ricordi Archive, one of the world’s most important private music collections, Casa Verdi, a concert at the Villa of Lost Sounds in Briosco and a demonstration of various Stradivarii instruments at the Violin Museum in Cremona.

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THU 24 OCT Arrive at noon at Milan Malpensa airport and transfer (approx. 1 hour) to the 4-star Hotel Cavour, situated in one of the most elegant parts of Milan and just a short walk to Teatro alla Scala. Spend the afternoon at leisure before dinner in a local restaurant.

FRI 25 OCT Today is a special tour dedicated to opera and Verdi. Start with a private visit to the Ricordi Archive and study the manuscript scores, libretti, designs, letters and photographs that form the historic legacy of this hugely-important publishing house. Continue to the Teatro alla Scala museum to discover numerous treasures of the world of Italian opera and theatre and finish the tour with a private visit to Casa Verdi, home to retired musicians and opera singers founded by Verdi himself, and the resting place of the great composer and his wife Giuseppina Strepponi. The rest of the day is at leisure before the evening’s opera performance.

SAT 26 OCT Travel the short distance to Monza for a guided tour of the 14th-century Cathedral

with its black and white marble façade and adjacent campanile. Inside the Cathedral is the Zavattari chapel, dedicated to a family of local painters, which contains the legendary Iron Crown, supposedly cast from a nail taken from the Cross of Christ. Of particular note are the recently-renovated frescoes by the Zavattari brothers in the Theodelinda Chapel. Walk to Villa Reale where you will have lunch and time to relax in this stunningly beautiful Royal Palace. You will then transfer the short distance to Briosco and a private tour of the Villa of Lost Sounds which houses a collection of historic keyboard instruments. Enjoy a short concert before returning to Milan in time for the ballet performance that evening.

SUN 27 OCT Check-out and transfer to Cremona, the City of Violins, where you will have a guided tour of the Violin Museum with a demonstration on ancient instruments made by the famed craftsman Antonio Stradivarius. Lunch will be in a local restaurant before the early evening flight home.

TEATRO ALLA SCALA

PROGRAMME AT TEATRO ALLA SCALA

Tour price includes: Flights and airport taxes, group transfers from and to airport and for included activities where applicable, accommodation, breakfast daily, one dinner, two lunches, sightseeing tours as described including guides and entrance fees, first category ticket for each included performance, opera and ballet synopses, restaurant guide and city notes, the service of our local representative or tour manager.

FLIGHTS

British Airways 24 Oct London Heathrow - Milan Malpensa dep: 09:20 arr: 12:20 27 Oct Milan Malpensa - London Heathrow dep: 18:45 arr: 19:50Flight schedules are subject to alteration. Flights from other UK airports can be arranged on request.

PRICE (PER PERSON)

Tour price £1995 Single room supplement £210 Club Europe flight upgrade from £350 Land-only tour price £1875 Deposit required £400

25 Oct 19.30 GIULIO CESARE Handel Inc D: Robert Carsen C: Giovanni Antonini Cast includes: Cecilia Bartoli, Philippe Jaroussky, Bejun Mehta, Sara Mingardo, Christian Senn, Renato Dolcini New production

26 Oct 20.00 ONEGIN Inc Choreography: John Cranko Music: Tchaikovsky

CECILIA BARTOLI

VILLA REALE

VIOLIN MUSEUM

opera & ballet


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A WORLD PREMIERE AT WEXFORD


28 October - 1 November 2019 Tour code: WEX1

WORLD PREMIERE | NEW PRODUCTIONS

It is always a pleasure to return to Wexford and its annual opera festival. With the focus on little-known operas, this year’s programme includes new productions of Massenet’s Don Quichotte and Vivaldi’s Dorilla in Tempe. A festival highlight is the World Premiere of La cucina, an opera by Irish composer Andrew Synnott with a libretto by Wexford’s Artistic Director-designate Rosetta Cucchi. This will be performed alongside Rossini’s one-act opera Adina in a delightful production first seen at the Rossini Opera Festival in 2018.

MON 28 OCT Mid-afternoon arrival at Dublin airport and transfer via coach to Wexford (approx. 2 hours). Check in at the 4-star Talbot Hotel, ideally located overlooking the River Slaney in the heart of the town. Welcome drinks and canapés at the hotel with the rest of the evening at leisure.

TUE 29 OCT Meet your guide this morning for a fascinating and informative walking tour of Wexford. Vikings, Normans, soldiers, sailors, pirates, prisoners, monks and martyrs have all contributed to the rich and often turbulent history of this now peaceful and prosperous town. At the end of the tour, there will be a welcome lunch in a local restaurant. In the early evening there is the opportunity to attend a pre-performance talk before the opera.

WED 30 OCT A half-day excursion to the medieval city of Kilkenny, famous for its festivals, bustling crafts industry, cobbled lanes, secret passages

and majestic 12th-century castle. After lunch in a local restaurant, return to Wexford to spend the afternoon as you wish before the optional pre-opera talk and evening performance.

THU 31 OCT Join your guide for a visit to the nearby town of New Ross to see the extraordinary Ros Tapestries - a modern-day Bayeux Tapestry depicting events around the Anglo-Norman arrival in the South-East of Ireland - created by teams of local skilled embroiderers since 1998. This is followed by a visit to the Dunbrody Irish Emigrant Experience which tells the story of Irish emigration and the many people who chose to leave their country for a new life across the ocean. Return to Wexford for a free afternoon before the optional pre-performance talk and that evening’s World Premiere and companion piece.

FRI 1 NOV Transfer to Dublin airport for the homeward flight.

WEXFORD

ADINA © AMATI-BACCIARDI & ROSSINI OPERA FESTIVAL

PROGRAMME AT THE NATIONAL OPERA HOUSE

Tour price includes: Flights and airport taxes, group transfers from and to airport and for included activities where applicable, accommodation, breakfast daily, welcome drink and canapés, two lunches, sightseeing tours as described including guides and entrance fees, best available ticket for each included performance, opera synopses, restaurant guide and city notes, the service of our local representative or tour manager.

FLIGHTS

British Airways 28 Oct London Heathrow - Dublin dep: 13.20 arr: 14.45 1 Nov Dublin - London Heathrow dep: 15.30 arr: 16.50Flight schedules are subject to alteration. Flights from other UK airports can be arranged on request.

PRICE (PER PERSON)


29 Oct 20.00 DON QUICHOTTE Massenet Inc D: Rodula Gaitanou C: Timothy Myers Cast: tbc New production

30 Oct 20.00 DORILLA IN TEMPE Vivaldi Inc D: Fabio Ceresa C: Andrea Marchiol Cast: tbc New production

31 Oct 20.00 LA CUCINA Synnott / ADINA Rossini Inc D: Rosetta Cucchi C: Michele Spoiit Cast includes: Rachel Kelly World Premiere

Please note that full casting and tickets will be confirmed in mid-April.

opera


WEXFORD

7

RARE DONIZETTI IN BERGAMO


20 - 24 November 2019 Tour code: DON1

NEW DESTINATION | NEW PRODUCTIONS WORLD PREMIERE STAGING

Welcome to Donizetti Opera, an international festival dedicated to the prolific composer who was born and died in Bergamo. The 5th festival offers three rarely-performed operas by Donizetti: the World Premiere staging of L’ange de Nisida, an opera believed lost until recently, a new critical edition of one of the composer’s most loved works Lucrezia Borgia and Pietro il Grande, based on an apocryphal incident during the travels of Tsar Peter the Great.

WED 20 NOV Early afternoon arrival in Milan and transfer by coach to Bergamo (approx. 1 hour). Check-in at the 4-star Hotel NH Bergamo, followed by a welcome dinner in a local restaurant.

THU 21 NOV Take the funicular this morning with your guide to the upper part of this charming city. From the beautiful Piazza Vecchia - the historic heart of the Upper Town - you will visit the imposing Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore where Donizetti is buried, the Colleoni Chapel and the Sant’Alessandro Cathedral and its treasures. The last stop is the Donizetti Museum where the words and music of the composer will be your guide. Lunch in a local restaurant then take the funicular back to the hotel. The afternoon is at leisure before the evening performance.

FRI 22 NOV This morning visit Bergamo Bassa where sights include the exterior of the Teatro Donizetti and the adjacent monument to Donizetti.

You will also visit the Accademia Carrara, an Academy of Fine Arts and art gallery which houses works by Botticelli, Mantegna and Titian. The rest of the day is free before the opera that evening.

SAT 23 NOV Today is a full-day excursion outside of the city. Stop first at Franciacorta, a small wine-producing area which is developing a reputation for its high-quality sparkling wines. Sample some of these special bubbles – considered by many as Italy’s answer to Champagne – then continue to the medieval town of Iseo on the southern shore of Lake Iseo. Visits will include the 11th-century Oldofredi Castle, the sanctuary of Our Lady of the Snow and Piazza Garibaldi, the site of the first monument ever built to Giuseppe Garibaldi. Farewell lunch in a local restaurant before returning to Bergamo in time for the final opera performance.

SUN 24 NOV Morning at leisure before transferring by coach to Milan for the homeward flight.

BERGAMO

PROGRAMME

Tour price includes: Flights and airport taxes, group transfers from and to airport and for included activities where applicable, accommodation, breakfast daily, one dinner, two lunches, wine tasting, sightseeing tours as described including guides and entrance fees, first category ticket for each included performance, opera synopses, restaurant guide and city notes, the service of our local representative or tour manager.

FLIGHTS

British Airways 20 Nov London Heathrow - Milan Linate dep: 10:50 arr: 13:45 24 Nov Milan Linate - London Heathrow dep: 15:35 arr: 16:40Flight schedules are subject to alteration. Flights from other UK airports can be arranged on request.

PRICE (PER PERSON)


21 Nov 20.30 L’ANGE DE NISIDA Donizetti Inc D: Francesco Micheli

C: tbc Cast: tbc Venue: tbc World Premiere staging

22 Nov 21.00 LUCREZIA BORGIA Donizetti Inc D: tbc C: Riccardo Frizza Cast: tbc Venue: Teatro Sociale New production

23 Nov 20.30 PIETRO IL GRANDE Donizetti Inc D: tbc C: tbc Cast: tbc Venue: Teatro Sociale New production

Full casting to be confirmed in due course.

TEATRO SOCIALE MONUMENT TO GAETANO DONIZETTI

opera



BUENOS AIRES AND BEYOND


28 November - 9 December 2019 Tour code: BUE1

NEW DESTINATION | NEW PRODUCTION LATIN AMERICAN PREMIERE

A journey of a lifetime is to be had on this exciting new tour to South America. Start in Buenos Aires, a city that combines faded European grandeur with Latin passion, then travel to Tigre, the ‘Venice of Argentina’. Head to the pampas for a unique ‘gaucho’ experience and later cross the Rio de la Plata for a day in the small, yet beautiful historical town of Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. No visit to this vibrant part of the world would be complete without an evening of Tango and a visit to one of the most important opera houses in the world, the Teatro Colón, where so many singers of the ‘Golden Age’ of opera made their careers.

THU 28 NOV Overnight flight to Buenos Aires.

FRI 29 NOV Arrival and transfer (approx. 1 hour) for check-in at the 4-star Carles Hotel, situated in the elegant area of Recoleta with its stunning architecture, boutiques and art galleries. Rest and relax before a welcome dinner in a nearby restaurant.

SAT 30 NOV Join your guide this morning for a tour of Argentina’s capital city, the 'Paris of South America'. Brave the widest street in the world then explore the important Plaza de Mayo with its iconic pink government house. Soak up the historic atmosphere in the Italian barrios and continue to the modern area of Puerto Madero. Lunch and the afternoon are at leisure before the excitement of the evening’s entertainment at El Querandí where you will dine in real Argentinian style and be introduced to the history of Tango.

SUN 1 DEC Leave Buenos Aires and travel to the nearby town of Tigre, a popular weekend destination for those wishing to escape city life. Take a private boat to best experience this watery world of islands and small rivers, with stilt houses, old mansions and aristocratic rowing clubs. Stop at the Tigre Art Museum, housed in a stunning belle-époque building before lunch at the charming Villa Julia. Return to Buenos Aires and the evening at leisure.

MON 2 DEC Spend the morning as you wish before the afternoon tour of Recoleta and its famous cemetery, the burial place of many of the country's leaders and cultural figures, including Evita Perón. End the tour with tea at the traditional and popular café La Biela. The rest of the day is at leisure.

TUE 3 DEC Travel to one of the oldest estancias in Argentina and immerse yourself in the life of a gaucho. Stop en route at the town of San Antonio

de Areco, renowned for its silversmiths, and witness one of these skilled craftsmen at work. After welcome drinks and traditional empanadas at the ranch, enjoy a folk show and taste a true Argentinian asado (barbeque). There will be time to relax and have tea and cakes before the return to Buenos Aires.

WED 4 DEC Discover further aspects of Buenos Aires on this second city tour. Start at Palermo Woods - the lungs of the city - and continue to the majestic Barrio Parque. A highlight will be a backstage tour of the architecturally impressive Teatro Colón, where you will walk in the footsteps of Caruso and Callas, Nijinksy and Nureyev, Saint-Saëns and Strauss. The rest of the day is at leisure before the Latin American Premiere that evening.

THU 5 DEC This morning starts with a visit to the museum of modern Latin American art. Considered the country’s best museum, this bold contemporary construction houses some of the most avant-garde and revolutionary modern art in the world, including works by Frida Khalo and Diego Rivera. Move on to the Evita Museum for a fascinating insight into Argentina's most famous first lady. Lunch will be in a local restaurant with the rest of the day at leisure.

FRI 6 DEC Take a ferry across the Rio de la Plata to the historic town of Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay. Wander the winding cobbled streets of this quaint colonial town and enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. Spend time at leisure before the return ferry to Buenos Aires.

SAT 7 DEC Today is free for you to explore the city further or do some last-minute shopping. Farewell lunch at El Federal, a restaurant which showcases dishes from many different parts of Argentina. Take

time to rest and relax before the evening’s opera performance at the Teatro Colón.

SUN 8 DEC Check-out and transfer to the airport for the flight home.

MON 9 DEC Early morning arrival in London.

TEATRO COLÓN

PROGRAMME

Tour price includes: Flights and airport taxes, group transfers from and to airport and for included activities where applicable, accommodation, breakfast daily, two dinners, five lunches, two teas, welcome drinks and empanadas, sightseeing tours as described including guides and entrance fees, first category ticket for each included performance, opera synopses, restaurant guide and city notes, the service of our local representative or tour manager.

FLIGHTS

British Airways 28 Nov London Heathrow - Buenos Aires dep: 22:10 arr: 09:05 (+1) 8 Dec Buenos Aires - London Heathrow dep: 14:20 arr: 06:35 (+1)Flight schedules are subject to alteration. Flights from other UK airports can be arranged on request.

PRICE (PER PERSON)

Tour price £3395 Single room supplement £675 Premium Economy upgrade from £450 Land-only tour price £2600 Deposit required £600

4 Dec 20.00 MITRIDATE, RE DI PONTO Mozart Inc D: Julián Ignacio Garcés C: Ulises Maino Cast: Santiago Martínez, Constanza Díaz Falú, Florencia Burgardt, Martín Oro, María Goso Venue: Theatre 25 de Mayo Latin American Premiere

7 Dec 20.00 THE TALES OF HOFFMANN Offenbach Inc D: Eugenio Zanetti C: Enrique Arturo Diemecke Cast: Darío Schmunck, Fernando Radó, Oriana Favaro, Guadalupe Barrientos, Paula Almerares, Adriana Mastrángelo Venue: Teatro Colón New production

Please note that tickets will be confirmed in late summer.

opera

Tel: 020 8799 8350 | Email: [email protected] | www.travelforthearts.com8


PATAGONIABased in El Calafate, a small town on the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, you will witness the wonders of this region’s extraordinary landscape with its many majestic glaciers.

DAY 1 Fly to El Calafete and check-in at the boutique Hotel Patagonia Queen, a short distance from Lake Argentino.

DAY 2 Join your guide for a full-day excursion to Los Glaciares National Park, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site owing to its breathtaking natural beauty. A highlight will be a boat trip to the front of the famous and spectacular Perito Moreno glacier.

DAY 3 Spend the day on Lake Argentino with a boat cruise from Puerto Bandera towards Upsala glacier, the largest in South America. Continue to Bahía Onelli, where you will disembark and walk through the impressive woodland till you reach Lake Onelli and the Agassiz, Onelli and Bolados glaciers. Back on board to the Spegazzini glacier before returning to the hotel.

DAY 4 Transfer to El Calafete airport.

IGUAZÚ FALLSThe sight and sound of Iguazú Falls is truly astonishing and awe-inspiring. Prepare to be impressed by the world’s largest waterfalls, one of the wonders of the natural world.

DAY 1 Fly to Iguazú and transfer to the 5-star Loi Suites Hotel, located on the banks of the river Iguazú.

DAY 2 Join your guide for a full day at Iguazú National Park. Enter the rainforest by the Yacaratiá trail and head to Puerto Macuco from where you will take a boat towards the waterfalls. At Tres Mosqueteros, you will see the falls of both the Argentine and Brazilian sides crowned by the view of the tallest waterfall, the Devil’s Throat. Another highlight is the incomparable San Martín waterfall. Return to Puerto Macuco for the drive back to the hotel.

DAY 3 Transfer to Iguazú airport.

MENDOZALocated near the Andes Mountains in western Argentina, Mendoza is renowned for its wine production, in particular the Malbec grape variety. An oenophile’s dream, several wine routes connect the area’s many bodegas.

DAY 1 Fly to Mendoza and check-in at the Posada Verde Oliva, surrounded by vineyards and olive trees.

DAY 2 A full day in the Valle de Uco, a prominent wine-growing region, with the opportunity to taste a variety of wines, in particular the locally-renowned Malbec. Travel along the ‘Wine Road’, past numerous vineyards and wineries towards the town of Tupungato with views of the snow-capped Tupungato Volcano and the Andes Mountains.

DAY 3 A half day visit to the Luján and Maipú wineries with wine-tasting at each.

DAY 4 Transfer to Mendoza airport.

For those wishing to further their exploration of Argentina, Travel for the Arts is delighted to offer the possibility of three additional tours on request:

SAN ANTONIO DE ARECO

CAMINITO


PRE/POST TOURS

opera

9


NEW RING CYCLE IN CHICAGO


26 April - 5 May 2020 Tour code: CHI1

NEW DESTINATION | MATINEE PERFORMANCES

An absolute must for Wagner lovers is the new Ring cycle at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Music director Sir Andrew Davis conducts a superlative cast of great Wagnerian singers that includes Christine Goerke as Brünnhilde and Eric Owens as Wotan/Wanderer. We have carefully selected matinee performances for you and arranged a special talk by Roger Pines, a regular panelist on the Met’s Opera Quiz. In addition, there will be an opportunity to attend a discussion with select members of the cast. Beyond Valhalla, the city and outskirts of Chicago await discovery.

SUN 26 APR Arrive mid-afternoon and transfer to the 4-star Kimpton Gray Hotel in downtown Chicago, a short walk from the Lyric. The hotel boasts stunning Georgia Gray marble throughout and is the ultimate in chic - including its daily complimentary wine hour. Enjoy welcome appetizers and the evening at leisure.

MON 27 APR Start the day with a backstage tour of Lyric Opera of Chicago, the second largest opera house in the United States with stunning art deco interior. Independent lunch before the matinee performance of the first part of this highly-anticipated Ring cycle. Dinner that evening at a local restaurant.

TUE 28 APR Join your guide this morning to explore Chicago’s ‘Cultural Mile’. Stop first at the Art Institute of Chicago, one of the world’s great art museums with its wide-ranging collection of art work, including the iconic ‘American Gothic’, then stroll along Millennium Park, an award-winning centre for art, music, landscape and architecture. Finish the

tour at the Cultural Center which houses the largest Tiffany glass dome. The rest of the day is free to further explore this architecturally-inspiring city.

WED 29 APR Roger Pines, dramaturg at Lyric Opera and a leading light on opera, will give a unique talk focusing on highlights of this new Ring cycle. This talk has been specially devised for Travel for the Arts clients. There will be time for a quick independent lunch before Die Walküre. The evening is at leisure.

THU 30 APR Attend a noon-time discussion at the Lyric with Sir Andrew Davis and select cast members. In the afternoon take a boat along the Chicago River and witness a floating view of the many skyscrapers and buildings that have made Chicago the home of modern American architecture. This is followed by a visit to the Architecture Center with numerous exhibits devoted to celebrating architectural innovation. Dinner and the evening at leisure.

FRI 1 MAY Today is the matinee performance of Siegfried with the rest of the day free for shopping or further sightseeing.

SAT 2 MAY Morning transfer to Oak Park. America’s best-known architect Frank Lloyd Wright lived and worked in this Chicago neighbourhood for 20 years. You will have a private guided tour of both his home and studio as well as the local area which has the world’s largest collection of buildings designed by Wright. Return to the hotel with time to rest before dinner in a local restaurant.

SUN 3 MAY Enjoy a light lunch before the fourth and final installment of the Ring cycle. The rest of the day is at leisure.

MON 4 MAY Check out and transfer to the airport for the homeward flight.

TUE 5 MAY Early morning arrival in London.

DIE WALKÜRE © CORY WEAVER

CHICAGO

PROGRAMME AT LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO

Tour price includes: Flights and airport taxes, group transfers from and to airport and for included activities where applicable, accommodation, breakfast daily, two dinners, one lunch, sightseeing tours as described including guides and entrance fees, main floor prime seats for each included performance, introductory talk, discussion, opera synopses, restaurant guide and city notes, the service of our local representative or tour manager.

FLIGHTS

British Airways 26 Apr London Heathrow – Chicago O’Hare dep: 12:15 arr: 15:05 4 May Chicago O’Hare - London Heathrow dep: 17:05 arr: 06:50 (+1)Flight schedules are subject to alteration. Flights from other UK airports can be arranged on request.

PRICE (PER PERSON)

Tour price £4695 Single room supplement £800 World Traveller Plus upgrade from £995 Business Class upgrade from £3795 Land-only tour price £4195 Deposit required £1200*High deposit due to great demand for tickets.

27 Apr 14.00 DAS RHEINGOLD Wagner Inc

29 Apr 14.00 DIE WALKÜRE Wagner Inc

1 May 14.00 SIEGFRIED Wagner Inc

3 May 14.30 GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG Wagner Inc

D: David Pountney C: Sir Andrew Davis Cast includes: Christine Goerke, Burkhard Fritz, Eric Owens, Samuel Youn, Tanja Ariane Baumgartner, Brandon Jovanovich, Laura Wilde, Stephen Milling, Ronnita Miller, Robert Brubaker, Matthias Klink, Soloman Howard, Henning von Schulman

New Cycle

ring cycle



THE MUSIC OF THE GANGES


31 October - 9 November 2019 Tour code: GAN1

INDEPENDENT TRAVEL | SINGLE SUPPLEMENT ONLY IN THE HOTEL

Receive old-world service aboard the family-owned river boat RV Bengal Ganga when you join Tony and Annie Hastings on a musical journey along the holiest river in India and its tributaries, the Hooghly and Bhagirathi rivers. Your guest lecturer is the distinguished conductor Manvinder Rattan who will offer a gentle introduction to Indian music, accompanied by a variety of thrilling onboard performances by local artists. You will experience sights and sounds that are beyond the normal tourist trail and develop a unique personal perspective on Indian culture and its fascinating history.

THU 31 OCT Independent arrival in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) and transfer to the spacious and elegant RV Bengal Ganga, a classic river boat and your home for the next seven days. After dinner, you will be treated to a Bengali classical dance performance.

FRI 1 NOV Early morning coach tour of Kolkata. Start at Dalhousie Square, home to several colonial heritage monuments, before heading to St. John’s Church and the Victoria Memorial. Return to the boat for lunch and the start of your upstream journey. After dinner there will be a talk on Kalna’s Tantric temples.

SAT 2 NOV The morning is in Kalna. Take a rickshaw to the Rajbari temple complex, which contains a unique mixture of Bengal’s temple architecture. Return to the riverboat for lunch and travel to Matiari. In the evening there will be a performance of Baol music by local artists.

SUN 3 NOV Take an excursion to Matiari, known for the manufacture of handcrafted brass and copper items. Stroll through the village and witness a variety of brass-working processes, then return to the boat and cruise towards Khushbagh, a charming shore-side village.

MON 4 NOV Pre-breakfast visit to Khushbagh and the chance to visit the mosque complex. Later there is an excursion to Baranagar and the famous Char Bangla Temple, dedicated to Shiva by the Queen of Natore, with scenes from Hindu epics depicted in terracotta on the temple walls. Visit the Jain Temples at Azimgani, followed by lunch in a recently-restored mansion house. Return to the boat and travel to Murshidabad, rich in colonial architecture. Ride by tongas to and from the impressive Katra Mosque. The performance that night is Qawwali, a form of Sufi devotional music.

TUE 5 NOV After breakfast walk to the Hazarduari Palace Museum which has more than 1000 real and false doors and a wide collection of antiquities including paintings, statues, manuscripts and palanquins. Return to the boat for the rest of the day at leisure before the evening lecture on the history, religious significance and wildlife of the 'Mother Ganges'.

WED 6 NOV Enjoy a cooking demonstration by the onboard Chef, followed by lunch. Afternoon excursion to Bandel, a region that played an important role in the Indian Independence Movement and visit the Hooghly Imambara, one of the famous pilgrimage centres in West Bengal. Ride on electric rickshaws to Chandernagore and explore the colonial buildings of this former French colony. Return to the boat to commence the return to Kolkata. Evening performance of Rabindra Sangeet, a colonial art form, followed by a farewell dinner.

THU 7 NOV Early morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Varanasi, the holiest town for Hindus. Drive to Sarnath and stop at the Archeological Museum, home to a large collection of sculptures that stand testimony to the artistic and religious activity of more than 1000 years. Check-in at the Taj Gateway Hotel. After lunch ride a cycle rickshaw

Tour price includes: seven nights full-board accommodation on board RV Bengal Ganga, complimentary tea, coffee and mineral water, complimentary Indian soft drinks, one pint of local beer at lunch and two glasses of local wine at dinner, two nights full-board hotel accommodation in Varanasi, sharing a twin or double room, all shore excursions, entrances, lectures and performances as listed in the itinerary. One-way economy class airfare Kolkata/Varanasi.

PRICE (PER PERSON)

Tour price £3800 Single room supplement £130 Deposit required £500Please note that international flights are not included in the price of the tour.

hastings horizons


through the old part of the city. Continue on foot to the Ghats (riverbank) and later witness the evening ‘Aarti’ ritual on the Ganges by boat. This is followed by dinner in the hotel.

FRI 8 NOV Arise at dawn for a boat tour on the Ganges and experience the rituals performed at sunrise. Lunch in the hotel is followed by a visit to the house of a music family, traditionally known as 'gharana' for a classical Raga performance. Transfer by boat to the Peshwa Haveli mansion for a farewell dinner, accompanied by a show introducing various forms of Indian classical dance along with a performance of Bharatnatyam, regarded as the mother of all Indian classical dance forms.

SAT 9 NOV Independent departure with breakfast and lunch provided at the hotel.


On these pages we offer a reminder of current tours on sale which still have some availability. Please see our website www.travelforthearts.com for more details, and telephone us on +44 20 8799 8350 or email [email protected] to reserve your place.

Remember we can book from local airports - please

contact us for a quote.

2019 SPRING, SUMMER & AUTUMN TOURS WITH AVAILABILITY

FROM£1695

per personOPERA AND ZARZUELA IN BILBAO20 – 24 May 2019 Tour Code: BIO1

Famed for its Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Gehry, this Basque city has so much more to offer such as the 14th-century Cathedral and Fine Arts Museum. Visit Gernika, a town that has risen from the ashes and tragic wartime history to become a universal symbol of peace. Attend Bizet’s opera Les Pêcheurs de Perles, with an outstanding cast that includes tenor Javier Camarena and baritone Mariusz Kwiecień, plus a night of Zarzuela.

Tour highlights:• 5-star accommodation at the boutique

Hotel Ercilla López de Haro, situated just a 10-minute walk to the Guggenheim Museum

• Walking tour of the Old Town of Bilbao, guided visit to the Guggenheim Museum, half-day excursion to the Basque town of Gernika, plus a night of Zarzuela

• First category ticket for two performances, including a new production

FROM£1950

per personARTS AND CULTURE IN MINSK26 - 31 May 2019 Tour Code: MSQ1

Welcome to Minsk, the capital city of Belarus, situated on the banks of the Svisloch river and a new destination which we think will educate and enthrall. Once a thriving artistic city, much of Minsk was tragically razed to the ground during World War II. However, the city has recently been restored to its former glory and today boasts a blend of architectural styles, fountains, parks and verdant boulevards. We have planned sightseeing tours in and around the city including two World Heritage Sites and a visit to one of the most grandiose defense museums in Eastern Europe. There are also three performances at the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus, an architectural landmark in Minsk, with Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite, a balletic retelling of Bizet’s opera, a particular delight.

Tour highlights:• No single supplement• 5-star accommodation at the Hotel

Europe, conveniently located in the heart of the city

• Tour of Minsk, including Independence Square, The National Library and Trinity Suburb, and the Upper Town, an excursion to the Stalin Line Historical and Cultural Complex, and a full-day excursion to Nesvizh and Mir

• First category ticket for three performances

FROM£1360

per personOPERA AND BALLET IN RIGA24 – 27 May 2019 Tour Code: RIX1

Known for its architectural legacy, Riga boasts the largest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe, and its Old Town is listed in UNESCO’s prestigious World Heritage List. At the neo-classical Opera House, French director Vincent Boussard brings Poulenc’s powerful opera Dialogues des Carmélites to the Latvian National Opera stage for the first time. This is paired with the Ballet Company’s award-winning production of La Bayadère.

Tour highlights:• No single supplement• 5-star accommodation at the luxurious

Grand Poet Hotel, located in the city centre and a 3 minute walk to the Old Town

• Walking tour of the Old Town of Riga including the Dome Cathedral, Riga Castle, St Peter’s Church, House of the Blackheads and a day's excursion to Gauja, the National Park in Sigulda

• First category ticket for two performances, including a new production

FROM£1575

per personBLACKWATER VALLEY OPERA FESTIVAL30 May – 2 June 2019 Tour Code: ORK1

Breathtaking locations, historic venues, landscapes, gardens, music, food and wine all contribute to make this “Ireland’s most beautiful summer music festival”. The opening celebratory Gala concert presents a programme by Brahms and Irish composers. Two of Ireland’s rising stars, baritone Gavan Ring and mezzo-soprano Sinéad O’Kelly, join the Zurich International Opera Studio for a recital and a new production of Donizetti’s buffa opera Don Pasquale is set in the stableyard of Lismore Castle. Enjoy The Sleeping Queen, an operetta by Irish composer Michael William Balfe with short pre-opera talk from Una Hunt.

Tour highlights:• 5-star accommodation at the Fota Island

Hotel and Resort, located in the heart of a stunning 780-acre state just minutes away from Cork city

• Picnic lunch at Dromore Yard, travel to the beautiful surroundings of Lismore Castle on the shores of the Blackwater River, guided tour of the Jameson Distillery in Midleton and a visit to the Titanic Experience

• First category ticket for four performances, including a new production and new talent


BOOK NOW TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENTFROM

£1525per person

Tour highlights:• 5-star accommodation at the Hotel Le

Regina in the heart of Warsaw’s Old Town• Walking tour of the city along the Royal

Route, visit to the baroque-style Royal Castle, full-day excursion to Chopin’s birthplace in Zelazowa Wola and Nieborów, and a visit to the Fryderyk Chopin Museum

• First category ticket for two performances

CHOPIN AND BALLET IN WARSAW27 June – 1 July 2019 Tour Code: WAW1

Immerse yourself in Polish culture during this wonderful long weekend in and around Warsaw. As well as being introduced to a very special city via its beautiful Royal Route and unique Old Town (now a UNESCO World Heritage Site), an excursion outside of the city allows you to appreciate the captivating landscapes which so inspired Poland’s great pianist and composer Fryderyk Chopin. Attend a private piano recital with music by Chopin in one of Warsaw’s many magnificent palaces and experience an exciting new staging of Swan Lake in which the black swan is represented by the legendary prima ballerina assoluta Mathilde Kschessinska.

FROM£2095

per person

FROM£2250

per person

Tour highlights:• 4-star accommodation at the centrally-

located Hotel Sina Maria Luigia• Sightseeing trips, including a visit to the

Baptistry and the 12th-century Romanesque cathedral, a tour to Villa Verdi in Sant’Agata, the composer’s home for many years and Verdi’s birthplace in Le Roncole, along with a visit to Casa Barezzi in Busseto

• First category ticket for three performances, including new productions with one being optional

• Backstage tour of the Teatro Regio for a behind-the-scenes glimpse

Tour highlights:• Accommodation at Hartwell House & Spa,

one of England’s fine stately homes• Private visit to the Getty Library with

a gourmet picnic in the grounds of Wormsley Estate, and an independent visit to Blenheim Palace, birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill

• First category ticket for three performances, including new productions and a UK Stage Premiere

THE VERDI FESTIVAL IN PARMA2 – 6 October 2019 Tour Code: PMF1

The food capital of Italy, Parma is also a city of art and great music. Its annual Verdi Festival offers an insight into the life and works of its local and much-loved composer, Giuseppe Verdi. Hear the famous Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves in Nabucco, the triumphal March from Aida and the romantic drama of Luisa Miller in three stunning theatrical venues.

GARSINGTON OPERA AND THE GETTY LIBRARY18 – 22 July 2019 Tour Code: GAR1

Escape to the country and celebrate 30 years of Garsington Opera in style with three new productions, including the UK Stage Premiere of Fantasio, presented especially for Offenbach’s bicentenary. This wonderful long weekend also offers an occasion to visit the magnificent Blenheim Palace plus the privileged opportunity to view Sir Paul Getty’s unparalleled collection of books dating from the 7th to the 20th century.

FROM£2275

per person

FROM£1835

per person

FROM£1395

per person

OUTSTANDING ARTISTS AT THE ENESCU FESTIVAL IN BUCHAREST10 – 14 September 2019 Tour Code: BUC1

As well as visiting Romania’s capital city of Bucharest and beautiful mountain resort of Sinaia, this tour offers the opportunity to hear great orchestras and musicians. Sir Bryn Terfel sings a special programme of Wagnerian arias and traditional song, cellist Gautier Capuçon and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes all perform at the George Enescu Festival, themed ‘The World in Harmony’. There is a possibility of meeting the charismatic violinist and conductor Maxim Vengerov, one of the greatest artists on the concert platform today.

SWISS ALPS CLASSICS FESTIVAL28 June – 1 July 2019 Tour Code: SWI1

Experience the beauty of the Swiss Alps in the height of summer with three concerts at the Swiss Alps Classics Festival in the historic village of Andermatt. Established to celebrate the symbolism of the historic Gotthard region, source of great fascination to historic figures such as Goethe, Schiller and French writer Lamartine, this year’s festival presents performances by Christian Flury and soprano Marisol Montalvo.

Tour highlights:• 5-star accommodation at the Radisson Blu,

located within a short distance on foot to the Romanian Athenauem

• Walking tour of the Old Town, a full day tour to the town and mountain resort of Sinaia and a visit to the George Enescu Memorial House


Tour highlights:• 4-star accommodation at the Radisson

Blu Hotel Reussen, located in the heart of the village

• Walking tour of Andermatt, trip to the San Gottardo Museum and a visit to the fortress Sasso da Pigna, located under the Gotthard Peak


Tour highlights:• 5-star accommodation at the Hotel Bristol,

located in the heart of the city• Morning tour of Salzburg, including visits to

Mozart’s birthplace and the cathedral where he was baptised, and a visit to Leopoldskron Palace and garden

• Best available ticket for four performances, including a new production and one optional

THE SALZBURG WHITSUN FESTIVAL7 – 11 June 2019 Tour Code: SZG1

'I voci celesti' - the heavenly voices of the castrati - are the focus of the 2019 Salzburg Whitsun Festival. The Gala Concert dedicated to Farinelli and friends includes baroque works presented by Rolando Villazón and performed by a host of singers including Cecilia Bartoli and Philippe Jaroussky, who also feature in a production of Handel’s Alcina. There is also the added opportunity to attend a semi-staged performance of Porpora’s Polifemo, which at its debut starred Farinelli himself.


TRAVEL FOR THE ARTS TERMS & CONDITIONS1. ABOUT TRAVEL FOR THE ARTS1.1 Your contract will be with Specialised Travel Ltd trading as TRAVEL FOR THE ARTS, whose registered office is at Craven House, 40-44 Uxbridge Road, London W5 2BS, telephone number 020 8799 8350 and email address [email protected], which is a fully bonded member of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) (ABTA number V7795) and appointed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

1.2 The air holidays and flights in our brochures & promotional material are ATOL protected (as detailed in clause 1.3 below), since we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 2178. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. For further information, visit the ATOL website at www.caa.co.uk, the CAA can be contacted at 45-59 Kingsway, London WC2B 6TE.

YOUR FINANCIAL PROTECTION1.3 We provide financial protection for our package holidays.

a) When you buy a flight-based holiday from us, you will receive financial protection for your flight-based holiday under our ATOL licence (detailed above), and you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong.

b) We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable).

c) If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL certificate, are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer where applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme.

1.4 Financial protection for non-flight packages is provided to you as bonded members of ABTA. When you buy a package holiday from us that does not include a flight, then financial protection is provided by way of our ABTA bond (please see www.abta.co.uk, who can be contacted at 30 Park Street, London SE1 9EQ), as per the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018.

2. TO MAKE A BOOKING2.1 When you make a booking you must complete the Booking Form accepting on your own behalf and on behalf of all your party (for whom you have authority to accept) the terms of these Booking Conditions and pay a deposit of the amount per person specified in the relevant brochure, or in the case of an independent holiday, the amount specified in writing by our staff at the time of booking, plus insurance premium and any additional performance tickets ordered. A contract will exist when we issue our confirmation invoice. Your contract will consist of these Booking Conditions, the completed Booking Form and the contents of the relevant brochure. When you make your booking you must pay a deposit (calculated as a percentage of your holiday cost) per person and as notified to you at the time of booking. Where you have provided us with card payment details in the Booking Form as your payment method for the deposit (and any insurance premium and additional performance tickets), we shall take payment from your card at the time we issue our confirmation invoice to you.

2.2 The contract is governed by English law and the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. You may however choose the law and jurisdiction of Scotland or Northern Ireland if you live there and wish to do so.

2.3 The balance of the price of your holiday must be paid at least 8 weeks before the departure date. If the balance is not paid in time, we reserve the right to cancel your holiday and retain your deposit. If you paid your deposit by card and wish to authorise us to take payment of the balance on or just after the due date for payment using the same card, you may do so by ticking the relevant box in the Booking Form.

2.4 We make no charge if you pay by cheque, personal credit card, debit card or by electronic transfer. However, should you choose to make payment by commercial credit card, or you are a card holder outside the EEA, we will make a charge of 2% of the total price of the holiday.

3. WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE3.1 We reserve the right to alter the prices of any of the holidays shown in the promotional literature, in accordance with these Booking Conditions. The current price of the holiday will be notified to you before your contract is confirmed.

3.2 All Travel for the Arts tours are inclusive of the following:

Round trip Economy Class air travel on scheduled or charter airline(s) specified (aircraft type not known when going to press) including local airport taxes and security charges; or Eurostar Passenger Service.

Hotel accommodation at the hotels shown in the relevant promotional literature (or similar grade) in twin bedded rooms with private bathroom or shower and w.c. Double rooms and single rooms are available on request. NB: We are well aware of the considerable distress which can sometimes be experienced by those travelling alone when “single rooms” do not appear to come up to the standards expected. At all times we strive to overcome this on our clients’ behalf (but can offer no guarantees) and sometimes it pays to take double or twin for sole occupancy.

Round trip private transfers from airports or local railway stations to hotels.

Hotel service charges and local taxes.

Sightseeing tour programme as detailed in each itinerary including admission charges and guide services.

The services of a Travel for the Arts Tour Manager or local representative.

NB: If you have any special requests relating to diet, accommodation and so forth, these must be made known at the time of booking. We will do our best to comply with them but cannot guarantee to do so (also see clause 13 below).

3.3 We can change your holiday price after you’ve booked, only in certain circumstances. Changes in the price of your travel arrangements can be made due to changes in: transportation costs i.e. the price of the carriage of passengers resulting from changes to the cost of fuel or other power sources; the level of taxes or fees imposed by third parties including tourist taxes, landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports; or exchange rates, which means that the price of your travel arrangements may change after you have booked. However, there will be no change within 20 days of your departure. We will absorb, and you will not be charged for, any increase equivalent to 2% of the price of your travel arrangements, excluding insurance premiums and any amendment charges. You will be charged for the amount over and above that. If this means that you have to pay an increase of more than 8% of the price of your travel arrangements, you will have the option of accepting a change

to another holiday if we are able to offer one (and we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value), or cancel and receive a full refund of all moneys paid, except for any amendment charges. Should you decide to cancel: (1) you must do so within the time period shown on your final invoice; (2) we will provide a refund of insurance premiums paid to us if you can show that you are unable to transfer of reuse your policy. Whether you cancel or not you will also be entitled, under the terms set out in respect of major changes (Alterations and Cancellations by us) to accept from us an offer of alternative travel arrangements if we are able to do so and compensation as set out below.

3.4 Should the price of your holiday go down due to the changes mentioned above, then any refund due will be paid to you. We will deduct from this refund our administrative expenses incurred. Please note that travel arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your travel due to contractual and other protection in place.

3.5 Please note that in accordance with Air Navigation Orders, in order to qualify for infant status, a child must be under 2 years of age on the date of its return flight.

4. ALTERATIONS AND CANCELLATIONS BY YOU4.1 If, after our confirmation has been issued, you wish to change to another of our holidays or modify, at any time, the travel arrangements and/or tour itineraries shown, we will do our utmost to make the changes provided that notification is received in writing at our offices from the person who signed the Booking Form. We reserve the right to charge an administration fee of £35.00 per person in order to process that change, in addition to any further cost in making the alteration. You should be aware that these costs could increase the closer to the departure date that changes are made and you should contact us as soon as possible. Please note that certain travel arrangements (eg, concert tickets) may not be changeable after a reservation has been made and any alteration request could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.

4.2 You, or any member of your party, may cancel your holiday at any time provided that notice of the cancellation is made to our offices by the person signing the Booking Form and is in writing. As certain travel arrangements and bookings cannot be changed after confirmation, cancellation incurs administration costs. We will retain your deposit and the cost of any performance tickets, and in addition may apply cancellation charges up to the maximum shown in Clause 4.3 below.

4.3 Period before departure within which written confirmation of cancellation is received and amount of cancellation charge shown as a percentage of the holiday price:

More than 56 days ...................................Holiday deposit and performance tickets 56 - 42 days .............................................................................................40% of tour price 41-31 days ...............................................................................................65% of tour price 30 – day of travel ..................................................................................100% of tour price

4.4 No refund will be given after the commencement of travel except at our discretion. Please note that if the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy then you may be able to reclaim these charges.

4.5 You can cancel your booking without paying cancellation charges if the performance of your package, or the carriage of passengers to your destination, is significantly affected by unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances. In such circumstances, we will arrange for your booking to be terminated and for you to receive a full refund. We will observe advice provided by the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office.

4.6 You can transfer your booking to another person, who satisfies all the conditions that apply to this booking, by giving us notice in writing at least 7 days before departure. Both you and the new traveller are responsible for paying all costs we incur in making the transfer.

5. ALTERATIONS AND CANCELLATION BY US5.1 It is possible that we may have to make changes to your holiday (other than the price) as the arrangements are planned many months in advance. Occasionally changes may be made, and we reserve the right to do so at any time. Most of these changes are insignificant and we will ensure that we advise you as early as possible. Flight timings and carriers in the promotional literature are subject to change as a result of airline procedures which are beyond our control. Flight timings in the promotional literature are for guidance only. Actual times will be given on your ticket. In accordance with EU Regulations we are required to advise you of the actual carrier operating the flight, connecting flight (if any) and transfer. The potential carriers likely to be used are as set out in the promotional literature. Any changes to the actual airline after you have received your tickets will be notified to you as soon as possible and in all cases at check-in or at the boarding gate.

Examples of insignificant changes include alteration of your outward/return flights by less than 12 hours, changes to aircraft type, change of accommodation to another of the same standard or higher standard, changes of carriers.

5.2 If a major change becomes necessary and we are constrained by circumstances beyond our control to significantly alter any of the main characteristics of the travel services that make up your package you will have the rights set out below.

We will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before departure. You will have the choice of either, accepting the change of arrangements, accepting an offer of available alternative travel arrangements of comparable standard from us (where we offer one, we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value) or cancelling your holiday and receiving a full refund of all monies paid. We will tell you the procedure for making your choice. Please read any notification of changes carefully and respond promptly as if you do not respond to us within the timescale given your booking may be cancelled.

If you choose to accept a refund:

i) we will provide a full refund of your travel insurance premiums if you paid them to us and can show that you are unable to transfer or reuse your policy;

ii) we will pay compensation as detailed below except where the significant change is due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances (as defined below).

5.3 We reserve the right to cancel your booking. For example, if the minimum number of people required for a particular travel arrangement is not reached, we reserve the right to cancel the tour up to 70 days in advance. In this case we offer the choice of an alternative tour of comparable standard, if available (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value), or a full refund of all monies paid. We will not cancel less than 49 days before the scheduled departure date except for reasons of unavoidable or extraordinary circumstances or your failure to pay the final balance.

If your holiday is cancelled you can either have a refund of all monies paid or accept an alternative holiday of comparable standard from us if we offer one (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of lower value). In the event a refund is paid to you, we will:

i) provide a full refund of your travel insurance premiums if you paid them to us and can show that you are unable to transfer or reuse the policy.

ii) pay compensation as detailed below except where the cancellation is due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances


TRAVEL FOR THE ARTS

HOW TO BOOK Please contact us by telephone (020 8799 8350) - you will speak to one of our sales team usually after three rings! If space is available on the tour of your choice you will be given a 7-day option. We will then require a completed booking form together with your deposit or full payment (see Late Bookings). You must agree to the Booking Conditions.

BOOK EARLY Many of our holidays are taken up very quickly after the brochure launch, when tours appear on our website. Sometimes they are fully booked after appearing as advanced information in our Newsletter.

LATE BOOKINGS If you book within 8 weeks of departure, you will need to provide a credit/debit card for the full amount of the holiday, or send us a cheque within 24-hours.

TOUR CODE & BOOKING REFERENCE Please include these on the booking form and quote your Booking Reference in all subsequent communications.

OPENING HOURS are Monday-Friday, 9.30-5.30. The office is closed on UK public holidays.

NAME OF TOUR / À LA CARTE DESTINATION DATES TOUR CODE (e.g. BUD1 or CPH3)

BOOKING REFERENCE WHERE DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS TOUR?

PERSONAL DETAILS (Please show names as they appear on your passport)

No. TITLE FIRST NAME FAMILY NAME

1

2

3

4

SPECIAL NEEDS/FITNESS AND MOBILITY In order to assist us in ensuring you and fellow travellers maximum comfort please indicate below any special requirements or conditions about which we should be aware.

PERSONAL DETAILS (Please show names as they appear on your passport)

No. AGE WHEELCHAIR ASSISTANCE SPECIAL DIET OTHER

1

2

3

4

EMERGENCY / NEXT OF KIN: (Must be completed at time of booking)

NAME:

ADDRESS:

TEL NO:

RELATIONSHIP:

NAMES AS YOU WISH TO APPEAR ON THE PARTICIPANT LIST (if different from above)

1

2

3

4

PASSPORT DETAILS (essential for airline ticketing & in case of emergency)

No. D.O.B PASSPORT No. NATIONALITY DATE DATE OF ISSUE OF EXPIRY

1

2

3

4

NB If travelling to the USA you will require a machine-readable passport

ADDRESS (for correspondence) TELEPHONE: (Day)

TELEPHONE: (Eve)

MOBILE:

EMAIL:

FAX:

TELEPHONE: 24-hours pre-departure

SPECIAL OCCASION If this holiday coincides with a special occasion, please indicate below (e.g. birthday or wedding anniversary)

Travel For The Arts, Craven House, 40-44 Uxbridge Road, London W5 2BS Telephone: 020 8799 8350 e-mail: [email protected] www.travelforthearts.com

Travel for the Arts is a division of Specialised Travel Ltd

ROOM TYPE CLUB CLASS Twin, Double or Single Yes or No

(e.g. brochure, a friend, magazine or newspaper, email, etc.?)

BOOKING FORM


TRAVEL FOR THE ARTS

AIRPORT PARKING / AIRPORT HOTEL / REGIONAL FLIGHTS Please send me details of: (please tick)

AIRPORT PARKING AIRPORT HOTEL

Comments:

AIRPORT LOUNGE DOMESTIC FLIGHT

No. of Places PER PERSON TOTAL

Deposit (See tour price panel) £ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OR Full payment (if booking within 8 weeks of departure) £ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Supplementary Performance £ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tickets / Services* £ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

TOTAL £ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .* Payable at time of booking

REDEMPTION OF VOUCHERS If you are redeeming a voucher please attach it to your booking form. Vouchers cannot be redeemed retrospectively.

MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS If you are a Friend of Covent Garden, British Friend of the Salzburg Festival or Member of the The Wagner Society of England or New York, please complete details below:

NAME OF ORGANISATION MEMBERSHIP NO.

FINANCIAL

I wish to pay by Debit Card I wish to pay by Credit Card

I wish to pay by Cheque (Please tick box)

NB: Payment by commercial card will incur a 2% charge. No charge is made for personal cards, unless the card holder is outside the EEA.

CARD NO:

NAME ON CARD ..................................................................................................................................

DATE OF ISSUE

DATE OF EXPIRY

SECURITY CODE

ISSUE NO

Please tick this box if you would like the balance of payment charged to your card

Billing address if different from address overleaf

METHOD OF PAYMENT

OPTIONAL OR SUPPLEMENTARY PERFORMANCE TICKETS Please book the following supplementary services

DATE PERFORMANCE REQUIRED OR DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES No. REQUIRED

TRAVEL INSURANCE It is a condition of booking that you have comprehensive travel insurance for all the activities you will be undertaking whilst on holiday – please provide the details below. We can introduce you to an insurance company if you do not have any cover. Full details are shown in our Booking Terms and Conditions.

INSURANCE CO. NAME POLICY NUMBER EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TEL No.

DECLARATION

I am over 18 years of age and I have read and understood the booking conditions, Data Protection Policy, general information and travel insurance advice and accept them on behalf of myself and the members of my party.

SIGNATURE: ........................................................................................................... DATE: .................................................................................................................................................

BOOKING FORM


TRAVEL FOR THE ARTS(Continued)

TERMS & CONDITIONS5.4 If it is necessary to cancel your holiday (except for reasons of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances) or make a significant change after the date when payment of the balance becomes due, we will in addition pay you compensation as follows:

Period before departure within which Compensation notification of change or cancellation is given per person

More than 49 days ..........................................................Nil49 – 42 days...............................................................£10.0041 – 25 days...............................................................£20.0024 – 16 days...............................................................£30.0015 – 1 days .................................................................£40.00 Please note compensation is not payable in the case of minor changes. The compensation offered does not exclude you from claiming more if you are entitled to do so.

‘Unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances’ means a situation beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken, including (for example) but not limited to, war, riot, industrial dispute, terrorist activity and its consequences, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, epidemics and pandemics, unavoidable technical problems with transport.

6. NON-APPEARANCE AND ALTERATIONS TO REPERTOIRE/ITINERARY6.1 Opera and music lovers will appreciate that performances and artists can be changed without notice. Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence but nevertheless disappointing. Every effort is made to obtain and pass on to you up to date information regarding performances and artists. This information is based upon details supplied to us by other parties and we cannot guarantee its accuracy or that there will not be further changes to the programme. The non-appearance of an artist, cancellation of event or other changes, are entirely outside our control or even the control of those organising the event. We will always do our utmost to find a suitable alternative in such a case and wherever refunds from an event organiser are received we will pass this on to you.

6.2 Specific outside events – in the event of adverse weather conditions a full refund of the face value of the performance ticket will be made only if the performance fails to start. If abandonment occurs after the start, conditions of the ticket purchased prevent any refund.

6.3 Please note that the order of events on itineraries is subject to alteration due to local circumstances, unscheduled closures etc. However, every effort will be made to include all elements of the programme during the tour dates or a suitable alternative which will be notified to you.

7. OUR LIABILITIES TO YOU7.1 You must inform us without undue delay of any failure to perform or improper performance of the travel services included in the package holiday sold to you by us. If any of the travel services included in your package are not performed in accordance with the contract, or any improperly performed, by us or the travel service suppliers, and this has affected the enjoyment of your travel arrangements, you may be entitled to an appropriate price reduction or compensation, or both. However, we will not be liable where any failure to perform or improper performance of the travel services is due to you or another member of your party; or a third party unconnected with the provision of the travel arrangements and whether the failure is unforeseeable or unavoidable; or unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances (as defined above) beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.

7.2 If an event within the itinerary is cancelled due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances within one month prior to the event, we reserve the right to refund the cost of the admission ticket to the event only.

7.3 We accept responsibility for the negligent acts and/or omissions of our employees, agents or suppliers. Save for liabilities under clause 7.4 below, our liability to you in all cases (except where they lead to death, injury or illness) shall be limited to a maximum of three times the cost of the original travel arrangements.

7.4 Our liability to you will also be limited in accordance with and/or in an identical manner to:

i) the contractual terms of the companies that provide the travel services that make up your package. These are incorporated into this booking; and

ii) any relevant international conventions (for example, the Montreal Convention for travel by air, the Athens Convention for travel by sea, the Berne Convention for travel by rail and the Paris Convention for accommodation), which limit the amount of compensation that you can claim for death, injury, delay to passengers and loss, damage and delay to luggage. We are to be regarded as having all benefit of any limitation of compensation contained in these or any conventions.

You can ask for copies of the travel service contractual terms, or the international conventions, from us.

7.5 If you, or any member of your party, suffers death, illness or injury whilst overseas arising out of activity which does not form part of the inclusive holiday arrangements or excursion arrangements through us (as per clause 17 below), we shall at our discretion, offer advice, guidance and assistance to help in resolving any claim you may have against a third party. We limit the cost of our assistance to you or a member of your party to £5,000.00 in total. Where legal action is contemplated and you want our assistance you must obtain our authority prior to commencement of proceedings. Our consent will be given subject to you undertaking to assign any costs, benefits received under any relevant insurance policy to ourselves.

7.6 If you are prevented from travelling on an aircraft because in the opinion of any person in authority at the airport you appear, by reason of intoxicating liquor or use of drugs, either to be unfit for travel or likely to cause discomfort or disturbance to other passengers, our responsibility for your journey, including any return flight thereupon ceases. You must accept responsibility for your proper conduct and we therefore have the right to terminate our contract in circumstances of serious misconduct by you or any member of your party.

7.7 Under EU law, you have rights in some circumstances to refunds and/or compensation from your airline in cases of denied boarding, cancellation or delay to flights. Full details of these rights will be available at EU airports and will also be available from airlines. However, please note that reimbursement in such cases does not automatically entitle you to a refund of the cost of your holiday from us. Your right to a refund and/or compensation from us is set out in these Booking Conditions. If any payments to you are due from us, then if the airline makes payment of these to you then such sum will be deducted from this amount. If your airline does not comply with such rules then you can complain to the Aviation Consumer Advocate Panel on 020 7453 6888 or www.caa.co.uk.

7.8 If it is impossible to ensure your return as scheduled due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, we will bear the cost of necessary accommodation, if possible of equivalent category, for a maximum of three nights. The limit doesn’t apply to persons with reduced mobility and any person accompanying them, pregnant women and unaccompanied minors, or persons in need of specific medical assistance, provided that you notified us of these needs at least 48 hours before the start of your holiday.

NB: This clause does not apply to any separate contracts that you may enter into for excursions or activities whilst on holiday.

8. DATA PROTECTION POLICYIn order to process your booking and to ensure your travel arrangements run smoothly and meet your requirements, we need to use the information you provide to us, such as name, address, contact details and any special needs/dietary requirements. Please see our Privacy Policy for details of how we collect and process your personal data, and the personal data of those in your party. http://www.travelforthearts.com/privacy/

9. PASSPORTS, VISAS AND HEALTH9.1 You and your party’s specific passport, visa and other immigration requirements are your responsibility and we do not accept responsibility for the validity of your passports or visas or for the refusal of visas by the Issuing Authorities. You should therefore confirm these with the relevant authorities, Embassies and/or Consulates. We shall not be liable for any loss, expense, cost, damage, injury or loss of enjoyment suffered as a result of such invalidity or loss, including any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with such requirements.

9.2 British subjects require a passport. We will provide information about visas and health requirements and can also apply for visas on your behalf for a small fee and handling charge. If you do not hold a valid EU passport, please inform us at point of booking. Although we can apply for any visa on a client’s behalf, we cannot be held responsible for declined visas and normal cancellation charges will be levied should this occur.

Higher charges may also be applied to non-British citizens and late applications which will be charged accordingly. For further advice visit the FCO website, www.fco.gov.uk, visit the ABTA website www.abta.com/gotravel or telephone ABTA on 020 3117 0599.

10. PHYSICAL HANDICAPS AND MOBILITYShould you suffer from any serious physical handicaps or experience difficulty in walking long distances and tire easily, please do bring this to our attention at the time of booking in order that we can provide the necessary assistance at airports and hotels. Please note that some of the activities on our tours may not be suitable if you have any disability or reduced mobility. In the interests of safety and comfort for the whole group, you should be fit enough to participate or alternatively have an able bodied carer with you to assist.

11. COMPLAINTS AND DISPUTES11.1 If you have a compliant about any of the services included in your holiday, you must inform the relevant supplier and our representative (whose details will be provided to you prior to the commencement of your trip) without undue delay, who will endeavour to put things right quickly. If your complaint cannot be resolved locally, your representative will ask you to make a report, the original of which is for you and a copy will be forwarded to our Head Office, as detailed on our invoice to you. Please follow this up within 28 days of your return home by writing to us giving your original tour reference number and all other relevant information. Please keep your letter concise and provide all relevant information. If you fail to follow the requirement to report your complaint during your holiday, we will have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify it and this may affect your rights under this booking.

11.2 It is unlikely that you will have a complaint that cannot be settled amicably between us. However, disputes arising out of or in connection with this contract which cannot be amicably settled, may (if you so wish) be settled by way of an alternative dispute resolution procedure. We are a member of ABTA. We are also obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. We can also offer you ABTA’s Scheme for the resolution of disputes which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. If we can’t resolve your complaint, go to www.abta.com to use ABTA’s simple procedure. Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www.abta.com. You can also access the European Commission Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform at http://ec.europa/consumers/odr/. This ODR platform is a means of notifying us of your compliant; it will not determine how your complaint should be resolved.

12. ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCEIf you’re in difficulty whilst on holiday and ask us to help we will provide appropriate assistance, in particular by providing information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance; and helping you to find alternative arrangements and any necessary phone calls/emails. You must pay any costs we incur, if the difficulty is your fault.

13. SPECIAL REQUESTSAny special requests made on your Booking Form are noted and we do our very best to comply with these wherever possible. However, although we do make every effort to meet your requirements, we cannot unfortunately give a guarantee.

14. TOUR MANAGERS AND LOCAL REPRESENTATIVESWherever possible and practical, our tours are escorted throughout by a representative from the UK. On occasions when circumstances dictate, we retain the services of a local representative to meet our clients and to escort them to cities and on excursions accompanied by our local guide.

15. TRAVEL INSURANCEIt is a condition of these Booking Conditions and your contract with us that you have comprehensive travel insurance cover.

We are able to introduce you to Citybond Suretravel. Citybond Suretravel insurance is underwritten by Union Reiseversicherung AG, UK. Specialised Travel, trading as Travel for the Arts, is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Citybond Suretravel for the sale of travel insurance and we have negotiated discounts on the Citybond Suretravel schemes for our clients.

Citybond Suretravel can provide a comprehensive range of travel insurance offering high levels of cover for medical emergency, repatriation, personal baggage, cancellation and much more.

They are able to provide single trip policies with no upper age limit, annual multi trip policies up to age 85, long stay policies for trips up to 12 months and gap year policies for trips up to 18 months.

All their policies offer the option to include existing medical conditions as well as, automatic cover for participation in over 100 sports and activities.

Referral Code 56275

Please use the above code to receive the premium discounts: Online at https://www.suretravel.co.uk/?intcode=56275 or by phone on Freephone 0333 207 0481 for 10%

16. SEVERABILITYIf any part of these Booking Conditions is held to be invalid, unreasonable or unenforceable, such portion(s) shall be deemed as severable from these Booking Conditions and the remainder of these Booking Conditions shall remain in full force and effect and enforceable.

17. EXCURSIONSExcursions or other tours that you may choose to book or pay for whilst you are on holiday are not part of your package holiday provided by us. For any excursion or other tour that you book which does not form part of your package holiday with us, your contract will be with the operator of the excursion or tour and not with us. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion or tour or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by the operator.

Tel: 020 8799 8350 | Email: [email protected] | www.travelforthearts.com18 Tel: 020 8799 8350 | Email: [email protected] | www.travelforthearts.com

Travel For The Arts Craven House, 40-44 Uxbridge Road, London W5 2BS Telephone: +44 20 8799 8350 E-mail: [email protected] www.travelforthearts.com

TRAVEL FOR THE ARTS

Travel for the Arts is a division of Specialised Travel Ltd

LAST PLACES AVAILABLE

CULTURAL FEASTS IN TALLINN3 – 7 June 2019 Tour Code: TLL1

Situated on the Baltic Sea and one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe, Tallinn is a fascinating mix of German, Russian and Scandinavian influences which have shaped the face of the city over the centuries. In addition to two operas The Flying Dutchman and La traviata and an optional ballet The Sleeping Beauty, feast on numerous cultural activities and enjoy Estonia’s culinary delights in outstanding settings.

40TH ANNIVERSARY AT BUXTON FESTIVAL OPERA13 – 16 July 2019 Tour Code: BUX1

In 2019 the Buxton International Festival will celebrate 40 years of music-making in this splendid Spa town in the heart of Derbyshire. Two new productions will be presented: Lucio Papirio Dittatore, a forgotten gem by Antonio Caldara, and an English version of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. A highlight of the Festival will be the World Premiere of Georgiana, a unique and entertaining pasticcio celebrating the life and times of Georgiana Cavendish, 5th Duchess of Devonshire.

FROM£1390

per person

FROM£1995

per person

Tour highlights:• 4-star accommodation at the Le Louis

Versailles Château – Mgallery by Sofitel, located in the heart of the city and just steps from the Château of Versailles

• Guided visit to the Château of Versailles, including the famous Hall of Mirrors

• First category ticket for two performances

Tour highlights:• 4-star accommodation at the Hotel

Emperador in Madrid and at the 4-star superior Hotel Barcelona Center, both located in the city centre

• Walking tour of the highlights of Madrid and Barcelona


THE OPÉRA ROYAL AT VERSAILLES14 - 17 June 2019 Tour Code: VER1

The Opéra Royal at Versailles was inaugurated on 16 May 1770, the wedding day of the future Louis XVI and the Archduchess Marie-Antoinette. We attend a performance of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, presented by artistes of the Juilliard Opera of New York, as well as a concert in the Royal Chapel based upon music played at the coronation of Louis XIV.

VERDI IN SPAIN13 – 17 July 2019 Tour Code: SPA1

Join us for a two-centre tour to vibrant Spain focused on the operas of Verdi, including Giovanna d’Arco at the Teatro Real in Madrid starring Plácido Domingo and Luisa Miller at the Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona, the Catalan capital of culture. Our sightseeing programme features the highlights of Madrid and Gaudi's iconic Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

FROM£1725

per person

FROM£945

per person

Remember we can arrange private extensions before or after the group tour.Please contact us for further details or see our website www.travelforthearts.com

Tour highlights:• 5-star accommodation at the luxury Hotel

Telegraaf in the heart of the Old Town• Selected sightseeing including Russian Orthodox

Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky, Toompea Castle and a trip to Arvo Pärt Center in Laulasmaa

• First category ticket for three performances, including one optional

Tour highlights:• 4-star accommodation at the Best Western

Lee Wood Hotel, walking distance from the centre of town and the Opera House

• Walking tour of Buxton and travel through the beautiful Peak District to Chatsworth House

• First category ticket for three performances, including new productions and a World Premiere

• Drinks reception with the cast after the evening’s performance of Georgiana

OPERA, BALLET CLASSICAL MUSIC HOLIDAYS...OPERA, BALLET CLASSICAL MUSIC HOLIDAYS ... Zaza...

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