MUSIC IN SCANDINAVIA - Academy Travel · MUSIC IN . SCANDINAVIA . ... Haydn String Quartet, op.76, No.1; Beethoven String ... We depart for the airport and our early afternoon flight

MUSIC IN SCANDINAVIA INCLUDING THE BERGEN INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL MAY 22 – JUNE 6, 2018 TOUR LEADER: ROBERT GAY

Overview Academy Travel’s 16-day tour explores Helsinki, Stockholm, Oslo and the beautiful landscapes of Norway’s fjords around Bergen. These northern lands have a strong and distinctive musical tradition, not only through their composers – such as Grieg and Sibelius – but in the many fine conductors, singers and instrumentalists who hail from these parts. The tour also coincides with the famous Bergen International Music Festival where we attend two concerts. As always, the itinerary is based on excellent performances. You will have the opportunity to enjoy opera, orchestral concerts and perhaps a chamber music recital. These take place in some of the most stunning venues in Europe – modern concert halls and opera houses which exhibit the very best in Scandinavian design. The long days – including several of almost 24 hours of daylight – will contribute to this unique travel experience. Scandinavian music often reflects nature, literature and folk traditions. Travelling through the landscapes that inspired these sounds will enhance your appreciation of this evocative and haunting music. The itinerary takes in some truly memorable sightseeing, including fine architecture in Helsinki, Stockholm’s magnificent harbour, and examples of Viking culture and pristine landscapes in Norway. Centrally located four-star hotels, many meals, tipping and best-available tickets to performances are all included. Touring is by coach, on foot and by boat with museum and art gallery visits rounding out the program. Pre-performance talks by music educator Robert Gay enhance your understanding and enjoyment on the musical program.

Your tour leader For over 30 years, Robert Gay has presented music history courses for the Centre for Continuing Education at the University of Sydney. Over the same period he has designed and escorted more than 80 musical and cultural tours to Europe and America.

On tour, Robert will provide a thorough introduction to

the performances you see, with detailed pre- performance talks and post-performance reviews. Robert’s approach to music is multi-faceted. First and foremost, he links the music to the biographical, historical and social context in which it was created. Secondly, he explains in plain language technical aspects of the music – how the composer communicates through sound. Finally, as a trained singer who attends dozens of performances each year, he offers great insight into the qualities of the performances you see on tour. Robert’s enthusiasm is infectious, and his skills as a music educator and tour leader are exceptional. Since 2010, he has led tours exclusively for Academy Travel.

“Robert Gay went out of his way to look after the individual needs of group members. A well-constructed itinerary.” Feedback from Robert Gay’s Berlin to Vienna music tour, December 2016.

MUSIC IN SCANDINAVIA INCLUDING THE BERGEN INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

Tour dates: May 22 – June 6, 2018

Tour leader: Robert Gay

Tour Price: $11,495 per person, twin share

Single Supplement: $1,595 for sole use of double room

Booking deposit: $500 per person

Recommended airline: Finnair

Maximum places: 20

Itinerary: Helsinki (3 nights), Ferry (1 night), Stockholm (4 nights), Oslo (3 nights), Bergen (4 nights)

Date published: January 19, 2018

Enquiries and bookings

For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Frederick Steyn at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email [email protected]

Performance program Eight performances are included, with three operas, two ballets and one concert performance. There will also be two performances included at the Bergen International Festival.

HELSINKI, FINLAND

Wagner’s Parsifal at the Finnish National Opera conducted by Pinchas Steinberg

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

Gringolts Quartet at the Stockholm Concert Hall Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Sleeping Beauty at the

Royal Swedish Opera Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier at the Royal

Swedish Opera

OSLO, NORWAY

Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the Oslo Opera House Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake at the Oslo Opera

House

BERGEN FESTIVAL, NORWAY

Two performances at the Bergen International Music Festival

Above:

Above: Architect Tarald Lundeval’s masterpiece, the Oslo Opera House

Above: Pinchas Steinberg leads the Finnish National Opera

Above: Wagner’s Parsifal

Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the letters B, L and D.

Tuesday May 22 Arrive Helsinki

The tour begins at the Hotel Radisson Blu Plaza Helsinki this evening. Meet your tour leader, Robert Gay, for drinks and canapes. (C)

Wednesday May 23 Touring Helsinki

After a talk on this evening’s performance, we take a guided orientation tour by coach and on foot of Helsinki’s National Romantic and modern architecture. We see Alvar Aalto’s Finlandia Hall and Helsinki railway station, the 1919 masterpiece of Eliel Saarinen. We stroll through Senate Square and along tree-lined Esplanadi, the city’s grand boulevard, lined with National Romantic buildings and design shops. This is followed by a welcome lunch in a local restaurant before returning to our hotel where the remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. (B, L)

Thursday May 24 Harbour cruise – Parsifal

After a talk on this evening’s performance, we depart on foot and embark on a cruise around Helsinki Harbour. Starting at Market Square, we pass Klippan Island and Kaivopuisto Park, where many embassies are located, before continuing to Suomenlinna, an important fortress used by the Swedes and Russians to protect their Finnish assets. We continue past the King’s Gate of Suomenlinna and a fleet of functioning ice-breakers moored in the harbour before returning to port. There will be time to relax before our Wagner performance commences later this afternoon. (B)

Performance details Venue: Finnish National Opera Program: Wagner’s Parsifal - surtitles in English Performers: Nikolai Schukoff (Parsifal), Jyrki Korhonen (Gurnemanz), Tuija Knihtilä (Kundry), Tommi Hakala (Amfortas), Jukka Rasilainen (Klingsor), Harry Kupfer (director), Pinchas Steinberg (conductor)

Friday May 25 Overnight ferry to Stockholm

This morning we check out of our hotel and depart by coach for Lake Tuusula. In the early 20th century, the shores of this lake hosted an important community of artists and musicians whose houses reflected the nature-loving traditions of the Finnish. First we visit Ainola, Sibelius’s beautiful country home, before making an extended lunch stop at Villa Kokkonen, which was designed by Alvar Aalto for his composer friend Joonas Kokkonen. The current curators of the villa will host us to lunch and perform for us in the beautiful piano-shaped music room. We return to Helsinki this afternoon before boarding the overnight ferry to

Above: a detail of Saarinen’s 1919 Helsinki Railway Station; and the Sibelius monument in Helsinki Below: Wagner’s Parsifal at the Finnish National Opera

Stockholm. Our accommodation is booked in A-class sea-view cabins, and dinner is served onboard. (B, L, D)

Saturday May 26 Arrival in Stockholm – gringolts quartet

After breakfast onboard, we have a guided coach tour of Stockholm, beginning with the City Hall where the Nobel Prize banquet is held every year. We walk through Gustav Adolf’s Square, named after the hero-king of Sweden, to the Royal Opera House, and then tour the public areas of the Royal Palace to see the lavish décor of the Hall of State and the Royal Chapel. We then drive to Djurgården Island, a popular green space for locals and home to several museums and restaurants. Mid-afternoon, we check into our hotel. (B)

Performance details Venue: Stockholm Concert Hall Program: Haydn String Quartet, op.76, No.1; Beethoven String Quartet, op.127 Performers: Gringolts Quartet

Sunday May 27 Drottningholm

Today we travel to Drottningholm by boat. We tour the Royal Palace, visiting the apartments, gardens and baroque theatre, one of the few 18th-century theatres in Europe with the original hand-driven stage machinery still being used for performances. We return to Stockholm where the later afternoon and evening are at leisure. (B)

Monday May 28 Stockholm – The Sleeping Beauty

Stockholm is a city spread across an archipelago of islands, making the ‘hop-on-hop-off’ boat a perfect way to explore the city. Today we visit the Vasa Museum which displays an almost fully intact 17th-century warship that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628. The ship has been salvaged and is immaculately preserved, having rested on the sea floor for 333 years. Following our visit, you may want to use your boat ticket to explore Stockholm’s myriad islands and attractions. (B)

Performance details Venue: Royal Swedish Opera Program: Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty Performers: Artists of the Royal Ballet

Tuesday May 29 Stockholm – Der Rosenkavalier

After a talk on this evening’s performance, we depart for Prince Eugene’s Waldemarsudde Museum. Formerly the home of the prince, the castle has been converted into one of Sweden’s foremost art galleries. He himself was a celebrated landscape painter and his best-known works are housed in the gallery, alongside his collections of Swedish fin-de-siècle art. There are also works by Picasso, Munch and other contemporary artists. The gardens which overlook the harbour are studded with

Above: Sweden’s capital, Stockholm, encompasses 14 islands Below: the Royal Palace Drottningholm; and the Royal Swedish Opera House

sculptures by French and Swedish artists. The later afternoon is at leisure before this evening’s performance at the Stockholm Opera. (B)

Performance details Venue: Royal Swedish Opera Program: Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier Performers: Malin Byström (Marschallin), Adrian Angelico (Octavian), Wilhelm Schwinghammer (Baron Ochs), Christof Loy (director), Alan Gilbert (conductor)

Wednesday May 30 To Oslo

We depart for the airport and our early afternoon flight to Oslo. On arrival, we transfer to our hotel and check in. Dinner this evening is in a local restaurant. (B, D)

Thursday Sunday May 31 Exploring Oslo – Don Giovanni

After a talk on this evening’s performance, we depart on foot for the Astrup Fearnley Museum, located on the Oslo waterfront in a Renzo Piano-designed building. The collection is Norway’s most extensive and important private collection of contemporary art with works by Jeff Koons, Anselm Kiefer and Damien Hirst. This is followed by lunch at the Grand Café Oslo, where Henrik Ibsen would often dine. This afternoon we visit the National Gallery which houses Norway’s largest public collection of paintings, including Munch’s The Scream and The Dance of Life. Our performance this evening is at the new Oslo Opera House which is dramatically situated on the edge of Oslo fjord. It opened in 2008. (B, L)

Performance details Venue: Oslo Opera House Program: Mozart’s Don Giovanni – new production - surtitles in English Performers: Johannes Weisser (Don Giovanni), Jakob Bloch Jespersen (Leporello), Brigitte Christensen (Donna Anna), Marita Sølberg (Donna Elvira), Anthony Gregory (Don Ottavio), Richard Jones (director), Christopher Moulds (conductor)

Friday June 1 Viking Ship Museum – Swan Lake

This morning we take a short ferry ride across Olso Harbour to visit the impressive Viking Ship Museum which contains the 1,200-year-old remains of several Viking boats and other decorative Viking artefacts. The afternoon is free before this evening’s ballet. (B)

Performance details Venue: Oslo Opera House Program: Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Performers: Artists of the National Ballet, Vello Pähn (conductor)

Saturday June 2 Norway in a nutshell

Today we enjoy an iconic journey across Norway’s mountains and fjords to Bergen. The journey begins with a train trip to

Above: Edvard Munch’s iconic painting, The Scream housed in Norway’s National Gallery; and Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Below: the spectacular Sognefjord

isolated Myrdal where we transfer to the Flåm Railway for a spectacular 20-kilometre descent to Norway’s Western Fjords. At Flåm we cruise along the Sognefjord, arriving in Bergen in the early evening. Dinner is in a local restaurant. (B, D)

Sunday June 3 Ole Bull’s villa – Lunchtime concert

This morning we travel south of Bergen to Lysøen Island on a remote stretch of coastline. Here the 19th-century virtuoso violinist and composer Ole Bull transformed a farm into a superb villa with gardens. The villa harmoniously combines Swiss, Russian and Moorish elements into a highly original design. After a delightful lunchtime concert in the beautiful main salon we return to Bergen where the afternoon and evening are at leisure. (B)

Performance details Venue: Ole Bull Villa, Lysoen Island Program: Grieg Violin Sonata No.1, Schubert ‘Ständchen’, ‘Erlkönig’, ‘Trout’, Tchaikovsky ‘D´un lieu cher’, Ole Bull ‘Cantabile Doloroso e rondo capriccioso’ Performers: Eldbjørg Hemsing (violin), Anna Fedorova (piano)

Monday June 4 Grieg’s villa

After a talk on this evening’s festival performance, we head to Troldhaugen – ‘Valley of the Trolls’ – the villa built by Norway’s most famous composer, Edvard Grieg. The composer lived here with his wife Nina from 1885 until his death in 1907. We tour the house and enjoy a short lunchtime recital of Grieg’s piano works given by the director of the museum, Audun Kayser. With no suitable performance at the festival this evening we shall enjoy dinner to at a local restaurant. (B, D)

Tuesday June 5 Exploring Bergen – Bergen international Festival

This morning, a local guide takes us through Bryggen, the old port of Bergen, which was part of the extensive medieval Hanseatic League which traded throughout northern Europe and Scandinavia. We enjoy our farewell lunch in a restaurant by the harbour. In the later afternoon, there is time to take the funicular railway high above the city for superb views along the Bergen Fjord before returning for our final performance at the Bergen Festival. (B, L)

Performance details Venue: Grieghallen Program: To be announced Performers: Joseph Calleja (tenor) with Vincenzo Scalera (piano)

Wednesday June 6 Departure

The tour concludes after breakfast. A group transfer to Bergen Airport is available for those returning home or continuing on to the tour extension to Iceland. (B)

Hotels Helsinki, Radisson Blu Plaza (3 nights)

https://www.radissonblu.com/en/plazahotel-helsinki

Ferry, Silja Line (overnight) https://www.tallinksilja.com

Stockholm, Hotel Eden Park (4 nights)

https://www.elite.se/en/hotels/stockholm/eden-park/ Oslo, Radisson Blu Plaza (3 nights)

https://www.radissonblu.com/en/plazahotel-oslo Bergen, Hotel Admiral (4 nights)

https://www.nordicchoicehotels.com/hotels/norway/bergen/clarion-hotel-admiral/

Images right: Norway’s most famous composer, Edvard Grieg; and the colourful buildings of Bergen

Tour Price The tour price is $11,495 per person, twin share (land content only). The supplement for a single room is $1,595 per person. A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required to secure a place on the tour.

Tour Inclusions Included in the tour price All accommodation in selected four-star hotels Overnight ferry to Stockholm in A class sea view cabins All breakfasts, plus lunches and dinners as noted in the

itinerary Land travel by air-conditioned coach Economy class air travel from Stockholm to Oslo Background talks on the performances Services of Robert Gay throughout tour All entrance fees to sites mentioned on itinerary Qualified local guides Porterage of one piece of luggage at all hotels

Not included International air fares, taxes and surcharges (see below) Travel insurance Meals not mentioned in itinerary Expenses of a personal nature

Air travel OPTIONS The tour price quoted is for land content only. For this tour we recommend Finnair which offers well-priced flights from Australia direct to Helsinki and return from Bergen. Please contact us for further information on competitive airfares. Transfers between airport and hotel are included for all passengers booking their flights through Academy Travel. These may be group or individual transfers.

Enquiries & bookings For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Frederick Steyn at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email [email protected]

Fitness Requirements of THIS tour GRADE TWO

It is important both for you and for your fellow travellers that you are fit enough to be able to enjoy all the activities on this tour. To give you an indication of the level of physical fitness required to participate on our tours, we have given them a star grading. Academy Travel’s tours tend to feature extended walking tours and site visits, which require greater fitness than coach touring. We ask you to carefully consider your ability to meet the physical demands of the tour.

Participation criteria for this tour

This Grade Two tour is designed for people who lead active lives and can comfortably participate in up to five hours of physical activity per day on most days, including longer walking tours, challenging archaeological sites, climbing stairs, embarking and disembarking trains and/or boats, and a more demanding tour schedule with one night stops or several internal flights. You should be able to: keep up with the group at all times walk for 4-5 kilometres at a moderate pace with only

short breaks stand for a reasonable length of time in galleries and

museums tolerate uncomfortable climatic conditions such as cold,

humidity and heat walk up and down slopes negotiate steps and slopes on archaeological sites,

which are often uneven and unstable get on and off a large coach with steep stairs, train or

boat unassisted, possibly with luggage move your luggage a short distance if required

A note for older travellers

If you are more than 80 years old, or have restricted mobility, it is highly likely that you will find this itinerary challenging. You will have to miss several activities and will not get the full value of the tour. Your booking will not be accepted until after you have contacted Academy Travel to discuss your situation and the exact physical requirements of this tour. While we will do our best to reasonably accommodate the physical needs of all group members, we reserve the right to refuse bookings if we feel that the requirements of the tour are too demanding for you and/or if local conditions mean we cannot reasonably accommodate your condition.

Overview This 5-day extension to Iceland is designed to further complement the Scandinavian landscape we encounter on the main tour. Staying in the compact and vibrant capital Reykjavik, we experience the wild landscape and rocky shores of Iceland, with day trips to Pingvellir, and the Snaefells peninsula.

Price

The tour price is $4,275 per person, twin share (land content only). The supplement for a single room is $1,190 per person. A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required to secure a place on the tour.

Inclusions

Included in the tour price Four nights’ accommodation at the Radisson Blu 1919

Hotel in Reykjavik Best available tickets to a performance at Harpa Hall

(depending on performance schedules) All touring and admissions as stated in the itinerary Meals as stated in the itinerary Transfers to Reykjavik airport One-way economy class flight from Bergen to Reykjavik Services of your tour leader Robert Gay

Not included Travel insurance Meals not mentioned in itinerary Expenses of a personal nature

Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the letters B, L and D.

Wednesday June 6 To Reykjavik

In the late morning, we transfer to Bergen airport for the four-hour flight to Reykjavik, capital of Iceland. Due to a time change, we arrive in the mid-afternoon, with time to check in and refresh yourself before enjoying dinner in the hotel. (B, D)

Thursday June 7 Exploring Reykjavik

Reykjavik must be one of the world’s smallest capital cities, but there are lots of interesting things to do and the remote frontier-like atmosphere is most enjoyable. After a talk on this evening’s performance, we have a guided tour by coach of the town and its environs. In the afternoon, we visit the famous Blue Lagoon,

Iceland Extension

Above: Hallgrimskirkja Cathedral in Reykjavik; and the famous Blue Lagoon Below: Harpa Hall – a thrilling contemporary building

where you can indulge in the popular ritual of relaxing in this large therapeutic thermal pool (do remember to pack your swimming costume). We return to the hotel in good time for our performance this evening in splendid Harpa Hall which opened in 2011. (B)

Performance details Venue: Harpa Hall Program: Beethoven Overture ‘Egmont’, Florence Price Symphony No.1 (1932), Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2 Performers: Iceland Symphony conducted by Joshua Weilerstein, with Behzod Abduraimov (piano)

Friday June 8 Geysers and waterfalls

Today’s coach tour takes us first to Iceland’s most historic site, Pingvellir. Here the world’s oldest known parliament convened in 930AD, and our visit is a window on Iceland’s unique history and culture. Pingvellir is located in a beautiful national park, and the drive to the site takes us through a singular landscape of lava flows, volcanoes and thermal springs. We continue on to Geysir where we have lunch in a local restaurant. The thermal springs here have lent their name to the same phenomenon all over the world. Nearby are the spectacular Gullfoss waterfalls which we visit before returning to Reykjavik in the late afternoon. (B, L)

Saturday June 9 Inspirational scenery

Today’s full-day excursion takes us along Iceland’s scenic western coast to the Snaefells peninsula. The volcano here, Snaefellsjökull, set against the sea and a wild terrain, is where Jules Verne set the opening to his Journey to the Centre of the Earth. We will enjoy the beautiful rocky shores and birdlife of Arnarstapi at the foot of the volcano and enjoy a farewell lunch at the Hotel Budir, which boasts one of Iceland’s best restaurants. We return to Reykjavik in the early evening. (B, L)

Sunday June 10 Departure

The extension tour concludes this morning after breakfast. Depending on flight schedules, there will be individual or group transfers to Reykjavik airport during the day. (B)

Hotel The Radisson Blu 1919 Hotel is located in the heart of the city next to the North Atlantic and within easy reach of the local attractions. The hotel has only 88 rooms giving a boutique feel with modern surroundings, clean lines and hardwood floors. The inviting rooms offer dramatic views of either the city or the sea with free highspeed Wifi and coffee and tea provisions. Reykjavik, Hotel Radisson 1919 (4 nights)

www.radissonblu.com/en/1919hotel-reykjavik

Above: a canyon filled with hot water at Pingvellir Below: coastal scenery at Arnastapi; and the original geyser