BERLIN: RICHARD STRAUSS FESTIVAL
Monday, April 4th through Tuesday, April 12th
The venerable Deutsche Oper commands an imposing site on Berlin’s Bismarckstrasse and has maintained an uninterrupted leading position in the city’s multifaceted musical scene throughout the Post-War era. Our annual visits to Berlin for the past twenty years have been increasingly focused on this remarkable company which has given us rewarding performances of the German and Italian repertoire.
Now we are indebted to the Deutsche Oper and General Music Director Donald Runnicles for announcing a thrilling Richard Strauss Festival encompassing five of his major operas on five consecutive nights next April. Great Performance Tours cannot resist returning to Berlin for this off-season holiday when Berlin’s priceless museums will be refreshingly uncrowded. On our final evening, we will attend an orchestral concert by the Berlin Staatsoper in Philharmonie Hall.
As always at the Deutsche Oper, our tickets for all FIVE PERFORMANCES are already confirmed in OPTIMUM ORCHESTRA locations. IMPORTANT: For the first time, all surtitles at the Deutsche Oper will now be in ENGLISH as well as German. For Strauss aficionados who have not yet discovered the allure of Berlin, this should prove an exceptional opportunity.
In chronological order of their premieres, the Strauss operas will be Salome (1905), Elektra (1909), Der Rosenkavalier (1911), Die Aegyptische Helena (1928), and Die Liebe der Danae (1952). The Deutsche Oper is to be commended for their stagings of ‘Egyptian Helen’ and ‘Liebe der Danae’, as these late works are not often encountered today. The international casts of Strauss interpreters will include sopranos Anja Harteros, Evelyn Herlitzius, Manuela Uhl, Ricarda Merbeth, Laura Aikin, and Catherine Naglestad; mezzo-sopranos Daniela Sindram, Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet, and Doris Soffel; tenors Stefan Vinke, Stephen Rügamer, and Clemens Bieber; baritones Michael Volle, Mark Delavan, and Tobias Kehrer; and bass Albert Pesendorfer. The conductors will be Donald Runnicles, Alain Antinoglu, Andrew Litton, Sebastian Weigle, and Ulf Schirmer. Many of these fine artists are familiar to Great Performance Tours from previous visits to Berlin.
Since the reunification of Germany in l989, Berlin has truly emerged as Europe’s most active cultural capital. Countless articles in travel and news journals continue to emphasize the massive reconstruction which is transforming the city. A new political vitality reflects the return of the nation’s capital to its historic location, while the quality of musical performance throughout the opera houses and concert venues is the envy of all Europe. Our excursions will focus on the incomparable museums within the central city of Berlin: the European masters of the priceless Gemäldegalerie (‘Painting Gallery’); and the Art Nouveau/Jugendstil and modern collections of the Bröhan and Berggruen Museums.
Accommodations for seven nights with an elaborate buffet breakfast at the Bristol Kempinski Hotel. Combining old-world appointments and personal service with renovated furnishings, the Kempinski is a famous landmark and meeting place in Berlin. Located on the corner of the throbbing Kurfürstendamm adjacent to the city’s prime shopping area, the Kempinski features an indoor swimming pool and health club (complimentary for hotel guests) and several excellent restaurants. The gourmet Grill Room remains open for late suppers after the opera, and the convenient Reinhard’s on the corner and inviting Bristol Bar offer convenient all-day dining. All of our rooms are confirmed in the hotel’s DELUXE category. (IMPORTANT: There is no performance included on our first evening. However, if you wish to arrive a day early to adjust to the time change, we are happy to reserve your room for the additional night of April 4th. You should notify us NOW if you want the early night.)
Price Per Person (based on Double Occupancy): $5,500
Price Per Person (based on Single Occupancy): $6,285