TWO NEW YORK HOLIDAYS
MARCH HOLIDAY
Tuesday, March 8th through Friday, March 11th
MAY HOLIDAY
Tuesday, May 3rd through Friday, May 6th
During the second week of March, we have found an irresistible four-night program of two operas at THE MET and two unusual concerts – a choral masterwork by the NY Philharmonic and a Carnegie Hall program by the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
First, the opera no-one wants to miss this season is the new production of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, being mounted for Kristine Opolais and Jonas Kaufmann as the ill-fated lovers. Second will be the revival of Donizetti’s poignant lyric comedy Don Pasquale, featuring Ambrogio Maestri in the title role and the sensational ‘bel canto’ tenor Javier Camarena as Ernesto. For the variety of New York’s other venues, we have chosen the NY Philharmonic’s performance of the Brahms Requiem at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall; and the Orchestra of Saint Luke’s all-Spanish concert at Carnegie Hall.
Our program in early May will also extend over four nights in order to embrace a pair of MET operas – a new production of Richard Strauss’s searing one-act Elektra starring Nina Stemme in the challenging title role; and Mozart’s classical comedy Die Entführung aus dem Serail, with Russian soprano Albina Shagimuratova as Konstanze and conducted by Music Director James Levine. For our third evening, we have received early confirmation for Carnegie Hall’s 125th Anniversary Gala – ‘an unforgettable and not-to-be-missed evening’ showcasing Martina Arroyo, Renée Fleming, Marilyn Horne, Lang Lang, Yo-Yo Ma, Audra McDonald, Jessye Norman, James Taylor (list incomplete). Finally, we are delighted to include a performance by the revered NY City Ballet in an all-Balanchine program concluding with his iconic Vienna Waltzes.
Accommodations for both holidays will be for four nights at the private New York Athletic Club (NYAC), ideally located on Central Park South (59th street at 7th Avenue). The NYAC offers extremely pleasant bedrooms and many advantages of a large, private club: a spacious dining room overlooking Central Park from the 11th floor; friendly bars on the main floor and in the second-floor Tap Room which serves convenient meals; the best-equipped large swimming-pool and sauna/steamroom complex in the city; extensive health-club features and exercise equipment; and a relaxing library with a wide collection of books and current journals. There are several appealing cafés and restaurants in the immediate neighborhood, and Carnegie Hall is only one block away from the 58th street rear entrance.
A cocktail buffet will be enjoyed on the first evening of each weekend, which will provide an opportunity to meet other members of the Tour. Our party will be in a private room of the Club. On our last evening, dinner will be arranged in one of the interesting restaurants in the Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall area. Our recent meals have featured French brasserie cuisine at Cognac and Italian specialties at Nocello, both within comfortable walking distance of the Club. On some occasions, we have been grateful for dinners served in the Club’s Tap Room or Main Dining Room overlooking central Park.
We are pleased to offer you a Guest Pass to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street. Your pass will allow for free entry at your own convenience into all permanent galleries, such as the sensational Lila Acheson Wallace Wing of 20th century painting and sculpture and the extensive collection of French Impressionists. The MET’s vast collection of European paintings was completely re-hung last year.
Transfers are always included for all of our performances not at Carnegie Hall or City Center. (The Club is only one block of easy walking distance from Carnegie Hall and several short blocks from City Center.)
All MET Opera performances are performed with MET TITLES optionally displayed on the seat in front of you, which has proven to be enormously popular.
March Holiday
Price Per Person (based on Double Occupancy): $2,950
Price Per Person (based on Single Occupancy): $3,500
May Holiday
Price Per Person (based on Double Occupancy): $3,150
Price Per Person (based on Single Occupancy): $3,700