Italian Summer Music Festivals

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2009 Tours

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Highlights
The Accommodation
Detailed Itinerary
What is included?
Robert Gay

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Italian Summer Music Festivals
with Robert Gay
In collaboration with Musica Viva Australia
Monday 06 July to Monday 20 July 2009 Spoleto, Ravenna & Verona - 14 nights
Spoleto - 6 to 13 July - 7 nights Ravenna - 13 to 16 July - 3 nights Verona - 16 to 20 July - 4 nights - with Aida and Carmen EURO 4450 / AUD 7790 The tour includes seven performances in evocative settings at the Spoleto Festival in Umbria and the Ravenna and Verona Festivals on the north Italian plain of the River Po
Chamber Music in Tuscany Friday 24 July to 3 Monday 3 August 2009 10 Days in Tuscany at the La Foce private music Festival
*depending on actual, eventual concert dates and availability

Spoleto Festival in 2008 was once again an exciting place to be. For some years the once famous festival had been in decline but has recently been taken over by the local municipality and completely rejuvenated. Throughout the inaugural celebrations there was a palpable feeling of pride on the part of the inhabitants of this fascinating Umbrian hill town. The festival has even revived its links with Charlestown, South Carolina, its twin town in the USA, and will continue to use the title of Festival of Two Worlds, made famous by Gian-Carlo Menotti and his family.

In the ancient city of Ravenna on the Adriatic coast one finds some of the world's oldest and most beautiful mosaics, dating from the fifth and sixth centuries AD. The Ravenna Festival, which is held each year in June and July, offers a mixture of opera, ballet, music theatre and concerts of choral, orchestral and chamber music in a variety of venues. The festival is particularly associated with the conductor Riccardo Muti.

The Verona Opera Festival, held in the impressive remains of a Roman amphitheatre dating from the first century AD, is undoubtedly Italy's most famous summer music festival. The world's most popular operas are presented in spectacular productions starring big-voiced soloists who sing completely without amplification under the starry sky. The setting is truly magical and something that every opera-lover should experience at least once in their lives. This year the tour includes performances of Bizet's Carmen and Verdi's Aida.

Seven performances are included in the tour price.

Highlights of the tour

Guided visits to some of Italy's most beautiful towns and cities

The best available seats at seven included performances

Talks on a selection of the musical events

Accommodation

In Spoleto, Hotel San Luca, or Hotel Palazzo Leti

In Ravenna, Hotel Cappello

In Verona, Hotel Accademia

Detailed itinerary - Under Construction -

This is a preliminary itinerary and will be adjusted to fit a range of variables, including performances as information becomes available. Otherwise the essential content will remain the same. B L D means that breakfast, lunch or dinner will be included.

Mon 6 July Transfer to Spoleto D O'night Spoleto
You will be met at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport at Fiumicino at 10.30am and transferred by private air-conditioned coach to your accommodation in Spoleto.

Tue 7 July Spoleto & Performance 1 B D O'night Spoleto
This morning we have a guided visit of this fine town, which was already famous in Roman times (the Carthaginian general Hannibal was repulsed by the citizens in 217BC) and in medieval times (it was the capital of a duchy under the Lombards). We see the remains of a fine Roman theatre (often used for performances during the festival), walk across the majestic medieval aqueduct and visit the superbly situated cathedral which forms the backdrop for the performances held in the Piazza del Duomo. After an included lunch the afternoon is at leisure. This evening we have an included performance at the Spoleto Festival.

Wed 8 July Montefalco B D O'night Spoleto

Thu 9 July Spello & Spoleto B D O'night Spoleto
Today we visit the medieval hilltowns of Spello dressed in characteristic pink and cream stone. A leisurely stroll through the town to admire the generous flower arrangements decorating the balconies of the town. Lunch in Spello and the afternoon at leisure in Spoleto.

Fri 10 July Todi & Perf 2 B L O'night Spoleto
We travel to Todi & Montecastello di Vibio

Sat 11 July Orvieto & Perf 3 B D O'night Spoleto

Spoleto. Chiostro di San Nicolo (2008 program)
Andrea Lucchesini, piano
Marco Rizzi, violin
Mario Brunello, cello
Gabriele Mirabassi, clarinet

and the participation of Giuseppe Cederna, actor

Olivier Messiaen, Quatuor pour la fin du temps, for violin, clarinet, cello and piano (1941)

This evening we have an included performance at the Spoleto Festival.

Sun 12 July Bevagna & Perf 4 B D O'night Spoleto
We visit the Roman town of Bevagna

This evening we have our fourth included performance - the closing concert of the Spoleto Festival held in the Piazza del Duomo.

Mon 13 Jul Ravenna B D O'night Ravenna
Transfer to Ravenna

Tue 14 July Ravenna & Perf 5 B D O'night Ravenna

Wed 15 July Ravenna & Perf 6 B O'night Ravenna

Thu 16 July Verona B O'night Verona
Transfer to Verona

Fri 17 July Verona & Performance 7 B O'night Verona

Sat 18 July Verona & optional performance B O'night Verona

Sun 19 July B D O'night Verona
A day at leisure. This evening we come together for our farewell dinner.

Mon 20 July Departure B
Transport is provided to Verona's International Airport where, at 12 noon, this portion of the tour officially ends

How much does it cost? - approximate prices - to be confirmed -

The cost of the tour is EURO 4450 / AUD 7790 per person in twin share accommodation. A non-refundable deposit of EURO 800 / AUD 1450 per person is required to reserve a place on the tour. This deposit is non-refundable unless the tour is cancelled. A limited number of single supplements is available at an additional cost of EURO 1000 / AUD 1750 in a single room or EURO 1400 / AUD 2500 in a double room. A limited number of room upgrades with sea views in Ravello are available for an additional Euro 600 / AUD 1050. Final payment is due by 28 April 2008. The tour is costed on a minimum of 12 people travelling and is limited to the 12 rooms we have reserved for the tour. Subject to final tour numbers and exchange rate fluctuations the price may vary slightly. You will be notified immediately of any change.

What is included?

Arrival transfer: Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport at Fiumicino
Departure transfer: Verona International Airport
Accommodation in Spoleto for 7 nights
Accommodation in Ravenna for 5 nights
Accommodation in Verona for 4 nights
Breakfast everyday, plus 10 excellent meals of characteristic cuisine
Best available tickets to 7 performances
Background lectures on performances and aspects of various performances
Guided tours in Ravello, Montefalco, Spoleto
Admission to all galleries, museums, historical sites mentioned in the itinerary
All land travel within Italy by air-conditioned coach
The services of the tour leader and a tour manager throughout the tour

What is not Included?

྅ Airfares

྅ Travel insurance (this is a prerequisite of participation in the tour)

྅ Entry fees to places other than those specifically mentioned on the itinerary

྅ Meals not specifically mentioned in the itinerary

྅ Additional concerts or optional excursions may be offered which are not included in the tour price

྅ Drinks outside normal meal times, or additional wine in restaurants

྅ Personal transport costs, taxis, phone calls or tips

྅ Laundry

	Talks and lectures

	Robert Gay will give two special talks during the tour about aspects of the performances you will be attending at the Spoleto Festival and the Trasimeno Music Festival.

Additional Information

The Ravello festival

The Spoleto festival

What will the weather be like?

What kinds of people go on Living Italy tours? Although this itinerary is aimed particularly at people who are interested in music, the interests of Living Italy groups are usually wide-ranging - history, fine arts, music, architecture, food, reading etc. The age of group members varies greatly, but most would be more than forty years old and have travelled. With a maximum of twenty places on the tour the group is large enough for you to find like-minded friends, but small enough for us to get to know you all.

How fit do I have to be? In order to visit and enjoy the natural attractions of the countryside and the historical centres of towns it is necessary to be able to walk well, as bus and car access can be difficult. While there are no medical restrictions on who may book a place on the tour, you should be fit enough to stroll for periods of up to an hour (with short breaks) and you should specially note that the towns are not called 'hilltowns' for nothing! Wherever possible we break up walking tours with coffee stops and extended lunches and we have tried to mix busy and relaxed days in the itinerary, and to have late morning or afternoon starts after evening performances. Remember that it is always possible to take time off from the program whenever you like.

Your Host

ROBERT GAY is a popular Sydney music lecturer who has been designing and leading musical and cultural tours to Europe and America since 1987. He has worked with Living Italy since 1998 leading six tours centered on Umbria and the Spoleto Festival, and since 2006, a tour based in Tuscany. Robert teaches Music History and Opera at the Centre for Continuing Education at Sydney University and is a regular guest lecturer for the Friends of Opera Australia. In 2004 Robert made a very successful tour of Queensland for the Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society lecturing on ‘Verdi’s Italy’. He was President of the Sydney Schubert Society for 18 years.