The Kimmel Center: “Philadelphia opens a concert hall that Paris can only dream about.”
- Le Monde

Christine Goerke’s huge, supple voice has a beautifully creamy quality, plenty of expressive power and some thrilling top notes. She’s a compelling actress too.
- Seattle Times

Anthony Dean Griffey: “The star of the MET’s new production of ‘Peter Grimes’ is now coming into his own as a leading man. . . His clarion, large, lyric tenor boasts a pleasing tonal shine that can take on a wealth of dynamic shadings across a wide range.”
- Cover article, Opera News, Feb. ’08

PHILADELPHIA WEEKEND:

Price Per Person
(Based on double occupancy):
$2,250

Single room supplement:
$685

The great cultural institutions of Philadelphia should be experienced by every aficionado of music and art. For the fall of 2008, we plan to return to America’s oldest historical city for a combination of the best that Philadelphia will be offering during the coming season. Both of our Philadelphia Orchestra concerts will be heard in the dazzling state-of-the-art Kimmel Center, while the Opera Co. of Philadelphia remains committed to the traditional venue of the beloved Academy of Music. Our fourth performance will be at the Curtis Institute of Music.

We have chosen our October dates to take advantage of the only four-day period of the fall which includes a pair of different Philadelphia Orchestra Concerts. The first concert will be Hector Berlioz’ full-length choral symphony, Roméo et Juiette, conducted by the orchestra’s Chief Conductor and Artistic Adviser, Charles Dutoit. The second concert will be led by the esteemed Spanish maestro, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos who has announced a varied program of works by Schumann, Chausson, Ravel and de Falla.

The Opera Co. of Philadelphia will open the ’08 -’09 season with a thrilling new production of Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio. We have chosen this highlight because of the exciting cast assembled by Music Director Corrado Rovaris, who will be conducting Beethoven’s searing score. The MET’s young American stars Christine Goerke and Anthony Dean Griffey will assume the dramatic roles of Leonore and Florestan, while Seattle’s brilliant Wotan, Greer Grimsley, will be heard in the pivotal role of Don Pizarro. On our previous Philadelphia weekends, we have been impressed by the extremely high quality of the company’s productions, especially Verdi’s ‘Macbeth’ and ‘Falstaff’, Bizet’s ‘The Pearl Fishers’, and Gershwin’s ‘Porgy and Bess’.

Our fourth performance will be at Philadelphia’s venerated Curtis Institute of Music, where we will attend a Recital presenting a number of the school’s leading young instrumentalists. The Curtis attracts the finest young musicians from all over the world.

We have also included a guided visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a priceless and vast collection of American and international treasures in classical galleries overlooking the Schuylkill River.

Accommodations for four nights at the luxurious Ritz-Carlton Hotel, which opened with great fanfare in 2001. Ideally located on the Avenue of the Arts within easy walking distance of both the Kimmel Center and the Academy of Music, the Ritz-Carlton has established new standards of personal service and comfort to downtown Philadelphia. The array of outstanding restaurants includes the Pantheon for creative Italian cuisine, the Rotunda for cocktails and afternoon tea in historic surroundings, the Paris Bar & Grill for classic American menus, and the Vault for light fare and drinks. A complete Fitness Center offers steam and sauna, massage and aromatherapy treatments. The nearby shops and boutiques of the Bellevue and from Liberty Place to Rittenhouse Square are all within convenient walking distance. Despite the premium price commanded by the Ritz-Carlton, we are confident that your experience in Philadelphia will be significantly enhanced by this luxury property.