“Move over, London, Los Angeles and maybe even New York. Berlin, the art scene, is moving up the outside track, a track of its own devising.”
- NY Times

“One of the most remarkable features of Wagner’s works is the author’s complete absorption of the times of which he wrote. . . In Der Ring des Nibelungen, he has done more – he has absorbed an imaginary epoch; lived over the days of gods and demigods; infused life into mythological figures.”
- Gustav Kobbé

In addition to our annual fall weeks in Berlin, we have been excited by the imaginative winter and spring programming of the city’s Deutsche Oper during the past few seasons. Following a major Puccini Festival in early 2008, this estimable company launched a five-opera Richard Strauss Festival last winter which attracted a sold-out group of ‘aficionados’ for our week-long Tour. Now in the first days of spring in 2010 – which promises far better weather than their recent festivals – the Deutsche Oper has announced a carefully planned mounting of Wagner’s towering Ring Cycle. All four installments of Der Ring des Nibelungen will be performed within a compact five-night period.

Because ‘The Ring’ is typically staged in Europe over a considerably longer period, the Deutsche Oper’s five-night Cycle provides a unique opportunity of experiencing Wagner’s masterpiece during a short visit sensibly conceived for international travelers. Our six-night Tour will include two free nights (one before the Cycle begins and another between the two final performances) and of course the four nights of the operas. Our package therefore reflects by far the most advantageous price of any major European Ring in our thirty years of offering music tours. We are grateful for the optimum orchestra seats already confirmed by the Deutsche Oper, where we have enjoyed a rewarding relationship for many years.

The production is a revival of the acclaimed 1985 staging directed by Germany’s revered Götz Friedrich, for many years the guiding force behind the Deutsche Oper and a sought-after guest director at Berlin’s other houses and throughout Europe. The set designer is Peter Sykora, whose dramatic concept combines symbolic and natural elements to reveal a contemporary view of Wagner’s complex vision. The conductor is the Scottish maestro Donald Runnicles, who has earned his Wagnerian credentials with superlative performances as the San Francisco Opera’s Music Director during the past decade. A thrilling cast of experienced international artists is listed below:

Brünnhilde: Evelyn Herlitzius (Janice Baird for ‘Siegfried’)

Wotan: Mark Delavan (Egils Silins for the Wanderer in ‘Siegfried’)

Siegfried: Stefan Vinke (Alfons Eberz for ‘Götterdämmerung’)

Siegmund: Clifton Forbis

Sieglinde: Violeta Urmana

Erda & Schwertleite: Ewa Wolak

Fricka: Kristine Jepson

Hagen: Matti Salminen

Freia & Gerhilde: Michaela Uhl

Gutrune: Manuela Kaune

Donner & Gunther: Markus Brück

Alberich: Thomas Konieczny

Loge & Mime: Burkhard Ulrich

Fasolt & Fafner: Reinhard Hagen & Andrea Silvestrelli

The Forest Bird: Burcu Uyar

Waltraute: Karen Cargill

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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 several excursions will focus on the incomparable museums within the central city of Berlin: the celebrated antiquities of the Pergamon Museum and the peerless European masters of the Gemäldegalerie (‘Painting Gallery’), as well as an introductory tour of the major districts of the city. To visit Berlin ‘after The Wall’ is a revelation. Every traveler should discover the thrill of walking through the Brandenburg Gate and onto ‘Unter den Linden’ Boulevard – past where The Wall formerly blocked all passage. The survival, reconstruction and final reunion of Berlin add a moving chapter to modern political history, now reinforced by the return of the nation’s government to the Reichstag and other major sites reflecting the city’s turbulent 20th century upheaval.

Monday, April 26th, departure from NEWARK’s international airport at 5:50 pm on Continental Airlines flight #96, a convenient direct flight to Berlin arriving at the city’s Tegel Airport at 8:05 am on the morning of the 27th. Or independent travel to Berlin.

Accommodations for a six 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 café on the corner offers convenient snacks and all-day dining. All of our rooms are confirmed in the hotel’s classical Superior category.

IMPORTANT: 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 26th. You should notify us NOW if you want an early night.