The great cultural institutions of Philadelphia should be experienced
by every aficionado of music and art. We are particularly enthusiastic
about our fourth consecutive visit to America’s oldest historical
city for a combination of the best that Philadelphia will be offering
during the coming season. Both of our concerts will be heard in
the dazzling new Kimmel Center, while
the two operas will be enhanced by the elegant and traditional
atmosphere of the beloved Academy of Music.
First, the revered Philadelphia Orchestra
will be conducted by Christoph Eschenbach,
recently named to the prestigious position of Music Director,
who has announced an all-Brahms program to showcase the lustrous
timbre of the ensemble’s famous string section. Second,
the revered American pianist Murray Perahia
will give another consummate Recital,
in the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall. We are fortunate to
have our confirmed tickets for both of these performances in the
Kimmel Center, which is attracting visitors from all over the
world to experience this newest state-of-the-art venue with its
warm acoustic resonating from the wood interior.
Our two operatic evenings by the Opera Company
of Philadelphia will contrast a pair of important landmarks
of the 19th century French repertoire, both premiered in Paris
during the 1860’s. Georges Bizet’s lyrical romance
The Pearl Fishers is set in exotic
Ceylon and never fails to captivate audiences with its succession
of soaring arias and famous tenor-baritone duet. Philadelphia’s
favorite singers will all be returning from last year’s
acclaimed ‘Così fan Tutte’ for this new production
– Mary Dunleavy, William
Burden, and Nathan Gunn. A
change of pace will then be offered with Jacques Offenbach’s
irrepressible ‘opéra comique’, The
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, being mounted for the MET’s
prodigiously talented mezzo-soprano Stephanie
Blythe in the title role. Offenbach’s beloved French
comedy will also be given in a major new production.
The Barnes Collection’s priceless
Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings are housed in the
original setting of a private gallery in the Main Line suburb
of Merion. Reservations are necessary and are difficult to obtain
without considerable advance notice, but our Tour will facilitate
your entry with our confirmed entry and our private bus to Merion.
No visit to Philadelphia is complete without the discovery of
the wealth of art contained at the Barnes Collection – Renoir,
Monet, Cézanne, Matisse and many others.
Philadelphia is the home of one of the newest additions to the
Ritz-Carlton chain of hotel jewels.
We have chosen the deluxe Ritz-Carlton for its ideal location
in the heart of the city and for its exceptional standards of
service.
A Saturday night stay-over is included to allow for optimum
air fares into Philadelphia’s convenient international airport.
For East Coast friends, the new Acela trains all stop in the city’s
center.
