Arrive in Salzburg on suggested flights and make your way to the hotel. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including travel insurance (a condition of travel), private hotel transfer, accommodation before or after the tour and a room category upgrade.

In the late-afternoon, join your tour leader Christopher Lawrence and fellow travellers for a welcome briefing followed by dinner.

(D)

Begin the day with a talk by Christopher on the coming days’ performances. Then, enjoy a walking tour of Salzburg’s UNESCO-listed historic centre, dominated by the fortress of Hohensalzburg and renowned not only as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, but also for its splendid Renaissance architecture and Baroque courtyards.

After lunch at a local restaurant, the afternoon is at leisure.

In the evening, attend the first of four Easter Festival performances at the Grosses Festspielhaus, one of the largest opera houses in the world. Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts the acclaimed Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra in a new production of Mussorgsky’s monumental work Khovanshchina, staged by acclaimed director Simon McBurney. This ‘folk drama’ of the late 19th century reveals an unsettlingly topical image of Russian politics and society, characterised by violence, power struggles and class tensions.

(BL)

This morning, explore the DomQuartier museum complex, which epitomises Salzburg’s glorious Baroque centre including the cathedral arches, residences, Cathedral Square and the Long Gallery.

Tonight, return to the Grosses Festspielhaus for a concert with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen featuring soprano Mané Galoyan and alto Jasmin White.

PROGRAM:
Mahler – Symphony No. 2 in C minor, ‘Resurrection’

(BL)

After a talk by Christopher, enjoy a private tour of the Autograph Vault, located in the basement of the Mozart Residence, exhibiting more than half of all known documents associated with Mozart’s family, including around 200 of Mozart’s original letters. Continue with a tour of the Residence, where Mozart lived until 1780 and composed many of his masterpieces.

After a free afternoon, Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra are joined by emerging cellist Senja Rummukainen, playing music by their national composer, Jean Sibelius.

PROGRAM:
Salonen – Cello Concerto
Sibelius – Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43

(BL)

Enjoy a full day at leisure to further explore Salzburg at your own pace.

Tonight, young Norwegian conductor Tabita Berglund makes her Salzburg debut together with the musicians of the renowned Mozarteum Orchestra in an evening of arias and duets featuring soprano Sondra Radvanovsky, tenor SeokJong Baek and baritone Simon Keenlyside.

PROGRAM:
Excerpts from:
Tchaikovsky – Eugen Onegin and Pique Dame
Dvořák – Rusalka
Giordano – Fedora and Andrea Chénier
Verdi – Macbeth

(B)

This morning, depart Salzburg and travel west into Germany and through Bavaria, arriving in Munich in time for lunch. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

(BL)

After a pre-performance talk by Christopher, discover the stunning Lenbachhaus art gallery, home to the world’s largest collection of art by the Blue Rider movement, including pieces by Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Gabriele Münter and Franz Marc – amongst others.

Enjoy an afternoon at leisure in the Bavarian capital. Why not visit one of Munich’s art museums, such as the Alte Pinakothek or the Pinakothek der Moderne?

Tonight, attend the Bavarian State Opera’s production of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut under the baton of accomplished conductor Marco Armiliato with Ermonela Jaho in the title role at the National Theatre.

(B)

Depart Munich in the morning and transfer to Baden-Baden, stopping for lunch at a local restaurant on the way.

Arrive in the world-renowned Black Forest spa town of Baden-Baden in the late-afternoon. The evening is at leisure.

(BL)

After a pre-performance talk by Christopher, enjoy a morning walking tour of Baden-Baden, admiring the 19th-century ‘Belle Époque’ architecture of the town and taking in sights such as the elegant casino and the Roman baths.

The afternoon is at leisure to further explore Baden-Baden at your own pace. You might wish to visit Museum Frieder Burda, designed by renowned New York architect Richard Meier and home to an exceptional collection of modern and contemporary art including works by Picasso, Gerhard Richter and Jackson Pollock.

In the evening, attend the first of three performances with the prestigious Berlin Philharmonic at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden. Tonight’s concert is led by young prodigious conductor Klaus Mäkelä and features acclaimed Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes.

PROGRAM:
Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30
Strauss – An Alpine Symphony, Op. 64

(BL)

Today, discover the Rastatt Residential Palace, the oldest Baroque residence in the Upper Rhine Valley, modelled after Versailles. The palace, gardens and town were planned as a whole, to create an impression of elegant, perfectly-proportioned uniformity – with the palace commanding pride of place at the centre. Get a glimpse into the opulent world of 18th-century German nobility on a guided tour of the palace.

Tonight, return to the Festspielhaus for director Davide Livermore’s new production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly with the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of Kirill Petrenko. The prominent cast includes highly-regarded soprano Eleonora Burrato as Cio-Cio-San and rising-star tenor Jonathan Tetelman as Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton.

(BL)

The final performance of the Baden-Baden Easter Festival and last performance of the tour is a matinee concert by the Berlin Philharmonic with conductor Kirill Petrenko, soprano Katharina Konradi, mezzo-soprano Beth Taylor, tenor Sebastian Kohlhepp and bass Tareq Nazmi.

PROGRAM:
Beethoven – Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125

After a special farewell lunch, the remainder of the day is at leisure.

(BL)

Tour arrangements conclude with a morning included group transfer to Frankfurt Airport for flights departing from 15:00. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including any additional nights’ accommodation either before or after the tour and travel insurance (a condition of travel).

(B)