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), a private hotel transfer, accommodation before or after the tour and a room category upgrade.

At 18:00, join your tour leader Christopher Lawrence and fellow travellers for a welcome briefing at the hotel, followed by dinner.

(D)

Following a morning talk by Christopher, join a private, guided walking tour of Salzburg’s UNESCO-listed historic centre. This city is renowned not only as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, but also for its splendid Baroque architecture and opulence such as the Salzburg Cathedral and Mirabell Palace.

In the mid-afternoon, walk to the Felsenreitschule Theatre for a performance of Wagner’s Die Walküre, directed by Kirill Serebrennikov and conducted by Kirill Petrenko. The performance features Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen as Brünhilde, American tenor Jamez McCorkle as Siegmund, British baritone Christopher Maltman as Wotan, Swedish soprano Christina Nilsson as Sieglinde and Scottish mezzo-soprano Catriona Morison as Fricka.

(B)

Begin the day with a visit to Schloss Leopoldskron, a rococo palace and a national historic monument with its surrounding seven-hectare park located on Lake Leopoldskroner Weiher. Since 1965, the palace has acquired greater reputation for being an original filming location for the world-famous movie ‘The Sound of Music’.

This evening, enjoy an early dinner, followed by a performance of Handel’s famous oratorio, Messiah, at the Grosses Festspielhaus. This choral concert, performed by musical ensemble Le Concert d’Astrée and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Emmanuelle Haïm, features French soprano Sabine Devieilhe, Italian countertenor Carlo Vistoli, American tenor Eric Ferring and British bass William Thomas.

(BD)

This morning, visit the Mozarteum University, one of the largest arts universities in Europe, established in 1841 in honour of Mozart and specialises in music and dramatic arts with over 2,000 students attending from around the world.

Afterwards, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before some time at leisure.

Tonight, attend a concert at the Grosses Festspielhaus by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Lahav Shani, alongside celebrated pianist Martha Argerich.

PROGRAM:
Claude Debussy – Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune
Sergei Prokofiev – Piano Concerto No.3 in C major, op. 26
Modest Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition (orchestration by Maurice Ravel)

(BL)

Today, depart by coach for Baden-Baden, a picturesque spa town in the southwest of Germany, nestled at the edge of the Black Forest near the French border. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2021, Baden-Baden is known for its 2,000-year-old healing thermal springs and offers a blend of Roman-Irish baths, grand architecture and high-end culture.

Arrive at the hotel in Baden-Baden in the late afternoon and check in. This evening, dinner is at the hotel.

(BLD)

After a morning talk by Christopher, join a private, guided walking tour of Baden-Baden and explore the historic Old Town and traditional spa quarter with its elegant buildings, including the theatre, casino and the Trinkhalle (Pump Room).

In the evening, transfer to the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, Germany’s largest opera and concert house, built in 1904, and the venue for the coming days’ performances as part of the Baden-Baden Easter Music Festival. Enjoy an orchestral concert by the prestigious Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Finnish conductor Klaus Mäkelä.

PROGRAM:
Robert Schumann – Symphony No. 1 in B-flat major, op. 28
Hector Berlioz – Symphonie fantastique

(BL)

Start the day with a visit to the Fabergé Museum, dedicated to the work of the famous jeweller to the Russian imperial court, Carl Fabergé. Established by a Russian art collector in 2009, the collection includes the imperial Easter eggs for the Tsar’s family through to the exquisite pieces of jewellery and high-quality everyday items from around the time of World War I.

This evening, hear French violinist Renaud Capuçon perform with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under Klaus Mäkelä.

PROGRAM:
Robert Schumann – Overture to the opera Manfred, op. 115
Jean Sibelius – Violin concerto in D minor, op. 47
Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 7 in A major, op. 92

(BL)

After breakfast, delve into the music history of Baden-Baden on a themed walking tour of the city through vivid stories of great musicians like Clara Schumann, Niccolò Paganini and Carl Maria von Weber. Visit the Brahms House, a biographical museum dedicated to Johannes Brahms where he once lived and composed.

Tonight, hear Mozart’s most notable choral work, Requiem, and Beethoven’s rarely performed Choral Fantasy by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Joana Mallwitz. The concert also features the Vienna Philharmonia Choir with Swiss soprano Regula Mühlemann and mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti, German tenor Sebastian Kohlhepp and Austrian bass Alexander Grassauer.

PROGRAM:
Ludwig van Beethoven – Choral Fantasy in C minor, op. 80
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Requiem, K. 626

(BL)

In the morning, join Christopher for a pre-performance talk, followed by a private, guided tour of the resplendent Theatre Baden-Baden. Built between 1860 and 1862, the theatre was modelled on the Palais Garnier in Paris and opened with Hector Berlioz’s opera, Béatrice et Bénédict, written especially for the occasion.

Following lunch and the rest of the afternoon at leisure, return to the Festspielhaus for a piano recital by South Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho, a winner of the Chopin International Piano Competition and who regularly performs with the world’s foremost orchestras.

PROGRAM:
Jörg Widmann – Sonatina facile for piano
Sergei Prokofiev – Ten Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, op. 75
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Fantasia in C minor, K. 396 (completed by Maximilian Stadler)
Sergei Prokofiev – Piano Sonata No. 8 in B-flat major, op. 84

(BL)

This morning is at leisure to relax or to further explore Baden-Baden at your own pace. Then, enjoy a special farewell lunch with Christopher and fellow travellers.

This evening, attend the final performance of the tour, Beethoven’s operatic masterpiece Fidelio, in a new production directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski and conducted by Joana Mallwitz. The cast includes Austrian soprano Vera-Lotte Boecker as Leonore, American tenor Sean Panikkar as Florestan, German bass Manuel Winckhler as Don Fernando and German baritone Johannes Martin Kränzle as Don Pizarro.

(BL)

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and transfer by coach from Baden-Baden to Frankfurt airport. Tour arrangements conclude upon arrival at Frankfurt airport in time for flights departing from 15:00.

For those returning home today, Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including a private airport transfer, additional nights’ accommodation either before or after the tour and travel insurance (a condition of travel).

(B)