Arrive in Zurich 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 5:30pm, join your tour leader Christopher Lawrence and fellow travellers for a welcome briefing at the hotel, followed by dinner.

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This morning, travel to Lucerne. Nestled between the snow-capped Alps and the pristine waters of Lake Lucerne, the town has been deservedly popular since the likes of Wagner, Goethe and Queen Victoria admired its views in the 19th century. On arrival, enjoy a walking tour of the Old Town, viewing the many ornately decorated buildings as well as the Chapel Bridge, the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe.

Following an afternoon at leisure, attend the opening concert of the Lucerne Summer Festival at the KKL Luzern, featuring the Lucerne Festival Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Chailly with Latvian mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča.

PROGRAM:
Mahler – Rückert Lieder
Mahler – Symphony No. 10 in F-sharp major (performing edition by Deryck Cooke)

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For more than 75 years, the Lucerne Summer Festival has been presenting world-renowned orchestras, legendary conductors and celebrated soloists. Featuring a different theme each year, the program offers an eclectic blend of offerings ranging from Mozart to the Modernists, from early music to avant-garde experimentation – and all in the superlative concert hall of the KKL Luzern, designed by the Parisian architect Jean Nouvel and acclaimed for its outstanding acoustics.

Begin the day with a talk by Christopher on the coming days’ performances. Then, visit the villa overlooking Lake Lucerne where Richard Wagner lived from 1866 to 1872 in Tribschen, composing Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and parts of Siegfried and Götterdämmerung.

This evening, return to the KKL Luzern and see renowned Colombian conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada lead the Lucerne Festival Orchestra with acclaimed violinist Isabella Faust.

PROGRAM:
Dvořák – The Noonday Witch, Op. 108
Dvořák – Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 53
Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition (orchestration by Ravel)

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Today, embark on an Alpine adventure to Mount Pilatus, combining spectacular mountain views, an aerial cable-car ride, the world’s steepest cogwheel railway and a scenic lake cruise across Lake Lucerne. Enjoy lunch with a view at an altitude of 2,132 metres above sea level.

In the evening, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and world-renowned conductor Daniel Barenboim are joined by piano sensation Lang Lang at the KKL Luzern.

PROGRAM:
Mendelssohn – Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25
Beethoven – Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55, Sinfonia Eroica

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Depart Lucerne and travel east through the Swiss foothills and along picturesque lakeshores to Vaduz, the capital of the tiny Principality of Liechtenstein. Situated between Switzerland and Austria, Liechtenstein emerged from the labyrinthine politics of the Holy Roman Empire as an independent state and has maintained that status ever since. Enjoy some free time in the charming city crowned by the iconic Vaduz Castle.

In the afternoon, admire the spectacular views of high peaks, dense pine forests covering the mountainsides and villages nestled in the Inn River Valley en route to Austria.

Arrive in Innsbruck in the late-afternoon and enjoy dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.

(BD)

After a morning talk by Christopher, enjoy a walking tour of the late-Medieval Old Town, passing by the iconic Golden Roof with its 2,657 fire-gilded copper tiles, the opulent Hofburg Imperial Palace and the Hofkirche, home to Emperor Maximilian I’s impressive tomb.

This evening, enjoy Vivaldi’s rarely-performed Il Giustino, the story of the rise from peasant to emperor, at the city’s Haus der Musik. The production, under the musical direction of Stefano Demicheli, stars Lithuanian contralto Justina Vaitkute in the title role.

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Founded in 1976, the annual Innsbruck Festival of Early Music has established itself as a pioneer in opera productions and concerts featuring music from the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods, all performed with period instruments and historical performance practices. The festival has hosted renowned conductors such as Nikolaus Harnoncourt, John Eliot Gardiner and Alan Curtis, along with celebrated singers and ensembles.

This morning, marvel at the dramatic backdrop of snow-capped peaks while travelling through the heart of the Austrian Alps, shifting to rolling meadows and tranquil lakes crossing into Bavaria.

Arrive in Salzburg in time for lunch. Located amongst the lakes and mountains of the Salzkammergut, Salzburg is dominated by the fortress of Hohensalzburg. The city is renowned not only as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, but also for its splendid Renaissance architecture and Baroque courtyards.

The afternoon is free until tonight’s performance of Verdi’s Macbeth conducted by Philippe Jordan at the Grosses Festspielhaus. The cast includes baritone Vladislav Sulimsky in the title role, bass Tareq Nazmi as Banco and soprano Asmik Grigorian as Lady Macbeth.

(BL)

The Salzburg Festival was established in 1920 and is held for five weeks each summer, starting in late July. What started with a Jedermann (Everyman) performance on Cathedral Square has today become one of the biggest performing arts festivals in the world featuring operas, concerts and drama of the highest calibre. Most performances take place at venues in the historic centre, such as the Grosses Festspielhaus and the Summer Riding School. “The entire city is a stage” is how the founders of the Salzburg Festival – Max Reinhardt, Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Richard Strauss – formulated their intentions over 100 years ago.

In the morning, explore Mozart Residence, where the master of classical music lived until 1780 and composed many of his major works. Then, take 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.

The afternoon is at leisure to further explore Salzburg at your own pace.

After a talk by Christopher, enjoy dinner on the Mönchsberg, overlooking the city. Then, return to the Grosses Festspielhaus to hear the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under the baton of young prodigious conductor Klaus Mäkelä.

PROGRAM:
Schubert/Berio – Rendering for orchestra
Mahler – Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor

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Embark on a full-day excursion to the Königssee (King’s Lake) in Germany’s Berchtesgaden National Park. Take a boat ride on the crystal-clear lake and see the iconic 17th-century church of St. Bartholomew and its distinctive red onion domes against the backdrop of Mount Watzmann.

In the afternoon, return to Salzburg via the scenic Rossfeldstrasse, Germany’s highest panoramic road, for spectacular views of the Berchtesgaden Alps and the shimmering city of Salzburg in the distance.

The evening is at leisure.

(B)

This morning, under British conductor Andrew Manze, the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg is joined by young viola prodigy Timothy Ridout.

PROGRAM:
Mozart – Overture to La clemenza di Tito
Mozart – Clarinet concerto in A major (arrangement for viola and orchestra)
Mozart – Symphony No. 41 in C major, Jupiter

This evening, hear the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra under the baton of esteemed Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck with French violinist Renaud Capuçon.

PROGRAM:
Korngold – Violin concerto in D major, Op. 35
Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64

(BL)

After a talk by Christopher, hear the prestigious Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin in an all-Wagner program at the Grosses Festspielhaus. Soloists include soprano Elza van den Heever as Sieglinde, tenor Stanislas de Barbeyrac as Siegmund and bass John Relyea as Hunding.

PROGRAM:
Wagner – Prelude to Act I of Lohengrin
Wagner – Siegfried Idyll in E major
Wagner – Act I from Die Walküre

The afternoon is at leisure until tonight’s dinner at a local restaurant.

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

Afterwards, enjoy a special farewell lunch with Christopher and fellow travellers.

Tonight, return to the Grosses Festspielhaus for the final performance of the tour. See Marco Armiliato conduct the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg and Vienna State Opera Choir in a concert version of Giordano’s Andrea Chénier, with Piotr Beczala in the title role, Luca Salsi as Carlo Gérard and Elena Stikhina as Maddalena di Coigny.

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Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast.

For those returning home today, make your way to Salzburg Airport for suggested flights to Australia or New Zealand. 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).

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