Arrive in Bucharest 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.

At 18:00, attend a welcome briefing with your tour leader Mairi Nicolson, followed by dinner.

(D)

Begin the morning with a pre-performance talk by Mairi, before enjoying a walking tour of the city’s Old Town including Calea Victoria street, one of the most fashionable streets in the city during the early 20th century when Bucharest was called the ‘Paris of the East’. The Old Town is a lively jumble of narrow streets lined with shops and restaurants, and a sprinkling of historic churches. After lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy some time at leisure in the afternoon.

This evening, walk to the Grand Palace Hall for a performance by the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich and American cellist Alisa Weilerstein, under the baton of Estonian Grammy Award-winning conductor Paavo Järvi.

PROGRAM:
Enescu – Prélude from Œdipe
Shostakovich – Cello concerto No. 2 in C major, Op. 126
Rachmaninov – Symphony No. 2, Op. 27

(BL)

Today, enjoy a morning at leisure to either relax or explore Bucharest at your own pace.

In the afternoon, walk to the Romanian Athenaeum, Bucharest’s 19th century Neoclassical concert hall, for a performance by the French orchestra Les Siècles, featuring violinist Isabella Faust, and conducted by Ustina Dubitsky.

PROGRAM:
Beethoven – Violin concerto in D major, Op. 61
Berlioz – Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14

Then, attend a second concert in the Grand Palace Hall by the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, conducted by Paavo Järvi, performing the Mahler No. 2.

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

(B)

Following a morning talk by Mairi, explore the Cotroceni Palace. Constructed in the late 19th century, it served as the residence for the Romanian royal family until 1939 and was later transformed into an official guesthouse for visiting heads of state during the Communist Era. Since 1991, it has been the official residence of the Romanian President, with the old wing of the palace now a museum.

In the evening, return to the Grand Palace Hall for a performance by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Petr Popelka.

PROGRAM:
Enescu – Symphony No. 4 in E minor
Rachmaninov – Symphonic Dances, Op. 45

(B)

Begin the day with a coach tour exploring life in Bucharest during the Communist Era, including the Palace of the Parliament, the world’s second-largest administrative building, built at the special request of Nicolae Ceausescu, the leader of Romania’s Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and visit Primaverii Palace, the home where Ceausescu and his wife Elena lived the last 25 years of their lives together.

This evening, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra performs once again at the Grand Palace Hall, joined by Austrian-Iranian cellist Kian Soltani.

PROGRAM:
Dvorak – Cello concerto in B minor, Op. 104
Dvorak – Symphony No. 6 in D major, Op. 60

Later, continue to the Romanian Athenaeum for a concert performance of Conti’s opera Il Trionfo della Fama by the Accademia Bizantina alongside the Purcell Choir, under the baton of Ottavio Dantone.

(BL)

Enjoy a morning at leisure to explore Bucharest at your own pace.

In the afternoon, attend a performance by the Basel Chamber Orchestra under the baton of French conductor Pierre Bleuse, accompanied by Argentine cellist Sol Gabetta.

PROGRAM:
Enescu – Chamber Symphony, Op. 33
Lalo – Cello concerto in D minor
Beethoven – Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92

Then, attend an evening concert in the Grand Palace Hall by the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra with violinist Renaud Capuçon, conducted by Manfred Honeck.

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

(B)

This morning, join Mairi for a pre-performance talk followed by some time at leisure.

Then, attend a matinee recital at Radio Hall, the country’s largest symphonic concert hall, where the German Chamber Philharmonie Bremen performs Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute in concert.

This evening, enjoy a second concert by the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra, joined by cello virtuoso Yo Kitamura and conductor Manfred Honeck.

PROGRAM:
Enescu – Symphony concertante for cello and orchestra, Op. 8
Bruckner – Symphony No. 9 in D minor

(B)

After breakfast, discover Romania’s rich religious heritage visiting the Choral Temple, the Metropolitan Church and Patriarchate Hill, the site of a 17th century cathedral considered the centre of the Romanian Orthodox faith.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before returning to the hotel for the remainder of the afternoon at leisure.

Then, attend a concert of the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra and violinist Julian Rachlin at the Grand Palace Hall conducted by the acclaimed Alain Altinoglu.

PROGRAM:
Sibelius – Violin concerto in D minor, Op. 47
Shostakovich – Symphony No. 8 in C minor, Op. 65

(BL)

This morning, explore the National Museum of Old Maps and its collection of 1,000 works from the 16th to 20th century, housed in a beautiful villa built in the 1920s with stained-glassed windows and painted ceilings, and learn about Romanian wines during a private tasting in the garden.

In the evening, walk to the Grand Palace Hall for the second performance of the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra conducted by Alain Altinoglu, this time joined by acclaimed French cellist Gautier Capuçon.

PROGRAM:
Enescu – Suite No. 2 in C major, Op. 20
Elgar – Cello concerto in E minor, Op. 85
Dvorak – Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, From the New World

(B)

Begin the day with a pre-performance talk by Mairi, followed by time at leisure.

In the late-afternoon, enjoy a concert by the Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra accompanied by Romanian pianist Daniel Ciobanu, conducted by Gabriel Bebeșelea at the Romanian Athenaeum.

PROGRAM (PROVISIONAL):
Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue
Bruckner – Quadrille
R Strauss – Rosenkavalier Suite No. to be confirmed
J Straus Jr – Waltz to be confirmed

Then, revel in an evening performance by the renowned Staatskapelle Dresden, conducted by the acclaimed Daniele Gatti.

PROGRAM:
Takemitsu – Requiem for string orchestra
Mahler – Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor

(B)

Enjoy a morning at leisure before joining Mairi and fellow travellers for a special farewell lunch to celebrate the end of a memorable music experience.

In the late afternoon, walk to the Romanian Athenaeum for a performance by the British period instrument Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, featuring the music of Bach and hip-hop dance, choreographed by Kim Brandstrup, renowned for his award-winning work in ballet, opera, theatre and film.

Tonight, the Staatskapelle Dresden and conductor Daniele Gatti return to the Grand Palace Hall, alongside multi-awarded pianist Kirill Gerstein.

PROGRAM:
Enescu – Concert Overture on Themes in Romanian Folkloric Character, Op. 32
Schumann – Piano concerto in A minor, Op. 54
Beethoven – Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, Pastorale

(BL)

Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your travel arrangements, including flights, a private airport transfer, a room category upgrade and travel insurance (a condition of travel).

(B)