Arrive in Berlin 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 Scott Curry and fellow travellers for a welcome briefing and pre-performance talk at the hotel, followed by dinner.

(D)

This morning, enjoy a private, guided tour of the Gemäldegalerie and marvel at the extensive collection of European Old Masters from the 13th to the 18th century, including works by Botticelli, Dürer, Rembrandt and Vermeer.

After lunch at a nearby restaurant, enjoy the remainder of the afternoon at leisure.

In the evening, transfer to the Schiller Theatre and attend a performance of Szymanowski’s King Roger by the Komische Oper Berlin. Directed by Evgeny Titov and conducted by Xin Tan, the production features Polish baritone Hubert Zapiór as Roger II, American tenor Christoph Sokolowski as The Shepherd, Greek soprano Penny Sofroniadou as Roxana and German tenor Caspar Krieger as Edrisi.

(BL)

Begin the day with a talk by Scott on this evening’s performance. Then, walk to the Humboldt University Berlin and enjoy a private, guided tour of one of Germany’s oldest and most prestigious universities. This institution shaped the classical music world by educating minds like Felix Mendelssohn and appointing pioneering scholars like Philipp Spitta to establish music history as an academic discipline. After the tour, enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant followed by some time at leisure in the afternoon.

In the evening, transfer to the Berliner Philharmonie to attend a performance by the Utopia Orchestra of Bach’s monumental St Matthew Passion, conducted by the visionary Teodor Currentzis. This orchestral performance presents the work in its original format, providing a reference point for the staged version later in the tour.

(BL)

This morning, visit the Fotografiska Museum, a gallery space situated in a heritage-listed 1906 industrial Art Nouveau customs house, showcasing a superb collection of fine-art contemporary photography by globally significant visual artists.

In the afternoon, walk to the Berlin State Opera and attend a performance of Wagner’s Tannhäuser, conducted by Christian Thielemann and directed by Sasha Waltz, featuring Austrian tenor Andreas Schager as Tannhäuser, Bulgarian soprano Krassimira Stoyanova as Elisabeth, Italian baritone Andrè Schuen as Wolfram von Eschenbach and German bass René Pape as Landgraf Hermann.

During the second interval, enjoy dinner at the Berlin State Opera.

(BD)

Following a pre-performance talk by Scott, enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure to relax or explore Berlin at your own pace.

In the evening, return to the Berlin State Opera for a performance of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut. Directed by Johannes Erath and conducted by Bertrand de Billy, the production features a stellar cast, with Lithuanian soprano Asmik Grigorian as Manon Lescaut, American tenor Joshua Guerrero as Renato des Grieux, Estonian bass-baritone Lauri Vasar as Lescaut and Italian baritone Lucio Gallo as Geronte de Ravoir.

(B)

After breakfast, enjoy a private, guided tour of the Hohenzollern Crypt in the Berliner Dom, one of Europe’s largest dynastic burial sites. Reopened earlier this year after six years of restoration works, the crypt holds 91 sarcophagi and coffins of Prussia’s ruling dynasty, spanning nearly 500 years of history from the late 16th to the early 20th century.

After lunch at a nearby restaurant, enjoy the remainder of the afternoon at leisure.

In the evening, transfer to the Deutsche Oper Berlin for a staged performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion. Conducted by Marc Minkowski and directed by Benedikt von Peter, this rarely-staged interpretation features Kieran Carrel as The Evangelist and Irish bass-baritone Padraic Rowan as Jesus, alongside a distinguished ensemble of soloists, including Australian soprano Siobhan Stagg and German mezzo-soprano Annika Schlicht.

(BL)

After a day at leisure, walk to a nearby restaurant for an early dinner before attending a concert by the Konzerthausorchester Berlin under the baton of Constantinos Carydis. The programme features Bruckner’s monumental Ninth Symphony, an intensely spiritual masterpiece left incomplete at the time of the composer’s death.

PROGRAM:
Periklis Koukos – Adagio for string orchestra
Anton Bruckner – Symphony No. 9 in D minor
Arvo Pärt – Psalom for string orchestra

(BD)

Following a morning talk by Scott, enjoy a visit of iconic Berlin chocolate patisserie Rausch Chocolatier. Founded in Berlin in 1918, this independent, family-owned institution carries forward a confectionery heritage dating back to 1863.

Return to the hotel for an afternoon at leisure.

In the evening, transfer to the Schiller Theatre for a performance of Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Golden Cockerel by the Komische Oper Berlin. Based on the last fairy tale in verse by Alexander Pushkin, this mystical production is directed by Barrie Kosky and conducted by James Gaffigan. The cast features Russian bass Alexander Roslavets as Tsar Dodon, Russian soprano Kseniia Proshina as Queen of Shemakha, American tenor James Kryshak as The Astrologer and Venezuelan ballet dancer Daniel Daniela Ojeda Yrureta performing The Golden Cockerel with the voice of Dutch-Iranian soprano Elisa Maayeshi.

(B)

Today, explore Potsdam, a city of regal splendour and baroque charm. Enjoy a visit to Sanssouci Palace, the former summer residence of Frederick the Great and renowned for its elegant Rococo architecture and terraced gardens.

After lunch at a local restaurant, return to Berlin in the mid-afternoon for some time at leisure.

In the evening, walk to the Berlin State Opera and hear Christian Thielemann conduct the Staatskapelle Berlin of Beethoven’s monumental Ninth Symphony, with soloists German soprano Julia Kleiter, Austrian mezzo-soprano Patricia Nolz, German tenor Klaus Florian Vogt and German bass René Pape.

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

(BL)

This morning, explore the Nikolai Quarter, Berlin’s old quarter, where cobblestone streets evoke the charm of medieval Berlin. Here, visit Berlin’s oldest church, St. Nicholas’ Church, built in the early 13th century as a Romanesque Basilica and later remodelled in Gothic style.

Return to the hotel in the early afternoon for some time at leisure.

In the evening, witness legendary conductor Daniel Barenboim conduct the acclaimed Boulez Ensemble in a program including Mozart’s Serenade No. 10 in B-flat major, the Gran Partita.

After the performance, join Scott and fellow travellers for a special farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

(BD)

Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast. For those returning home today, make your way to the airport for suggested flights to Australia or New Zealand. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your travel arrangements, including extra nights’ accommodation either before or after the tour, a private airport transfer and travel insurance (a condition of travel).

(B)