Arrive in Hamburg 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 followed by dinner at the hotel.

(D)

Begin the day with a visit to the Composers’ Quarter, where six dedicated museums bring to life the city’s rich musical traditions. From the exhibition on Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, to Johannes Brahms and Gustav Mahler, this ‘metropolis of music’ tells a diverse history, from Baroque to the early modern age.

Following an afternoon at leisure, enjoy the Hamburg State Opera’s production of Glinka’s little-performed Ruslan and Lyudmila conducted by Ben Glassberg, with Ilia Kazakov and Barno Ismatullaeva in the title roles. In this musically vivid and political fairy-tale, Hungarian directors Alexandra Szemerédy and Magdolna Parditka peel back the magical façade of the mythical tale and offer a reading of the story that takes us to the authoritarian systems of the past and present.

(BL)

After a talk by Scott on the coming days’ performances, enjoy some time at leisure to relax or to explore Hamburg at your own pace.

In the afternoon, attend a concert featuring the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra led by acclaimed Australian conductor Simone Young at the Elbphilharmonie, renowned for its state-of-the-art philharmonic and chamber music halls.

PROGRAM:
Franz Schmidt – Symphony No. 2 in E-flat major

(BD)

In the morning, enjoy a walking tour of Hamburg’s historic Speicherstadt, the Hanseatic city’s UNESCO-listed warehouse district. Then, return to the Elbphilharmonie to discover this pinnacle of architectural design and admire the vistas of the city and harbour from the Plaza viewing platform.

Following an afternoon at leisure, return to the Hamburg State Opera for an innovative production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, directed by Jette Steckel and under the baton of Israeli conductor Keren Kagarlitsky. The production features an engaging LED show, with dynamic curtains of light that vividly bring to life the stories of Tamino, Pamina, Papageno and Papagena.

(BL)

After breakfast, depart Hamburg and travel to Leipzig, ‘the city of music’. The city’s prestigious musical history tells stories of composers including Bach, Telemann, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Wagner and Mahler. The Music Trail that winds across the city maintains a modern-day connection to the legacy that the composers, visionaries and musicians have given to the progressive city.

Check in to the hotel in the late-afternoon and enjoy an evening at leisure.

(BL)

This morning, join Scott for a pre-performance talk in the Alte Nikolaischule, where Wagner went to school. Then, visit the former house of Felix Mendelssohn. Unlike his contemporaries, Mendelssohn not only composed, but was also an esteemed conductor and pianist.

Following an afternoon at leisure, attend a new production of Verdi’s Falstaff by Leipzig Opera conducted by Ivan Repušić with renowned Italian baritone Lucio Gallo in the title role.

(B)

Enjoy a morning guided tour of the Bach Museum and the 12th-century St Thomas Church, where the composer spent over twenty-five years as a cantor, and his final resting place. The striking stained-glass windows illustrate scenes dedicated to both Bach and Mendelssohn. The Bach Museum provides fascinating details of Bach’s life and legacy, from the organ he played to his distinctive signature, instantly recognisable on his original scores.

This evening, attend a performance by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under the baton of acclaimed conductor Manfred Honeck with pianist Francesco Piemontesi.

PROGRAM:
Haydn – Symphony No. 93 in D major
Schulhoff – Five Pieces for String Quartet (arranged for orchestra by Manfred Honeck and Tomáš Ille)
Brahms – Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15

(BD)

In the morning, travel north to Berlin. As Germany’s capital prepares for Christmas, embrace the final days of Advent at the city’s famed Christmas markets.

Following an afternoon at leisure, witness celebrated conductor of early music Raphaël Pichon make his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra will be joined by Nikola Hillebrand (soprano), Xenia Puskarz Thomas (mezzo-soprano), Beth Taylor (contralto), Emiliano Gonzalez Toro (tenor), Huw Montague Rendall (baritone), Christian Immler (bass) along with the RIAS Kammerchor – arguably one of the best chamber choirs in the world.

PROGRAM:
Bach – Mass in B minor

(BL)

Begin the day with a pre-performance talk by Scott. Afterwards, enjoy a private, guided tour of the Reichstag Building – the heart of German democracy. Visit the plenary chamber, learn about the daily workings of the German parliament and admire the breathtaking views over Berlin’s skyline from its iconic glass dome.

After lunch, the afternoon is at leisure.

Tonight, attend the Berlin State Opera’s performance of Puccini’s La Bohème under the baton of Neapolitan conductor Clelia Cafiero, with world-renowned soprano Aleksandra Kurzak as Mimì, tenor Saimir Pirgu as Rodolfo, baritone Gyula Orendt as Marcello and promising young soprano Maria Kokareva.

(BL)

The morning is at leisure to browse the German capital’s traditional Christmas markets.

This afternoon, witness Sir András Schiff, one of the world’s most revered pianists, perform a Mozart program at the intimate Pierre Boulez Saal. This concert forms part of a special series, each dedicated to a composer who has shaped Schiff’s musical vision.

PROGRAM:
Mozart – Selected works for piano

After some free time for dinner, transfer to the Berliner Philharmonie for an evening concert by the acclaimed Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin under the baton of Robin Ticciati.

PROGRAM:
Mahler – Symphony No. 6 in A minor

(B)

Today, depart on a full-day excursion to Potsdam, best known for the magnificent palaces and parks dating back to its time as the former royal seat of Prussia. Visit Sanssouci Park’s magnificent New Palace, built by Frederick the Great in 1763 and considered to be the last great Prussian Baroque palace. Marvel at the spectacular Grotto Hall with its 24,000 glittering seashells and minerals, and the exquisite Marble Gallery.

Enjoy lunch in Potsdam, then drive through the Russian Colony, see the Dutch Quarter and visit St Nicholas’ Church before returning to Berlin in the late-afternoon. The evening is at leisure.

(BL)

After a pre-performance talk by Scott, visit the prominent Alte Nationalgalerie on Museum Island, dedicated to 19th-century European art including works by Pissarro, Cézanne, Delacroix, Degas and Van Gogh, as well as a large collection of the works of German artists Adolph von Menzel and Caspar David Friedrich. Enjoy a private, guided tour of ‘The Scharf Collection’– a special temporary exhibition of the private German collection of 19th- and 20th-century French art and contemporary international art, presented in its entirety for the very first time.

Tonight, experience the sparkling wit and glamour of 1930s Berlin with A Woman Who Knows What She Wants! by the Komische Oper Berlin at the Schillertheater. This Oscar Straus operetta, featuring breathtaking theatricality and lightning-fast costume changes, is directed by Barrie Kosky and brought to life by the virtuosic duo Dagmar Manzel and Max Hopp, who masterfully juggle multiple roles.

(B)

Enjoy an optional morning excursion with Scott to West Berlin, seeing the district’s renowned monuments and wide boulevards and visiting the famous food hall at the KaDeWe department store. Spend the rest of the day at leisure to relax or further explore Berlin at your own pace.

In the evening, embrace a true German-style Christmas Eve dinner. After dinner, there is the possibility to attend Christmas mass at the Cathedral.

(BD)

The morning is at leisure.

This afternoon, return to the Schillertheater for the Komische Oper Berlin’s production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni/Requiem, starring American baritone Kyle Miller as Don Giovanni. In this comic opera, director Kirill Serebrennikov depicts the bon vivant’s offbeat amusements as preparations for the afterlife and follows Don Giovanni’s journey to hell with Mozart’s requiem mass.

Then, enjoy a special farewell dinner with Scott and fellow travellers.

(BD)

Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast.

For those returning home today, make your way to Berlin 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).

(B)