Arrive in Munich 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), accommodation before or after the tour and a room category upgrade.

At 18:00, join your tour leader Marshall McGuire and fellow travellers for a welcome briefing and pre-performance talk at the hotel, followed by dinner.

(D)

Start the day with a private, guided tour of the Residenz Palace, the former seat of government and residence of the Bavarian dukes, electors and kings from 1508 to 1918. Explore the Treasury, home to the Bavarian crown jewels and sacred relics. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before the remainder of the afternoon at leisure.

This evening, walk to the Bavarian State Opera for a performance of Der Freischütz by Carl Maria von Weber, one of the most performed operas on German stages. Directed by Dmitri Tcherniakov, the main cast features Brazilian baritone Vitor Bispo as Ottokar, Hungarian tenor Balint Szabo as Kuno and South African soprano Golda Schultz as Agathe.

(BL)

After a morning talk by Marshall, embark on a private, guided tour of the Munich Documentation Centre. Opened in 2015 on the site of the former headquarters of the NSDAP, the museum focuses on the history and consequences of the Nazi regime and the role of Munich as ′capital of the movement′.

Tonight, attend a performance of Faust, a classic German tale transformed by Charles Gounod into a successful French opera. Known for its pronounced dramaturgy of contrasts and enduring arias, this story is brought to life by the likes of Polish tenor Piotr Beczała as Faust, American bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen as Méphistophélès and Russian-Austrian baritone Boris Pinkhasovich as Valentin.

(BL)

This morning, explore the Lenbachhaus Museum, famous for its pioneering collection of early 20th-century German Expressionism and works by the ‘Blaue Reiter’ group, which included artists such as Kandinsky, Marc and Münter.

Following an afternoon at leisure, return to the Bavarian State Opera for a performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto. The production is directed by Barbara Wysocka along with Maurizio Benini as the conductor and French baritone Ludovic Tézier in the title role, Uzbek tenor Bekhzod Davronov as the Duke of Mantua and American soprano Nadine Sierra as Gilda.

(B)

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and transfer by coach to Bregenz, an Austrian city located at the Swiss-German border on Lake Constance, known for its sweeping Alpine views, historic old town, modern architecture and the famous Bregenz Festival with its unique floating stage.

Arrive in Bregenz in the afternoon and check in to the hotel. In the evening, join Marshall for a pre-performance talk followed by dinner at the hotel.

(BD)

Begin the day with a concert by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra conducted by Eva Ollikainen. This performance includes Sibelius’ tone poem Pohjola’s Daughter and Stravinsky’s Le sacre du printemps.

Afterwards, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. The remainder of the afternoon and evening is at leisure to relax or further explore Bregenz at your own pace.

(BL)

In the morning, drive to Lindau, an island-town located in Germany on the eastern side of Lake Constance. Discover Lindau’s rich history on a private, guided walking tour of the old town and stroll along the lakeside promenade and the Maximilian Strasse – the town’s main shopping street. After some free time, enjoy a leisurely boat ride back to Bregenz.

This evening, return to the Festspielhaus Bregenz for The Excursions of Mr Broucek, an opera by Leoš Janáček. Directed by American Yuval Sharon, the production stars American tenor Daniel Brenna as Matěj Brouček, Latvian tenor Mihails Culpajevs as Mazal, Armenian-American soprano Tatev Baroyan as Málinka and Slovakian mezzo-soprano Jana Kurucová as Kedruta.

(B)

Discover the secrets of the world’s largest lakefront amphitheatre, the Seebühne Bregenz, on a backstage tour and delve behind the scenes to learn more about the history of the Bregenz Festival. The impressive natural backdrop makes the venue a coveted destination for large-scale events, concerts and opera productions.

Tonight, be immersed in the glamorous world of Verdi’s La traviata, conducted by Kirill Karabits and Pietro Rizzo. The cast includes Australian-Mauritian soprano Stacey Alleaume as Violetta Valéry, Argentinian tenor Jose Simerilla Romero as Alfredo Germont, Austrian baritone Michael C. Havlicek as Barone Duphol and French tenor Raphaël Jardin as Giuseppe.

(BD)

Today, depart for Salzburg by coach, stopping briefly at the picturesque town of Innsbruck, known for its imperial history and modern architecture.

Arrive in the late afternoon in Salzburg, located amongst the lakes and mountains of the Salzkammergut, 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.

(BD)

Following a morning talk by Marshall, visit the UNESCO-listed Dom Quartier museum complex, which epitomises Salzburg’s glorious city centre including the cathedral arches, residences, Cathedral Square and St. Peter’s Abbey. Enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant, followed by the rest of the afternoon at leisure.

This evening, walk to the Felsenreitschule Theatre to enjoy a performance by Le Concert d’Astrée, a renowned French baroque instrumental and vocal ensemble led by Emmanuelle Haïm. Hear Joseph Haydn’s The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater for soprano, alto, strings and basso continuo.

(BL)

After breakfast, enjoy a private, guided tour of Mozart’s Residence where the master of classical music lived until 1780 and composed many of his major works. Delve deep into the Autograph Vault, exhibiting more than half of all known documents associated with Mozart’s family, including around 200 of Mozart’s original letters.

In the evening, proceed to the Haus für Mozart to attend a performance of Ariadne auf Naxos, an opera composed by Richard Strauss in 1912. Directed by Ersan Mondtag, this parody is re-enacted by American mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey as The Composer, Latvian mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča as Ariadne, American tenor Eric Cutler as Bacchus and Chinese soprano Ziyi Dai as Zerbinetta.

(BL)

This morning, walk to the Grosses Festspielhaus for a performance by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra featuring the international piano icon Lang Lang. Conducted by Tugan Sokhiev, the program includes works by Ravel, Debussy and Prokofiev.

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

Tonight, attend the last performance of the tour, Gabriela Carrizo’s production of George Bizet’s Carmen. Lithuanian soprano Asmik Grigorian performs in the title role, with American tenor Jonathan Tetelman as Don José, Russian soprano Kristina Mkhitaryan as Micaëla and Italian baritone Davide Luciano as Escamillo.

(BL)

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 any additional nights’ accommodation either before or after the tour and travel insurance (a condition of travel).

(B)