Join us for five nights of music in Berlin in February when Maestro Domingo Hindoyan will conduct Madama Butterfly at the Staatsoper Berlin with his wife, operatic superstar, Sonya Yoncheva in the title role!
Direct middle of the day flights from Manchester or Heathrow make for an easy start. Our five nights at the 5* Dorint Kurfürstendamm include upgraded 'Comfort' category rooms which are spacious, well appointed and feature separate bath and walk-in shower. The hotel is located in 'CityWest', the shopping heart of the city just a few minutes walk from the famous KaDeWe Department Store (with perhaps the best food hall in the world on the top two floors) and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.
As well as our highlight performance of Madama Butterfly at the magnificent State Opera House, we will travel to the old West and the Deutsche Oper for a classic performance of Mozart's Marriage of Figaro. We also include two concerts in the two most important halls of the city - the world renowned pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja joins the Konzerthaus Orchestra for a performance of the Grieg Piano Concerto. Over at the Philharmonie, The Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra will be joined by a British star duo - conductor Robin Ticciati and pianist Benjamin Grosvenor for the rarely performed, hugely romantic Bussoni Piano Concerto. The New York Times said of the work:
"There are piano concertos, and then there is Ferruccio Busoni’s Piano Concerto. Premiered in 1904 by the Berlin Philharmonic with the composer, a virtuoso of Lisztian ability, at the piano, the piece retains a near mystical reputation. It is so difficult that only the most commanding of pianists dare take on its 75 minutes and five movements. In the last movement, a male chorus implores listeners to draw close to Allah, singing from the text of an early 19th-century version of 'Aladdin' by the Danish playwright Adam Oehlenschläger".
Mindful that the weather may still be rather cold, we will plan our included sightseeing to focus on some of the great interior spaces of the city while still giving you a good overview from our tour bus. On our first full day in the City we concentrate on the former West of Berlin and on the following day the former East. We will also have time to visit the unique Museum Island and take a trip beyond Berlin to the Bridge of Spies and the charming city of Potsdam.
The tour includes 3 dinners & 2 suppers with wines so breakfast and a main meal is covered each day, all sightseeing and entrance fees and all transfers for each of the performances.
flights from Manchester with Ryanair:
Manchester - Berlin 1325 - 1620
Berlin - Manchester 1535 - 1640
flights from Heathrow with BA:
Heathrow - Berlin 1255 - 1520
Berlin - Heathrow 1225 - 1325
flights from Gatwick with Easyjet:
Gatwick - Berlin 0845 - 1135
Berlin - Gatwick 1955 - 2050
flights from Heathrow with BA:
London City - Berlin 1315 - 1555
Berlin - London City 1125 - 1210
flights from Edinburgh with Ryanair:
Edinburgh - Berlin 1050 - 1350
Berlin - Edinburgh 1815 - 1930
Other airports on request. Flights include one piece of checked baggage (20kg) and one small piece of hand baggage. Pre-assigned forward seats on Ryanair and seating 72 hours prior to departure with BA.
Deposit £750, balance due 20th December.
