ITINERARY

DAY 1 | WEDNESDAY 26 JUNE 2024

1ST OF 5 NIGHTS AT THE RANDOLPH HOTEL, OXFORD

ARRIVE IN LONDON, TRAVEL TO OXFORD:

We meet in the morning at 11:30am at our London hotel, The Montague on the Gardens, and travel by private coach from London to Oxford.

On arrival we check into The Randolph Hotel, a historic 5-star hotel that takes inspiration from the University of Oxford’s history. The hotel and guest rooms play homage to its celebrated innovators and alumni throughout the hotel, such as Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll and famed playwright and poet Oscar Wilde. Guest rooms are decorated with sumptuous custom wallpaper inspired by the city’s native flowers and birds and period features. The hotel is conveniently located in Oxford’s city centre and steps away from the Ashmolean Museum and iconic colleges, including St. John’s and Trinity.

The late afternoon is free. You might like to rest, but a short stroll through beautiful Oxford might also be relaxing. If you feel like some exploration, you might consider taking the 10-minute stroll past the Oxford Covered Markets to the beautiful University Church of St. Mary the Virgin, in the centre of Oxford, and at the heart of the oldest university in Britain. On the edge of Radcliffe Square, it is among some of the most iconic buildings of the city. You might like to climb the spiral staircase with over 120 steps to the top of St. Mary’s. You will be rewarded with panoramic views of Oxford’s spires, rooftops, and landmarks.

In the evening we meet together with our Tour Leader, conductor and music educator, Graham Abbott for a welcome dinner.

DAY 2 | THURSDAY 27 JUNE 2024

2ND OF 5 NIGHTS AT THE RANDOLPH HOTEL, OXFORD

OXFORD & PRIVATE RECITAL:

This morning we enjoy a walking tour of Oxford which includes looking at places of significance relating to writers who are part of Oxford’s rich literary history, including two of the university’s most famous authors, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Our guide will point out where they lived, studied, preached and worked. We also pass by Bodleian Library, Radcliffe Camera and the Ashmolean Museum.

The afternoon is free. You might like to explore the beautiful colleges further, or maybe visit the Ashmolean Museum, with its amazing collection of artefacts, specialising in art and archaeology.

In the early evening we enjoy a private opera recital arranged exclusively for guests on the tour with soprano Claire Lees and pianist Dylan Perez. We will see Claire in the role of Susanna tomorrow evening in Garsington Opera’s production of Le nozze di Figaro. The recital will take place in the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building in beautiful St Hilda’s College. Following the recital, we have drinks and canapés and the opportunity to talk with the artists.

PRIVATE OPERA RECITAL - JACQUELINE DU PRÉ MUSIC BUILDING

Claire Lees soprano
Dylan Perez piano

DAY 3 | FRIDAY 28 JUNE 2024

3RD OF 5 NIGHTS AT THE RANDOLPH HOTEL, OXFORD

OXFORD & EXCURSION TO GARSINGTON OPERA:

In the morning there is a talk by Graham Abbott about the performance we will hear at Garsington Opera this evening.

The late morning is then free for you to rest before the opera, or for you to explore Oxford further.

In the afternoon we travel to spectacular Wormsley Estate where the 18th-century country house nestles in the rolling, green Chiltern Hills. We have time to enjoy the landscaped grounds and to visit the 18th-century Walled Garden before attending an opera performance at Garsington Opera. We have a gourmet 3-course dinner during the extended interval. After the opera we return by private coach to Oxford.

OPERA PERFORMANCE - GARSINGTON OPERA, 5:05pm
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Le nozze di Figaro

Tabita Berglund conductor
John Cox original director
David Ireland Figaro
Claire Lees Susanna
Rafael Fingerlos Count Almaviva
Samantha Clarke Countess Almaviva
Bethany Horak-Hallett Cherubino
Neal Davies Doctor Bartolo
Susan Bickley Marcellina
Paul Nilon Don Basilio
Frazer Scott Antonio
Philharmonia Orchestra
Garsington Opera Chorus

DAY 4 | SATURDAY 29 JUNE 2024

4TH OF 5 NIGHTS AT THE RANDOLPH HOTEL, OXFORD

OXFORD & EXCURSION TO GARSINGTON OPERA:

In the late morning we have a talk by Graham Abbott about this evening’s opera.

In the afternoon we have the pleasure of returning to Garsington Opera. During this evening’s extended interval we will enjoy a traditional picnic in the stunning gardens.

OPERA PERFORMANCE - GARSINGTON OPERA, 6:00pm
Giuseppe Verdi Un giorno di regno

Tobias Ringborg conductor
Christopher Alden director
Joshua Hopkins Cavaliere di Belfiore
Christine Rice Marchesa del Poggio
Henry Waddington Barone di Kelbar
Oliver Sewell Edoardo
Madison Leonard Giulietta di Kelbar
Grant Doyle La Rocca
Philharmonia Orchestra
Garsington Opera Chorus

At the end of the performance, we relax in our comfortable coach for the return journey to Oxford.

DAY 5 | SUNDAY 30 JUNE 2024

5TH OF 5 NIGHTS AT THE RANDOLPH HOTEL, OXFORD

OXFORD & WADDESDON MANOR:

Today we travel to the magnificent National Trust property of Waddesdon Manor, a country house in the village of Waddesdon surrounded by views of Oxfordshire and the Chiltern Hills. It is a French Renaissance-style château, built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in 1874 to house his collection of fine art and to entertain the fashionable world. The chateau stands in glorious Victorian-style gardens with Parterre, ornate fountains, statuary and seasonal bedding. There is also a Rococo-style Aviary and woodland playground. Although it is owned by the National Trust, it is managed by the Rothschild Foundation, and is one of the National Trust's most visited properties, with over 463,000 visitors in 2019. We will have a private guided tour of the house and time to enjoy the wonderful gardens before we return to Oxford by private coach.

On our return to Oxford the evening is free.

DAY 6 | MONDAY 1 JULY 2024

1ST OF 4 NIGHTS AT THE GRAND HOTEL EASTBOURNE

OXFORD TO EASTBOURNE, & AN EXCURSION TO HATCHLANDS PARK:

Today we travel from Oxford to our hotel in Eastbourne, with a delightful stop at the National Trust property, Hatchlands Park, a Georgian House, and now a family home to the Trust’s tenant, Alec Cobbe. Celebrated architect Robert Adam designed the interiors at Hatchlands, and the motifs that run through the rooms have a naval and seafaring theme, including dolphins, anchors and cannons, watched over by Neptune himself. The Cobbe Collection of musical instruments is housed here with 42 historic keyboard instruments, the world's largest group of its kind. Many instruments are associated with famous composers, 12 of them actually owned or played by great composers such as Purcell, J.C. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Mahler, and Elgar. Hatchlands also houses part of the Cobbe collection of paintings, including what is claimed to be one of only two surviving portraits of William Shakespeare painted during his lifetime. The Garden has sweeping lawns with a small fountain, a parterre garden and meadow, and there are over 400 acres of parkland, with ancient woodlands, pasture meadows and a pond.

After our visit to the house, time is allowed to enjoy the gardens and, if you like, buy lunch at the property’s café. We then continue our journey to Eastbourne.

On arrival we check into The Grand Hotel Eastbourne, England's only 5-star seaside hotel. This majestic landmark occupies a prime spot on the town's seafront with panoramic views along the coast and towards Beachy Head, which has the highest chalk cliff in Britain, rising to 162 m (531 ft) above sea level. The Grand Hotel also has impressive interiors such as the striking Great Hall, where one can enjoy Afternoon Tea with strings playing gently in the background. Outside the front door are lawns and the beach, and walks to Eastbourne Pier, to restaurants and to the pleasures of the English seaside in summer. Our evening is free.

DAY 7 | TUESDAY 2 JULY 2024

2ND OF 4 NIGHTS AT THE GRAND HOTEL EASTBOURNE

EXCURSION TO GLYNDEBOURNE FESTIVAL OPERA:

In the morning there is a talk by Graham Abbott about this evening’s opera.

The late morning and early afternoon are then free to rest or to explore Eastbourne. You might like to walk down to the Eastbourne Pier, with its amusement arcade, cafés, restaurants and shops, and enjoy and absorb the atmosphere of an English seaside resort.

In the afternoon we travel to Glyndebourne Estate, delightfully situated in the pastoral surroundings of the Sussex South Downs. In 1953 Vita Sackville West wrote of Glyndebourne: ‘The graciousness of civilisation here surely touches a peak where the arts of music, architecture and gardening combine for the delight of man.’

We are given time to stroll through the impressive grounds before attending a performance by the internationally celebrated Glyndebourne Festival Opera. During the extended interval we enjoy a traditional picnic in the beautiful gardens.

OPERA PERFORMANCE - GLYNDEBOURNE FESTIVAL OPERA, 4:00pm
George Frideric Handel Giulio Cesare

Laurence Cummings conductor
David McVicar director
Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen Giulio Cesare
Beth Taylor Cornelia
Svetlina Stoyanova Sesto
Louise Alder Cleopatra
Ray Chenez Nireno
Cameron Shahbazi Tolomeo
Luca Tittoto Achilla

DAY 8 | WEDNESDAY 3 JULY 2024

3RD OF 4 NIGHTS AT THE GRAND HOTEL EASTBOURNE

EXCURSION TO CHARLESTON:

This morning we travel by private coach to Charleston and enjoy a private guided tour of the fascinating home and studio of painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, and the gathering place for the Bloomsbury group, which included Virginia Woolfe, John Maynard Keynes, E.M. Forster, Vanessa Bell and Lytton Strachey, English writers, intellectuals, philosophers and artists in the first half of the 20th-century. The group had regular assemblies to socialise and exchange ideas in London, but Charleston was the main country retreat where they came together. According to the British historian, Ian Ousby, "although its members denied being a group in any formal sense, they were united by an abiding belief in the importance of the arts." Their works and outlook deeply influenced literature, aesthetics, criticism, economics and modern attitudes towards feminism, pacificism and sexuality. 

The house is an example of their decorative style within a domestic context, representing more than sixty years of artistic creativity. Inspired by Italian fresco painting and the Post-Impressionists, the artists decorated the walls, doors and furniture at Charleston. On permanent display in an outer studio is Bell and Grant's Famous Women Dinner Service. The beautiful walled garden was redesigned in a style reminiscent of southern Europe, with mosaics, box hedges, gravel pathways, sculptures and ponds.

In addition to the house and artists' garden, Charleston hosts a year-round programme of Bloomsbury and contemporary exhibitions. Two restored barns are home to a café and an events and workshops venue. 

After our guided tour, time is allowed to explore the garden, the art exhibitions and to have lunch. We then return by private coach to the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne and the evening is free.

DAY 9 | THURSDAY 4 JULY 2024

4TH OF 4 NIGHTS AT THE GRAND HOTEL EASTBOURNE

EXCURSION TO GLYNDEBOURNE FESTIVAL OPERA:

In the morning Graham will give a talk on our second Glyndebourne opera. The late morning is then free. You might like to rest before the next Glyndebourne opera experience, but you could take a 15-minute walk along the seashore to the town centre of Eastbourne, where you can browse among the shops and cafés.

In the early afternoon we travel to Glyndebourne Estate, where we have time to relax and enjoy the beautiful grounds before attending our second performance by the internationally celebrated Glyndebourne Festival.

During the extended interval we enjoy a 3-course fine dining menu.

OPERA PERFORMANCE - GLYNDEBOURNE FESTIVAL OPERA, 5:00pm
Franz Lehár The Merry Widow

John Wilson conductor
Cal McCrystal director
Danielle de Niese Hanna Glawari
Germán Olvera Count Danilo
Thomas Allen Baron Mirko Zeta
Soraya Mafi Valencienne

DAY 10 | FRIDAY 5 JULY 2024

1ST OF 4 NIGHTS AT THE MONTAGUE ON THE GARDENS, LONDON

EASTBOURNE TO LONDON:

In the late morning we travel to London and check into The Montague on the Gardens, a boutique Georgian townhouse in elegant Bloomsbury. The Montague is a peaceful hideaway in the heart of the city, and less than a 5-minute walk to the British Museum. The hotel offers exceptional service.

The late afternoon and evening are then free to relax or to explore London. There are many delightful attractions in London you might like to visit. You might already have plans of your own, but if you want suggestions, why not catch a tube to Southwark Underground Station and then enjoy Borough Market, where you could find an early tasty dinner. The Shard is also close by with its spectacular views of London from the 72nd floor, 244 metres above the ground. The Shard and the markets close at 5:00pm and then you could stroll west along the Thames side path to the Tate Modern and the fabulous Millennium Bridge, which will give you wonderful city scapes of London, particularly the image of St. Paul’s on its rise on the north side of the Thames.

DAY 11 | SATURDAY 6 JULY 2024

2ND OF 4 NIGHTS AT THE MONTAGUE ON THE GARDENS, LONDON

LONDON:

This morning we enjoy a private guided tour of Apsley House, the London townhouse of the Dukes of Wellington, located at Hyde Park Corner. Designed by Robert Adam in the neoclassical style, the house was built for Lord Apsley, the Lord Chancellor, in the 1770s. Some Adam interiors, the Piccadilly Drawing Room with its apsidal end and Adam fireplace, and the Portico Room, behind the giant Corinthian portico, added by Wellington, still remain. It was acquired by the 1st Duke of Wellington in 1817. It has changed very little since his great victory at Waterloo in 1815 and is possibly the only preserved example of an English aristocratic townhouse from its period. The house is a museum and art gallery, exhibiting the Wellington Collection, with one of the finest art collections in London, with paintings by Velazquez and Rubens, as well as a wonderful collection of silver, porcelain and memorabilia of the career of the 1st Duke.

The afternoon and evening are free. Again, there are many activities to pursue. Just rambling along Pall Mall is a pleasure. For those interested in history and art, a visit to the National Portrait Gallery cannot be bettered. The newly refurbished gallery is behind the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, although not connected to it. Strolling the halls of the National Portrait Gallery is like taking a walk through British history, as you pass images of royals, politicians, and pop culture icons. When it opened in 1856, the gallery was the first of its kind. Now it houses the world’s biggest portrait collection, featuring more than 11,000 works. The gallery café has large windows, so that you can rest from your endeavours to drink tea and take in the magnificent London skyline that can be viewed from there.

DAY 12 | SUNDAY 7 JULY 2024

3RD OF 4 NIGHTS AT THE MONTAGUE ON THE GARDENS, LONDON

EXCURSION TO GRANGE PARK OPERA:

In the morning there is a talk by Graham Abbott about the performance we will hear at Grange Park Opera in the evening.

Then, in the early afternoon, we travel by private coach to Grange Park Opera’s beautiful home in a former country retreat, nestled in woodland on a 400-acre estate at West Horsley Place, in Surrey.

There is time to explore the beautiful woodlands before attending a performance of Bryn Double: blood & bounty starring Sir Bryn Terfel in a tragedy / comedy pairing of bloodshed and bounty. We have a delicious 3-course dinner during the extended interval, and afterwards return by private coach to our London hotel.

OPERA PERFORMANCE - GRANGE PARK OPERA, 5:15pm
Bryn Double: blood & bounty

Sergei Rachmaninoff Aleko
An opera in one act
Adapted from The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin

Gianluca Marciano conductor
Stephen Medcalf director
Jamie Vartan designer
Sir Bryn Terfel Aleko
Ailish Tynan Zemfira
Luis Gomes Her Young Anarchist Lover
Robert Winslade Anderson Zemfira’s Father
Sara Fulgoni An Older Anarchist

Giacomo Puccini Gianni Schicchi
An opera in one act

Gianluca Marciano conductor
Stephen Medcalf director
Jamie Vartan designer
Sir Bryn Terfel Gianni Schicchi
Pasquale Orchard Lauretta
Luis Gomes Rinuccio
Sara Fulgoni Zita
Jeff Lloyd Roberts Gherardo
Ailish Tynan Nella

DAY 13 | MONDAY 8 JULY 2024

4TH OF 4 NIGHTS AT THE MONTAGUE ON THE GARDENS, LONDON

LONDON & ROYAL OPERA HOUSE:

This morning there is a talk by Graham Abbott about Puccini’s Tosca.

We then travel to the Royal Opera House Covent Garden where we experience a backstage tour. We get glimpses of the sets and costumes, how they are made and stored, and we have an expert guide to explain it all to us.

The afternoon is free. At the conclusion of the backstage tour, you might like to return to the hotel to rest before this evening’s performance, but Covent Garden is located in a fascinating district of London. There are colourful markets, restaurants and pubs immediately outside the opera house, and a short walk in any direction takes you to some of London’s icons. The Strand with its shops and cafés is only a few minutes’ stroll away, and Sommerset House is not far down the Strand. You could visit the wonderful Courtauld Gallery in Sommerset House, or walk through its courtyard to the walkway along the Thames. A 10-minute walk towards Holborn will take you to the park of Lincoln’s Inn Fields, and while there maybe you could visit the extraordinary house and museum of Sir John Soane, one of the greatest English architects, who built and lived in it two centuries ago.

In the early evening we travel to the Royal Opera House and enjoy a pre-performance dinner at Balconies Restaurant at the Opera House followed by our final performance of the tour.

OPERA PERFORMANCE - ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, 7:30pm
Giacomo Puccini Tosca

Andrea Battistoni conductor
Jonathan Kent director
Angel Blue Floria Tosca

Russell Thomas Mario Cavaradossi
Ludovic Tézier Baron Scarpia
Colin Judson Spoletta
Christian Federici Cesare Angelotti

Jeremy White Sacristan

Jamie Woollard Sciarrone

Royal Opera Chorus

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

DAY 14 | TUESDAY 9 JULY 2024

TOUR ENDS:

Following our final breakfast at the hotel, the tour concludes.

INCLUSIONS

26 JUNE–9 JULY 2024 (14 DAYS)

AUD$15,250 PER PERSON TWIN SHARE

Single supplement: AUD$3,450
Deposit payment 1: Deposit AUD$1,500 per person (due at time of booking)
Deposit payment 2: Deposit AUD$1,500 per person (due on 26 February 2024)
Final payment due: 23 April 2024

INCLUSIONS:

• Performances: Premium tickets for performances at the following venues and opera festivals: two performances at the internationally renowned Glyndebourne Festival Opera; two performances at Garsington Opera; a performance by Grange Park Opera; a performance at the iconic Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. A private opera recital exclusively for guests on the tour.

• Tour Leader and Talks: Tour leadership and background talks on the operas we will attend by Graham Abbott.

• Tour Manager: An experienced Tour Manager to accompany the group throughout the tour.

• Hotels: 13 nights' accommodation in 4-star and 5-star hotels including:

  • Five nights at the 5-star The Randolph Hotel, Oxford in a Graduate King Room;

  • Four nights at the 5-star The Grand Hotel Eastbourne in a Superior Inland Room;

  • Four nights at the 4-star The Montague on the Gardens, London in a Classic King Room;

  • Porterage of one piece of luggage at each hotel.

• Travel: Land travel by private air-conditioned coach.

• Meals/Drinks: Breakfast each morning at the hotel. Seven dinners with wine, water and tea/coffee. Drinks and canapés following the private recital.

• Entry Fees and Guided Tours: Entrance fees for museums, art galleries etc. as stated in your itinerary. Expert local guides will be used at some sites.

• Tips: Tips for drivers, local guides and meals included in your itinerary.

• Information Pack: Comprehensive pre-tour information pack.

EXCLUSIONS:

• International/Domestic Travel: Hayllar Music Tours can provide you with a quote. Phone 02 9669 9181 / +61 2 9669 9181 (Australia / International) or email contact@hayllarmusictours.com

• Airport Transfers: Transfers to/from airports and hotels at the beginning and end of the tour. Airport transfers can be arranged at an additional cost.

• Special Taxes: Special taxes and airport levies that can only be paid in cash at the destination. We will endeavour to advise you of these charges (if any) before you depart.

• Visas: Costs associated with obtaining visas for countries visited on your tour. Please note that Australian and New Zealand passport holders do not require a visa to enter the United Kingdom.

• Travel Insurance: Please note that you are required to have comprehensive travel insurance to cover you for the duration of your tour. If you live in Australia, Hayllar Music Tours can organise your travel insurance for you. Please contact them at phone 02 9669 9181 / +61 2 9669 9181 (Australia / International) or email contact@hayllarmusictours.com

• Meals: Lunches and dinners not nominated in your itinerary.

• Personal Expenses: Personal expenses such as laundry, phone calls and mini-bar.

• Activities in Free Time: Costs associated with any activities suggested for you in your free time.

SMALL GROUP SIZE

The tour will operate with 8 people. The maximum number on the tour will be 20 people.

FITNESS LEVEL REQUIRED - LEVEL 1

All members of the group must feel comfortable walking for 1–2 hours, standing for long periods of time in museums, art galleries etc. and embarking/disembarking coaches.

BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS

Please note that booking terms and conditions apply. Click here for the booking terms and conditions.

ENGLAND’S SUMMER OPERA FESTIVALS

GLYNDEBOURNE, GARSINGTON & GRANGE PARK OPERA