ITINERARY

DAY 1 | SUNDAY 13 OCTOBER 2024

1ST OF 4 NIGHTS AT ROSA GRAND MILANO

ARRIVE MILAN

Arrive at our hotel, the stylish Rosa Grand Milano, conveniently located in the heart of Milan, overlooking historic Piazza Fontana. It is a 5-minute walk from the glorious Milan Duomo, and a 10-minute walk to the renowned Teatro alla Scala. The tastefully designed interiors of the Rosa Grand create a warm, inviting atmosphere in an intimate and private setting. We recommend arriving at the hotel by 4:00pm.

In the evening we meet for a delicious dinner of local specialities and for an introduction by our Tour Leader, renowned soprano, Cheryl Barker AO, who will outline what is to come over the duration of the tour.

DAY 2 | MONDAY 14 OCTOBER 2024

2ND OF 4 NIGHTS AT ROSA GRAND MILANO

MILAN, DUOMO

This morning we have a private guided tour by an art historian of Milan's Duomo, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, which has 135 spires and 3,200 statues adorning its roof. As part of our tour, we take an elevator to the rooftop for a close-up view, and to enjoy magnificent views of the city below.

The afternoon and evening are free to rest or to explore Milan. You might like to visit the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which is a 5-minute walk from our hotel and one of the oldest enclosed shopping malls in the world. It is spectacular with its blue glass vaulted ceilings, mosaic flooring and a towering central dome, and it also offers elegant bars and cafés. If you feel like exploring something intimately connected to the city’s history you might like to visit the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, less than a half hour’s walk from the hotel. Founded in the 4th-century by Saint Ambrose, the city’s patron saint, the basilica has been rebuilt, extended and restored since then. The present church is a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture, built in the 12th-century around the choir of the 9th-century church.

DAY 3 | TUESDAY 15 OCTOBER 2024

3RD OF 4 NIGHTS AT ROSA GRAND MILANO

MILAN, ART TOUR INCLUDING THE LAST SUPPER & TEATRO ALLA SCALA

In the morning we have a private guided walking tour lead by an art historian which includes a visit to Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, The Last Supper, at the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. The church, its sophisticated architecture attributed to Bramante, is an outstanding work of Renaissance architecture in its own right. We also visit San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore, originally attached to the most important female convent of the Benedictines in the city, and entirely painted with strikingly beautiful 16th-century frescoes from the school of Leonardo da Vinci.

Our afternoon is free and you might like to rest before this evening’s performance. If you would like to continue exploring Milan, one option is to take a 20-minute walk from our hotel to the Pinacoteca di Brera, a major public museum housed in a palazzo in the Brera district, which has an eminent Italian art collection, especially focused on Venetian and Lombard paintings. The Brera District is also full of small art galleries and boutiques that you might enjoy.

In the early evening there is a talk by Cheryl Barker AO about the performance we will attend this evening. We then attend a performance of Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier at the internationally renowned Teatro alla Scala, one of the world’s leading opera theatres.

OPERA PERFORMANCE – TEATRO ALLA SCALA, 7:00pm
Richard Strauss Der Rosenkavalier

Kirill Petrenko conductor
Derek Gimpel director
Krassimira Stoyanova The Marschallin
Günther Groissböck Baron Ochs auf Lerchenau
Kate Lindsey Octavian
Johannes Martin Kränzle Herr von Faninal
Sabine Devieilhe Sophie
Caroline Wenborne Duenna Marianne Leitmetzerin
Gerhard Siegel Valzacchi
Tanja Ariane Baumgartner Annina
Alexandru Moisuc A police inspector
Jörg Schneider Faninal's Major-Domo/An innkeeper
Bastian-Thomas Kohl A notary
Piero Pretti A singer
Teatro alla Scala Orchestra and Chorus

DAY 4 | WEDNESDAY 16 OCTOBER 2024

4TH OF 4 NIGHTS AT ROSA GRAND MILANO

MILAN, CASTELLO SFORZESCO & TEATRO ALLA SCALA

We begin today with a private guided tour in Castello Sforzesco, originally a fortress, then enlarged into a princely residence, and now the home of several museums. One of these is the Museo d’Arte Antica, which features the Pietà Rondanini, Michelangelo’s final masterpiece.

The afternoon is free. You may like to rest; however, only a short stroll from our hotel is the Museo del Novecento, a gallery with an outstanding collection of 20th-century art particularly emphasising Italian artists. Works are displayed chronologically, giving visitors an excellent introduction to modern Italian art history. There are also works from international avant-garde art movements, including masterpieces by Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee and Piet Mondrian.

In the early evening Cheryl Barker will give a talk about the performance we will attend this evening. We then attend a performance of Chopin’s La Dame aux Camelias ballet at Teatro alla Scala.

BALLET PERFORMANCE – TEATRO ALLA SCALA, 8:00pm
Frédéric Chopin La Dame aux Camélias

John Neumeier Choreography and Staging/Lighting
Alexandre Dumas Author
Simon Hewett Conductor
Vanessa Benelli Mosell Piano
Jürgen Rose Sets and costumes
Teatro alla Scala Orchestra Company and Orchestra

DAY 5 | THURSDAY 17 OCTOBER 2024

1ST OF 4 NIGHTS AT STARHOTELS DU PARC, PARMA

MILAN TO PARMA, PLACES OF SIGNIFICANCE IN VERDI’S LIFE & FESTIVAL VERDI

This morning we depart Milan and travel by private coach to Parma, a city in the Emilia-Romagna region, celebrated for its architecture, music, art and for its gastronomic excellence. Also, Parma and the nearby town of Busseto, hold the annual Festival Verdi celebrating the fact that this was the region where the great composer was born.

We break our journey to visit places of significance in Giuseppe Verdi’s life, Le Roncale and Busseto, an interesting and enjoyable exploration, which may also help us gain a greater understanding of the man and the composer. Verdi was born in Roncale in 1813, he studied and lived in Milan, and he travelled, but in 1848 he built a residence only a few kilometres away from Busseto, and he lived there from that year almost until the end of his life in 1901. He wrote in 1863, ‘I was, am and always will be a peasant from Roncale.'

We have a private guided tour of the Casa Natale del Maestro, a humble tavern-grocery-residence located at the crossroad of the small village of Le Roncale, which was run by Verdi's father, a butcher by profession and an innkeeper in practice. This house, where Verdi was born in 1813, has been restored and is now a multimedia museum where visitors can discover details about the life of the great composer.

We then visit Casa Barezzi in Busseto, the home of Antonio Barezzi, who became interested in the musical talent of the innkeeper's son and became his first patron. He asked Verdi to his home as a music teacher for his daughter, Margherita, whom Verdi later married. Verdi’s first public appearance was here in Salone Barezzi in February 1830. We then stop in to visit significant places of Verdi's youth in the town of Busseto.

We continue onto Parma and check in to the 4-star Starhotels Du Parc. Time is allowed to settle into the hotel and prepare for this evening’s performance.

In the early evening we attend a talk by Cheryl Barker AO about Verdi’s Macbeth (French version) followed by a pre-concert dinner. Then at 8:00pm we attend our first performance in this prestigious festival at the historic Teatro Regio di Parma.

OPERA PERFORMANCE – FESTIVAL VERDI, TEATRO REGIO DI PARMA, 8:00pm
Giuseppe Verdi Macbeth (French version)

Roberto Abbado director
Ernesto Petti Macbeth
Lydia Fridman Lady Macbeth
Michele Pertusi Banquo
Luciano Ganci Macduff
David Astorga Malcolm
Natalia Gavrilan The Countess
Arturo Toscanini Philharmonic
Choir of the Theatre Regio of Parma

DAY 6 | FRIDAY 18 OCTOBER 2024

2ND OF 4 NIGHTS AT STARHOTELS DU PARC, PARMA

PARMA, GUIDED TOUR OF PARMA & FESTIVAL VERDI

In the morning we begin our introduction to Parma on a private guided walk. Our walk includes the Duomo, a Romanesque Basilica from the 12th-century, an impressive sight with its 63-metre campanile and the tall octagonal baptistery on its left. We also visit the exteriors of the baptistry, architecturally a transition between the Romanesque and Gothic styles, and considered to be among the most important Medieval monuments in Europe. We call in to the Basilica di Santa Maria della Steccata, a Renaissance church containing a masterpiece by the Mannerist painter Francesco Mazzole, known as Parmigianino.

In the late afternoon there is an optional performance at the festival at Teatro Giuseppe Verdi di Busseto.

Teatro Giuseppe Verdi is a small opera house located in a wing of the Rocca dei Marchesi Pallavicino, a family’s palace from the 13th-century, and since 1856 the Busseto city hall. The theatre, located on an upper level of the City Hall and reached by a large staircase, opened in 1868 with 300 seats. The interior is traditionally horseshoe-shaped with three rows of boxes and an elegantly designed ceiling featuring four medallions representing comedy, tragedy, melodrama, and romantic drama. Verdi opposed its construction (‘too expensive and useless in the future’, he said) and is reputed never to have set foot in it: however, he contributed 10,000 lire towards its construction and maintained his own box.

OPTIONAL OPERA PERFORMANCE – FESTIVAL VERDI, TEATRO GIUSEPPE VERDI BUSSETO, 3:30pm
Giuseppe Verdi Un ballo in maschera

Fabio Biondi director
Giovanni Sala/Davide Tuscano Richard
Lodovico Filippo Ravizza Renato
Caterina Marchesini/Ilaria Alida Quilico Amelia
Danbi Lee Ulrica
Licia Piermatteo/Fan Zhou Oscar
Choir of the Theatre Regio of Parma
Italian Youth Orchestra

Following this optional performance, we return by private coach to our hotel in Parma.

DAY 7 | SATURDAY 19 OCTOBER 2024

3RD OF 4 NIGHTS AT STARHOTELS DU PARC, PARMA

EMILIA-ROMAGNA GASTRONOMY TOUR & FESTIVAL VERDI IN PARMA

Today we enjoy a food tour to hear about and see the making of local specialties. Emilia-Romagna is a famous hub of Italian gastronomy, and two of its most renowned products come from the Parma Hills region, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and Prosciutto di Parma. On this tour we will discover the secrets of these regional specialties as we go behind-the-scenes at a cheese dairy and a plant producing Prosciutto di Parma. We will observe the traditional production methods, and enjoy lunch which will include a selection of locally sourced cured meats and handmade pasta. On our return journey to Parma, we make a short stop at Torrechiara Castle for some pictures of this spectacular 15-century fortress.

In the early evening we attend a talk by Cheryl Barker AO about Verdi’s Messa da Requiem. Then at 8:30pm we attend our second performance in this prestigious festival at Teatro Regio di Parma.

CHORAL PERFORMANCE – FESTIVAL VERDI, TEATRO REGIO DI PARMA, 8:30pm
Giuseppe Verdi Messa da Requiem

James Conlon director
Roberta Mantegna soprano
Szilvia Vörös mezzo-soprano
Fabio Sartori tenor
Mika Kares bass
Arturo Toscanini Philharmonic
Choir of the Theatre Regio of Parma

DAY 8 | SUNDAY 20 OCTOBER 2024

4TH OF 4 NIGHTS AT STARHOTELS DU PARC, PARMA

PARMA, TEATRO FARNESE & FESTIVAL VERDI

This morning will begin with a talk by Cheryl about the third performance we will attend at Festival Verdi, La battaglia di Legnano.

Following the talk, we visit the impressive Teatro Farnese, one of the oldest Renaissance theatres still in existence, built entirely in wood by a pupil of the great Italian architect Andrea Palladio. When it was built, from 1618-28, it was the largest theatre in the world, with 4,500 seats. It is also thought to be the first theatre with a permanent proscenium arch. The inaugural spectacle was an allegorical-mythological drama entitled Mercury and Mars with text by Claudio Achillini and music by Claudio Monteverdi, the most famous composer of his time. Teatro Farnese is situated in the Palazzo della Pilotta, a complex of edifices located in the historical centre of the city, built at the end of the 16th-century. It is currently home to numerous cultural centres including the National Gallery of Parma, the Archaeological Museum, the Palatine Library, the Art Institute of the University of Parma and the Headquarter of the National Art and Cultural Heritage.

Following our visit, time is allowed to rest before we attend our third and final performance at the festival at the Teatro Regio di Parma.

OPERA PERFORMANCE – FESTIVAL VERDI, TEATRO REGIO DI PARMA, 3:30pm
Giuseppe Verdi La battaglia di Legnano

Diego Ceretta director
Riccardo Fassi Frederick Barbarossa
Marina Rebeka Lida
Francesco Meli Arrigo
Vladimir Stoyanov Rolando
Alessio Verna Marcovaldo
Orchestra and Choir of the Municipal Theatre of Bologna

Following the performance the evening is free.

DAY 9 | MONDAY 21 OCTOBER 2024

1ST OF 4 NIGHTS AT SPLENDID VENICE

PARMA TO VENICE

In the morning we depart Parma and travel by private coach and private boat to our canal-side hotel, Splendid Venice. The hotel is only a 5-minute walk from Saint Mark's Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, and there is a breathtaking view from the hotel’s terrace overlooking the rooftops of the city.

The late afternoon is free. This allows us the opportunity to explore beautiful Venice, to stroll along the canals, to wander through the narrow streets and to visit the fascinating shops, bars and cafes.

We come together in the evening for dinner to celebrate our first evening in Venice.

DAY 10 | TUESDAY 22 OCTOBER 2024

2ND OF 4 NIGHTS AT SPLENDID VENICE

VENICE, DOGE’S PALACE & PRIVATE RECITAL

In the morning we visit the heart of Venice, the Piazza San Marco. There we have a private guided tour with an art historian, of the Palazzo Ducale, the Doge’s Palace, one of the grandest secular buildings in Italy. Built in the Venetian Gothic style, and one of the main landmarks of the city, the palace was the residence of the Doge, the supreme authority in the former Republic of Venice. Built in 1340 and extended and modified in the following centuries, it became a museum in 1923.

The afternoon is free and there are many wonderful opportunities to pursue. For example, you may like to visit Museo Correr, a museum which showcases elegant spaces and has rich and varied collections that represent both the art and history of Venice. It is only a 5-minute walk from our hotel. Or you might like to visit the Gallerie dell ’Accademia, a museum gallery with a rich collection of Venetian paintings ranging from the Byzantine to the Gothic periods, and reaching Renaissance artists, Bellini, Carpaccio, Giorgione, Veronese, Tintoretto, Tiziano and Tiepolo, and from the 1600's, Canaletto, Guardi, Bellotto and Longhi; all artists who influenced the history of European painting. The gallery is a 20-minute walk from our hotel.

In the evening we have an exclusive private recital followed by drinks with the artists.

DAY 11 | WEDNESDAY 23 OCTOBER 2024

3RD OF 4 NIGHTS AT SPLENDID VENICE

VENICE, EXPLORING ART ‘IN SITU’ IN VENICE

This morning we go on a private guided walking tour with an art historian to see some of the great art ‘in situ’ in Venice. While many works by the great artists are in galleries, there is much still in the locations for which the art was commissioned. Our walk gives us the opportunity to visit Titian’s paintings in St. Mary of the Friars, and Tintoretto’s work in the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Our walk takes us across the Rialto Bridge with its glamorous shops, and ends with a gondola ride, which shows us the picturesque small waterways and water gates that are still essential to Venetian life.

Our afternoon and evening are free. Wandering the narrow, picturesque streets of Venice, browsing through the attractive shops, stopping for a coffee or a gelato, photographing, or just enjoying the classic glimpses of canals, narrow streets and small squares and the Venetian life contained in them, can be a totally fulfilling activity without any need for a specific destination. Another delightful way to spend the afternoon is to take a 40-minute ferry ride across the Venetian Lagoon to the island of Murano well-known for its glass-blowing factory, where you can observe the process of glass blowing and examine a range of the finished products.

DAY 12 | THURSDAY 24 OCTOBER 2024

4TH OF 4 NIGHTS AT SPLENDID VENICE

VENICE & EXCURSION TO VICENZA OPERA FESTIVAL

This morning is free. You may like to rest ahead of our excursion to Vicenza this afternoon or you may like to continue your exploration of Venice. You could visit the wonderful Peggy Guggenheim Collection, a modern art museum on the Grand Canal, one of the most visited attractions in Venice. Housed in an 18th-century palace, the collection includes works of prominent Italian futurists and American modernists working in such genres as Cubism, Surrealism and abstract expressionism. The gallery is a 20-minute walk from our hotel.

In the early afternoon, we have our final talk by Cheryl about the performance we will attend this evening at the Vicenza Festival.

Following our talk we travel by private boat and coach to the elegant city of Vicenza.

On arrival we enjoy our final dinner of the tour in the centre of beautiful Vicenza. Following dinner we stroll to the spectacular Teatro Olimpico, the final design by the Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio.

OPERA PERFORMANCE – VICENZA OPERA FESTIVAL, TEATRO OLIMPICO, 7:00pm
Richard Strauss Ariadne auf Naxos

Cast and creative to be confirmed

Following the performance, we return to our hotel in Venice by private coach and boat.

DAY 13 | FRIDAY 25 OCTOBER 2024

TOUR ENDS

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

We will arrange one transfer from our hotel to Marco Polo Airport, departing the hotel at 11:00am.

INCLUSIONS

13–25 OCTOBER 2024 (13 DAYS)

AUD$13,850 PER PERSON TWIN SHARE

Single supplement: AUD$2,950
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 13 June 2024)
Final payment due: 12 August 2024

INCLUSIONS:

• Performances: Premium category tickets for six performances; two performances at Teatro alla Scala in Milan, three performances at Festival Verdi and one performance at the Vicenza Opera Festival. Attendance at an exclusive private recital in Venice.

• Tour Leaders and Talks: Tour leadership and six exclusive background talks by Cheryl Barker AO.

• Tour Manager: Services of an experienced Tour Manager throughout.

• Hotels: 12 nights' accommodation including:

  o Four nights at the 4-star Rosa Grand Milano in a Deluxe Room;

  o Four nights at the 4-star Starhotels Du Parc, Parma in a Superior Room;

  o Four nights at the 4-star Splendid Venice in a Superior Room;

  o Porterage of one piece of luggage at each hotel.

• Travel: Land travel by private air-conditioned coach. On day 9 the group will travel by private boat from Tronchetto to our hotel in Venice (the boat journey is approximately 20-30 minutes). On day 12 the group will travel from our hotel in Venice to Tronchetto and return. On day 13, the final day of the tour, there will be one boat transfer from our hotel in Venice to Marco Polo Airport at 11:00am (the boat journey is approximately 30 minutes).

• Meals/Drinks: Breakfast each morning at the hotel. Five lunches/dinners with wine, water and tea/coffee.

• 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 for 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 Italy.

• 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.

GROUP SIZE

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

FITNESS LEVEL REQUIRED - LEVEL 2

All members of the tour must have the ability to:

• undertake walking tours of two-three hours duration, including using stairs and walking on uneven ground;

• stand for long periods in museum, art galleries etc;

• climb staircases of 100 or more steps;

• embark / disembark coaches, trains and other methods of transportation without assistance.

BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS

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

FESTIVAL VERDI, OPERA & ART IN NORTHERN ITALY