2024 Music Selection by ACE Cultural Tours

ACE CULTURAL TOURS

2024 MUSIC SELECTION

Travel for the

Culturally Curious

Contents Mozart Festival in Salzburg

2–3

Elgar, Birmingham & Worcester

4–5

Imogen Cooper & Friends at Crathorne Hall

6–7

Bath Bachfest

Music & Opera in Dresden

Dresden Music Festival

Verona Opera Festival

Worcester Three Choirs Festival Buxton International Festival

Lucca Puccini Festival

Schubert in Schwarzenberg

01223 841055

12–13

16–17

International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival: 30th Anniversary Tour

Oxford College Chapels & Organs

East Neuk Festival

Aldeburgh Festival

York Early Music Festival

Wexford Opera Festival

Verdi Festival in Parma

Glyndebourne

Bath Mozartfest

Mahler Festival in Amsterdam (2025)

23 1

AUSTRIA

Mozart Festival in Salzburg January 27 – February 2, 2024 View of Salzburg in the snow

Experience a specially chosen selection of Mozart’s music in the glorious setting of Salzburg Hear from celebrated international performers of Mozart, including the Vienna Philharmonic, Sir András Schiff and Anne-Sophie Mutter Enjoy an extraordinary semi-staged performance of La clemenza di Tito with Le Concert des Nations

This tour commences with what promises to be an outstanding concert with Sir András Schiff leading the Cappella Andrea Barca from the keyboard in performances of Mozart piano concertos, in a programme also boasting Symphony No 40, one of the composer’s most admired works. 2

Tour Director Professor Ashley Solomon, HonRCM, ARAM, is a Fellow of the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, Chair and Head of Historical Performance at the Royal College of Music, and Director of early music ensemble Florilegium.

The great Spanish conductor Jordi Savall will then take to the podium for a semi-staged performance of La clemenza di Tito, performed by Le Concert des Nations at the Felsenreitschule. We will then enjoy some more intimate music with a recital by the celebrated Hagen Quartet featuring pieces by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, before

Ádám Fischer conducts the Danish the Danish Chamber Orchestra in a concert comparing the music of Mozart and Salieri. At the Grosses Festspielhaus we will be captivated by the incomparable Vienna Philharmonic, and on our final night we will be treated to a concert performed by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, led by Kirill Gerstein from the piano. Uncovering Salzburg’s musical heritage, we will explore Mozart’s birthplace and his early home, the Wohnhaus, and enjoy a unique private tour of original manuscripts, guided by an archivist of the Mozarteum. Our tour also includes visits to the 17th century Residenz and the Kaiservilla. We will stay at the four-star superior Hotel Imlauer Pitter Salzburg.

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ANDREAS PRAEFCKE / CC BY 3.0 DEED VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

AUSTRIA

Salzburg Mozarteum interior FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a significant amount of walking, mainly over flat ground. There may be snow and ice at this time of the year. Some terrain is cobbled and the pavements in Salzburg can be tricky to navigate. Participants should have a good overall level of fitness and mobility and consult our minimum fitness requirements as detailed in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

The below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be adjusted nearer the time. Performances are subject to confirmation by the festival office and some visits are weather dependent. Day 1 Depart London Gatwick 1140 on British Airways, arriving Salzburg 1435. Transfer to Hotel Imlauer Pitter Salzburg for six nights. Introductory talk and welcome. Day 2 Morning lecture followed by concert at the Grosser Saal Mozarteum featuring the Cappella Andrea Barca with András Schiff (conductor, piano): Mozart Piano Concerto in A major, K 488, Symphony in G minor, K 550, Piano Concerto in Bb major, K 595. Afternoon concert at the Felsenreitschule: La clemenza di Tito semi-

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staged performance by Le Concert des Nations conducted by Jordi Savall. Day 3 Morning: guided walking tour of Salzburg, including Mozart’s birthplace. Afternoon: visit to the Mozarteum Autograph Vault. Day 4 Morning: visit to Mozart’s home, Wohnhaus. Afternoon performance at the Grosser Saal Mozarteum featuring the Hagen Quartet: Haydn Quartet in D minor, Op 76/2 ‘Fifths’, Mozart Quartet in D minor, K 421, Beethoven Quartet in C# minor, Op 131. Evening concert at the Grosser Saal Mozarteum featuring the Danish Chamber Orchestra and Olga Peretyatko (soprano) conducted by Ádám Fischer: Salieri Sinfonia in D major ‘La Veneziana’, Mozart Overture to Lucio Silla, arias ‘Crudele? Ah no, mio bene’, ‘Ch’io mi scordi di te’, ‘O smania! O furie!’, Symphony No 36 ‘Linz’. Day 5 Whole day excursion to the Salzkammergut area including a private visit to the Kaiservilla. Evening concert at the Grosses Festspielhaus featuring the Vienna Philharmonic, Lahav Shani (conductor) with Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin) and Michael Barenboim (viola): Mozart Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra, K 364, Beethoven Symphony No 5 in C minor Op 67.

Day 6 Morning lecture followed by visit to Salzburg Residenz. Free afternoon followed by evening performance at the Grosser Saal Mozarteum featuring the Chamber Orchestra of Europe with Kirill Gernstein (conductor, piano): Mozart Overture to Cosi fan tutte K 588, Salieri Piano Concerto in B major, Mozart Piano Concerto in D minor K 466, Salieri 26 Variations on ‘La folia di Spagna’, Beethoven Overture to Coriolan Op 62, Piano Concerto No 2 in Bb major Op 19. Day 7 Depart Salzburg 1300, arriving Gatwick 1400.

Cost of £3995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a classic twin or double bedded room, performances as described, six breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, classic double room for single use supplement £480. TOUR CODE: MOZS24

UNITED KINGDOM

Elgar, Birmingham & Worcester

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Hear two concerts at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall, widely considered to be one of the best concert spaces in the world Enjoy private recitals in Great Malvern Priory and St George’s, Worcester, where Elgar was organist

the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, for a guided tour of parts of the new building and a visit to the archive of Elgar documents at the Cadbury Research Library. We look forward to two performances conducted by Finnish maestro Sakari

Oramo, who spent a decade as the music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Hall and returns to conduct the CBSO. Our first concert features Sibelius’s The Tempest and Symphony No 7, while the second will feature Elgar’s lively and colourful portrait of Edwardian

Explore the fascinating cultural history to be found in and around the city of Birmingham On this tour we will savour the rich and varied classical musical scene to be found in the city of Birmingham, and spend time exploring Elgar country in nearby Worcester and the Malvern Hills. We begin in the historical surroundings of Birmingham’s Town Hall, with a lunchtime recital featuring Birmingham City Organist Thomas Trotter, one of the world’s top-ranking virtuoso organists. Our itinerary continues with a privileged opportunity to go behind the scenes at 4

Great Malvern Priory

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February 26 – March 2, 2024

UNITED KINGDOM This tour will be led by Nicholas Wearne, BA, MPhil, a former ACE Bursary student and a previous organist at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square. Nicholas lives in Birmingham and is a Senior Tutor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

ITINERARY

Please note that while we will endeavour to deliver the below itinerary in full, some elements, including the visits and musical programmes, may be subject to change. Day 1 Tour assembles 1145 at Hyatt Regency Birmingham Hotel for light buffet lunch followed by lunchtime solo organ concert at Birmingham Town Hall featuring Thomas Trotter. Orientation walking tour of the city. Introductory lecture and five nights at Hyatt Regency Birmingham Hotel. Day 2 Morning visit to Royal Birmingham Conservatoire for guided tour and private recital: Elgar Violin Sonata, Op 82. Afternoon: Barber Institute of Fine Arts and University of Birmingham for Cadbury Research Library (Elgar collection). Evening lecture. Day 3 Morning: St Mary’s Convent, Handsworth. Afternoon: Aston Hall. Evening performance at Birmingham Symphony Hall featuring City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo (conductor) & Anu Komsi (soprano): Sibelius The Tempest Suite No 1, Strauss Four Last Songs, Merikanto Ekho, Sibelius Symphony No 7. Day 4 Morning lecture followed by visit to St Philip’s Cathedral. Afternoon: St Chad’s Cathedral. Evening performance at Birmingham Symphony Hall featuring City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo (conductor) & Daishin Kashimoto (violin): Elgar Cockaigne, Mozart Violin Concerto No 5, Sibelius Symphony No 5.

Statue of Elgar in Great Malvern

London, the Cockaigne Overture, alongside Mozart’s Violin Concerto No 5 and Sibelius’s Symphony No 5. We will visit St George’s Church in Worcester, where Elgar and his father were organists, for a performance of Elgar’s beautiful Vesper Voluntaries on the organ. A further highlight will be Great Malvern’s atmospheric Priory, in the shadow of Elgar’s beloved Malvern Hills. Wider cultural visits in and around Birmingham will include the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, St Chad’s Cathedral and St Mary’s Convent in Handsworth, as well as Aston Hall, a Grade I listed Jacobean prodigy house.

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Our base will be the four-star Hyatt Regency Birmingham Hotel, located in central Birmingham opposite the Symphony Hall.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a moderate amount of time spent on foot, walking around Birmingham (which can be busy with traffic) and walking and standing at visits. Some church interiors may be dimly lit and visits will involve traversing uneven ground and steps. It can be cold at this time of year in the churches, and potentially icy and slippery underfoot. A good level of fitness and mobility is required. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Day 5 Excursion to the Malvern Hills for Great Malvern Priory with private organ recital: Elgar Organ Sonata in G major, Op 28. Continue to The Firs (Elgar’s birthplace) and Worcester for St George’s Church with illustrated talk: Elgar Vesper Voluntaries, Op 14. Day 6 Tour disperses after breakfast at the hotel.

Cost of £2095 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, five breakfasts, one light lunch, five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £335. TOUR CODE: ELBW24

UNITED KINGDOM

Imogen Cooper & Friends at Crathorne Hall March 4–7, 2024 Enjoy an exclusive, private concert series featuring internationally famous pianist Dame Imogen Cooper, who will be joined by two of the most outstanding alumni of the Imogen Cooper Music Trust Stay at Crathorne Hall, one of the UK’s largest Edwardian country houses and previously host to four Prime Ministers and royalty Visit local historical landmarks and admire the countryside that inspired Delius and Vaughan Williams

“Imogen is one of the greatest musicians England has produced” – Sir Simon Rattle In partnership with the Imogen Cooper Music Trust, we are delighted to invite you to a celebration of the very best music-making in the elegant surroundings of Crathorne Hall Hotel, built between 1904 and 1906 with entertaining in mind.

This tour will be led by Russell Keable, BA, MMus, who trained at the universities of Nottingham and London and studied conducting with George Hurst and Norman Del Mar at London’s Royal College of Music. Russell currently teaches at the University of Surrey, and is active as a composer, arranger, lecturer, broadcaster and performer. 6

The musical programme has been devised by Imogen Cooper, who will herself perform a signature concert. Indubitably one of the finest pianists of her, or any other, generation, Imogen left England at the age of 11 to study at the Conservatoire de Paris, and, after briefly returning to London, continued her studies with Alfred Brendel in Vienna. Dame Imogen Cooper

Imogen will introduce two outstanding alumni of the Imogen Cooper Music Trust, which was founded by Imogen to support young musicians at the beginning of their professional careers. Our musical programme will commence with a concert by the talented young Lithuanian pianist Kasparas Mikužis with works including Haydn, Chopin and Schubert, together with Liszt’s sublime Hungarian Rhapsody No 12 in C sharp minor.

Our second concert will be performed by Imogen with arrangements of Bach by both Kempff and Busoni complemented by Schubert’s Impromptus Nos 1 & 2 and climaxing in Beethoven’s Sonata in A flat major, Op 110. Our tour also includes a rare opportunity to experience a high-level masterclass with Imogen Cooper and Kasparas Mikužis, who himself has already performed as a soloist at the Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw and the Purcell Room.

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UNITED KINGDOM

Crathorne Hall

The musical programme continues with a recital by the exciting Canadian pianist Élisabeth Pion, who will introduce us to the lesser known but intriguing compositions of Hélène de Montgeroult (1764-1836) together with Schubert’s Impromptus Nos 3 & 4 and the composer’s Sonata in C minor, D 958. Our final concert will feature both Imogen and Élisabeth in a virtuoso fourhands performance. Complementing and illuminating the concert series, our Tour Director and resident musicologist, Russell Keable, will provide an introduction to the composers and compositions being performed. We will also take the opportunity to visit local historical landmarks including Mount Grace, a 14th century Carthusian priory, adjoined by a beautiful Arts & Crafts manor house and 13 acres of lovely gardens. We will stay throughout at the fourstar Crathorne Hall Hotel, located on the edge of the North York Moors with beautiful views of the Leven Valley. Distinguished musical visitors during the 20th century included Yehudi Menuhin and Benjamin Britten. Now converted to a luxurious hotel, the property features an elegant drawing room, where a Steinway piano will be installed for our recitals, as well as an on-site restaurant awarded an AA Rosette.

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FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour is not expected to be particularly strenuous, as all concerts and talks will take place at Crathorne Hall. Please note that participants should be comfortable negotiating staircases on a daily basis, with all bedrooms on the first floor or above. At external sites there will be a moderate amount of walking, including over uneven and rocky ground. Due to the historical nature of the buildings visited, there are not always frequent opportunities to sit down. Staircases at visits can be steep or spiralled, and do not always have handrails.

Day 3 Morning lecture followed by masterclass by Imogen Cooper with Kasparas Mikužis. Afternoon: visit to Mount Grace (remains of 14th century Carthusian monastery with adjoining Arts & Crafts house and gardens). Evening recital by Élisabeth Pion (piano): Hélène de Montgeroult Sonata in F sharp minor, Op 5/3, and selection of Etudes; Schubert Impromptus Nos 3 & 4 from D 899; Schubert Sonata in C minor, D 958. Day 4 Morning coffee concert featuring a four-hands performance by Imogen Cooper and Élisabeth Pion. Tour disperses approx 1230 at Crathorne Hall followed by approx 1300 at Darlington Station.

ITINERARY

Please note the itinerary is subject to final confirmation. While we will endeavour to deliver all elements as advertised, certain details – including the musical programme and our visits – may be adjusted nearer the time. Day 1 Tour assembles 1600 at Darlington Station (for those travelling by train). Transfer to Crathorne Hall Hotel for three nights. 1800 welcome and introduction followed by evening recital featuring Kasparas Mikužis (piano): Haydn Sonata in B minor No 47, Hob 32; Chopin Scherzo No 4 in E minor; Schubert Klavierstück No 1 in E flat minor, D 946; Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No 12 in C sharp minor. Day 2 Lectures on the musical programme followed by some free time and visit to Rievaulx Abbey. Evening recital featuring Imogen Cooper (piano): Bach arr Kempff Chorale Prelude ‘Nun freut euch, lieben Christen g’mein’; Bach arr Busoni Chorale Prelude ‘Nun komm den Heiden Heiland’; Schubert Sonata in C major, D 840 ‘Reliquie’; Schubert Impromptus Nos 1 & 2 from D 899; Beethoven Sonata in A flat major, Op 110.

Cost of £1495 includes: accommodation based on sharing a deluxe twin or double bedded room, performances as described, three breakfasts, two lunches with water & coffee, three dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, classic double room for single use supplement £275, superior double room for single use supplement £375, double feature room supplement £75 per person, junior suite (double occupancy) supplement £200 per person, master suite (double occupancy) supplement £300 per person. Please note that the final group size will be limited to 50 participants to preserve an intimate atmosphere for this exclusive series of concerts. TOUR CODE: ICMT24

UNITED KINGDOM

Bath Bachfest February 15–18, 2024 FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking, including over uneven, cobbled and uphill ground. Please be aware that traffic in Bath can be heavy so care must be taken, particularly on narrow or uneven pavements. Participants should feel comfortable walking up steps and in dimly lit conditions. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria, outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Take in the full 2024 Bach Festival, including performances by Tenebrae and the Academy of Ancient Music Absorb the history of the beautiful city of Bath, with a visit to the Holburne Museum

ITINERARY

Enjoy a series of lectures from expert musicologist Sandy Burnett Bath’s annual festival celebrating one of Europe’s most eminent composers, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), has become a firm favourite in the city’s cultural calendar. Performances take place in some of the city’s most iconic surroundings, including St Mary’s Bathwick, the historical Guildhall and the Abbey. The Bachfest attracts many of the world’s finest musicians. Our tour begins with a concert featuring award-winning choir Tenebrae: under the baton of conductor Nigel Short, they will bring us works including Bach’s motets Komm, Jesu, komm; Jesu, meine Freude and Singet dem Herrn. Renowned harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani will perform pieces including Handel’s Suite No 2 in F and Bach’s Cello Suite No 6 in D; the Academy of Ancient Music will explore ‘The Art of the Italian Concerto’; and a performance from the Katona Twins Guitar Duo will include their arrangement of Bach’s Sinfonia from Cantata BWV 29. We will take our seats in Bath’s magnificent Abbey for a selection of Bach concerti and cantatas performed by Arcangelo, one of the world’s leading early music ensembles, alongside director and harpsichordist Jonathan Cohen and violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte. Alongside the festival performances, we will enjoy an illustrated lecture given by our Tour Director on the Schantz fortepiano at the Holburne Museum. We will stay at the four-star Francis Hotel, occupying Grade I listed Georgian townhouses in the heart of the city. 8

Bath Abbey

Our Tour Director is Sandy Burnett, MA, a musician and former presenter on BBC Radio 3. He has conducted the major sacred works by J S Bach, and has also masterminded a complete cycle of the composer’s sacred cantatas. A graduate of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, Sandy is the author of the Idler Guide to Classical Music and has been appointed the Hogwood Fellow of the Academy of Ancient Music.

Cost of £1475 includes: accommodation based on sharing a classic twin or double bedded room, performances as described (subject to final programme details), three breakfasts, three light dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, classic double room for single use supplement £205. TOUR CODE: BABF24

STEWART BLACK / CC BY 2.0 DEED VIA FLICKR

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements, including the festival programme, may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Day 1 Tour assembles 1500 at the Francis Hotel, Bath, for three nights. Afternoon lecture: Soli Deo Gloria – A Survey of Bach’s Life & Achievements followed by evening festival performance at St Mary’s Bathwick featuring Tenebrae and Nigel Short (conductor): Gesualdo Tenebrae Responsories for Holy Saturday, J S Bach Komm, Jesu, komm; Jesu, meine Freude; Singet dem Herrn. Day 2 Morning visit to the Holburne Museum with illustrated lecture on the Schantz fortepiano and free time to explore the collections independently. Early afternoon festival performance at the Guildhall featuring Mahan Esfahani (harpsichord): Handel Suite No 2 in F, HWV 427; Buxtehude Aria ‘La Capricciosa’ & Variations in G, BWV 250; J S Bach English Suite No 6 in D minor, BWV 811. Some free time. Evening festival performance at St Mary’s Bathwick featuring the Academy of Ancient Music: ‘The Art of the Italian Concerto’ - Giovanni Mossi Concerto in G minor for 4 violins, Op 4, No 12; Pietro Antonio Locatelli Concerto Grosso in C minor, Op 4, No 11; Vivaldi Concerto for 2 violins from L’Estro Armonico; Giuseppe Valentini Concerto in A minor for 4 violins, Op 7; Arcangelo Corelli Concerto grosso in D major, Op 6, No 4. Day 3 Late morning festival performance at the Guildhall featuring Katona Twins Guitar Duo: J S Bach Sinfonia from Cantata, BWV 29 (arr Katona); Handel Excerpts from Suite in D minor, HWV 428 (arr Katona); Scarlatti Sonatas in D major and C minor, Toccata in D minor; Vivaldi Trio in G minor, RV 85; J S Bach French Suite No 5, BWV 816; Handel Chaconne in G, HWV 435 (arr Katona). Some free time followed by afternoon lecture. Evening festival performance at Bath Abbey featuring Arcangelo and Jonathan Cohen (director/harpsichord), Théotime Langlois de Swarte (violin), vocal quartet: J S Bach Concerti & Cantatas – Brandenburg Concerto No 1 in F major, BWV 1046 Ach Gott vom Himmel sieh darein, Violin Concerto in E, BWV 1042, Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern. Day 4 Tour disperses after breakfast.

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GERMANY

Music & Opera in Dresden April 2–8, 2024 Semper Opera House, Dresden

This tour will be led by Paul Jackson, PhD, conductor, pianist, musicologist and former Director of Music at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Paul has enjoyed an extensive career as a conductor of opera and as a chamber musician, performing widely in the UK, Europe and America. ITINERARY

Enjoy outstanding concerts by the Dresden Staatskapelle and the Dresden Philharmonic Attend productions of Mozart’s enchanting opera The Magic Flute and Richard Strauss’s Eletrka at the world famous Semper Opera House Visit the city described as the ‘jewel box’ of Germany, discovering a wealth of cultural riches Dresden has a long and distinguished musical heritage and has been the home of many famous composers. The Semper Opera House, perhaps the most famous opera house in Germany, forms the centrepiece of our celebration of music and opera in Dresden. We begin with a production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, followed by an evening of chamber music, including Richard Strauss’s Cello Sonata in F major Op 6, one of the composer’s most loved works. Dresden held a special place for Strauss, with nine of his fifteen operas premiered in the city. We also look forward to a performance of Richard Strauss’s epic tone poem, Don Quixote, in a concert paired with Max Reger’s most popular piece, the Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart. We celebrate the culmination of our tour with a concert at the Kulturpalast

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Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer. All performances are subject to confirmation and some itinerary details may be adjusted nearer the time.

featuring the Dresden Philharmonic conducted by Kent Nagano. María Dueñas Fernández is the soloist in Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto in G minor, in a programme that also includes Schubert’s Symphony No 3 and Richard Strauss’s orchestral suite Le bourgeois gentilhomme. Complementing the musical performances, we will enjoy visits to Dresden’s Historic Green Vault and the refurbished Old Masters Picture Gallery, and an excursion to Leipzig, home of J S Bach. This tour will be based at the Hyperion Dresden am Schloss, a stylish hotel conveniently located in the heart of Dresden in the city’s old town.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour will include extensive walking around central Dresden, including over uneven ground and cobbles that can be challenging if wet. Please consult our minimum fitness requirements, contained in ACE’s Booking Terms & Conditions.

Cost of £3395 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, six breakfasts, one lunch, six dinners (three cold plates with a glass of wine) with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £395. TOUR CODE: MODR24

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1050 on British Airways, arriving Berlin Brandenburg 1345. Transfer to Hyperion Hotel Dresden am Schloss for six nights. Welcome and introduction. Day 2 Morning lecture followed by orientation tour of historical Dresden, including the Zwinger Palace, Semperoper, Dresden Castle, Taschenberg Palace and the Frauenkirche (exteriors). Afternoon: guided tour of the Old Masters Picture Gallery. Evening performance at the Semper Opera House: Mozart The Magic Flute. Day 3 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Afternoon excursion to Graupa for Jagdschloss and Lohengrin House. Continue to Carl Maria von Weber Museum. Evening performance at the Semper Opera House: Richard Strauss Cello Sonata in F major Op 6; Alphorn Op 15 No 3 for soprano, horn and piano; Max Reger Clarinet Quintet in A major Op 146. Day 4 Whole day excursion to Leipzig: walking tour of the city and visit to Bach Museum. Evening performance at the Semper Opera House: Richard Strauss Elektra. Day 5 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Afternoon: Historic Green Vault and Frauenkirche. Evening performance at the Semper Opera House featuring the Staatskapelle featuring Antonio Pappano (conductor): Richard Strauss Don Quixote Op 35, Max Reger Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart Op 132. Day 6 Some free time. Late morning performance at the Kulturpalast featuring the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, Kent Nagano (conductor) and María Dueñas Fernández (violin): works including Max Bruch Violin Concerto in G minor, Schubert Symphony No 3 and Richard Strauss Orchestral Suite Le bourgeois gentilhomme Op 60. Day 7 Transfer to Berlin for 1500 departure, arriving Heathrow 1600.

GERMANY

Dresden Music Festival May 21–26, 2024 Attend a handpicked selection of performances at the 2024 Dresden Music Festival, featuring musicians including the award-winning pianists Igor Levit and Seong-Jin Cho

STEVEN PISANO / CC BY 2.0 VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Igor Levit performing at Carnegie Hall

Attend five concerts in a selection of Dresden venues, including two at the recently-opened Kulturpalast concert hall Venture outside the city to learn about the lives of three leading German composers: Wagner, Weber and Johann Sebastian Bach On Tour Director Sandy Burnett’s first visit to Dresden 33 years ago, the Iron Curtain had only recently come down, and the city’s iconic Frauenkirche, destroyed by the Allied bombing raids of 1945, occupied a central place in the city as a poignant reminder of war – as a pile of rubble in the centre of the city. Time has transformed this magnificent city of the former East Germany; the Frauenkirche has been painstakingly reconstructed, and the charming but old-fashioned Trabants and Wartburgs have disappeared from the city’s streets. Dresden is a city that is looking ahead, and its Music Festival, established in the Cold War years, is thriving under the leadership of world-renowned cellist Jan Vogler. ACE is delighted to present a tour to this notable music festival. Our itinerary features two contrasting piano programmes by Igor Levit and SeongJin Cho, and two quite different song recitals too: one of the world’s leading Our Tour Director is Sandy Burnett, MA, a musician and former presenter on BBC Radio 3. He has conducted the major sacred works by J S Bach, and has also masterminded a complete cycle of the composer’s sacred cantatas. 10

baritones Matthias Georne gives an all-Schumann programme, and we also look forward to a concert by Jane Monheit, US jazz singer and doyenne of the Great American Songbook. A concert of Sibelius and Dvořák from conductor Manfred Honeck and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic rounds off the festival selection. We will enjoy complementary visits in and around Dresden, and also hope to feature a private tour of the Semper Opera House and an excursion to Graupa to visit the Lohengrin House and Jagdschloss. We will stay throughout at the Hyperion Hotel Dresden am Schloss, conveniently located in the heart of Dresden’s Old Town. FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour will involve extensive walking around central Dresden, including sometimes over uneven ground and cobbles that can be challenging if wet. Please consult our minimum fitness requirements, contained in ACE’s Booking Terms & Conditions, before booking your place.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer. All performances are subject to confirmation and some itinerary details may be adjusted nearer the time. Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 1050 on British Airways, arriving Berlin 1345. Transfer to Dresden for five nights at Hyperion Hotel Dresden am Schloss. Welcome and introduction. Day 2 Morning lecture followed by a walking tour of Dresden: Zwinger, Castle and Frauenkirche (exteriors). Afternoon: guided tour of the Old Masters Picture Gallery. Evening festival performance at the Kulturpalast featuring Igor Levit (piano): Gustav Mahler: Adagio aus der Sinfonie No 10, Paul Hindemith Suite ‘1922’ Op 26, Beethoven Symphony No 3 ‘Eroica’ Op 55.

Day 3 Morning lecture followed by excursion to Graupa for Lohengrin House and Jagdschloss (sites relating to Richard Wagner) and guided tour of Carl Maria von Weber Museum. Evening festival performance at the Grosser Ballsaal of Parkhotel Dresden featuring Jane Monheit (jazz singer) ‘The Great American Songbook’. Day 4 Whole day excursion to Leipzig for visit to the Bach Museum and guided tour of the historic city centre with the Old Town Hall and Thomaskirche. Return to Dresden for evening festival performance at the Staatsschauspiel: Matthias Goerne (baritone) and Markus Hinterhäuser (piano): Robert Schumann Liederkreis Op 39, Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß Op 98a No 4, Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt Op 98a No 6, An die Türen will ich schleichen Op 98a, No 8, Lieder nach Gedichten der Königin Maria Stuart Op 135, Frauenliebe und -leben Op 42. Day 5 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Afternoon visit to the Historic Green Vault (one of the largest treasure chambers in Europe). Continue to the Semper Opera House for a private guided tour (subject to confirmation). Evening festival performance at the Palais im Großen Garten featuring Seong-Jin Cho (piano): Haydn Klaviersonate No 47; Ravel Menuet sur le nom de Haydn for piano, Le Tombeau de Couperin suite for piano; Liszt Années de pèlerinage, Deuxième Année, Italie. Day 6 Morning festival performance at the Kulturpalast featuring Daniel Lozakovich (violin), Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and Manfred Honeck (conductor): Andrea Tarrodi Camelopardalis, Sibelius Concerto for violin and orchestra in D minor Op 47, Dvořák Symphony No 8 in G major Op 88. Free afternoon. Depart Berlin 2055, arriving Heathrow 2155. Cost of £3495 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, five breakfasts, two lunches, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £345. TOUR CODE: DRMF24

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I TA LY

Verona Opera Festival June 26 – July 1, 2024

Enjoy illuminating lectures on each opera from our Tour Director, musician, conductor and writer Paul Jackson Explore the ‘fair Verona’ of Romeo and Juliet and journey by boat across Lake Garda Established for over one hundred years, Verona’s internationally renowned opera festival ranks as one of the most outstanding in the world. Staged in the monumental Roman amphitheatre known as the Arena di Verona – “the true home of open-air performances” – the festival has hosted many of the world’s greatest opera singers and some of the most awe-inspiring sets in the classical music world. As dusk falls and the candles are lit, we will take our seats for three operatic masterpieces, including Hugo de Ana’s lively production of Rossini’s much-loved comic masterpiece, The Barber of Seville, and Puccini’s magnificent Turandot, in a magical production by director and set designer Franco Zeffirelli with costumes from Oscar-winning Emi Wada. At the heart of our tour will be a chance to experience the 100th anniversary production of Verdi’s Aida, created by Stefano Poda, which premiered in 2023. With its dramatic public scenes and moments of private intimacy, brought to life by stunning direction, set design and costumes, a performance of this beloved work becomes an experience of a lifetime in the superb surroundings of the Arena. In ‘fair Verona’, the city of Romeo and Juliet, we will explore captivating streets and splendid medieval churches. An excursion will take us to the shores of Lake Garda, which has enchanted writers and travellers from Catullus to Tennyson.

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Verona Arena

We will enjoy a boat trip from Sirmione, where the celebrated and influential 20th century soprano Maria Callas lived in the 1950s, having made her debut in Verona in 1947, to the lakeside town of Lazise. Meanwhile, in Valpolicella Classica, we will explore the area’s long heritage as a producer of some of Italy’s finest wines, with a visit to the beautiful 14th century manor house, Palazzo Montanari. Our accommodation is at the comfortable Hotel San Luca, located a five-minute stroll away from Verona’s Arena. FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a significant amount of walking over cobbles, slippery marble paving stones, up and down steps (sometimes without handrails), and potentially in hot sunshine or over wet pavements. A good level of fitness is required to complete the itinerary. Please consult our fitness criteria in the Booking Terms & Conditions. Please note the walk from the hotel to the Arena is on flat ground and takes around five minutes. Our return walk is after nightfall but the area is well lit. All performances are scheduled to begin at 2130, but our itinerary has been balanced with later starts in the mornings and some free time during the days in which to rest and relax. This tour also includes a boat trip.

Cost of £3895 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described (1st sector gold category), five breakfasts, one light lunch, four dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £575. TOUR CODE: VROP24

This tour will be led by Paul Jackson, MA, PhD, a conductor, pianist, musicologist and former Director of Music at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Paul has enjoyed an extensive career as a conductor of opera and also as a chamber musician, performing widely in the UK, Europe and America. ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer. While we will endeavour to deliver this itinerary in full, some elements may be adjusted nearer the time, particularly owing to local weather conditions. Cast and performance details may also be subject to change by the festival office. Day 1 Depart London Gatwick 1310 on Easyjet, arriving Verona 1615. Transfer to Hotel San Luca, Verona, for five nights. Day 2 Morning walking tour of Verona (historical highlights). Free afternoon followed by early evening lecture. Evening performance at the Arena: Rossini The Barber of Seville. Day 3 Morning excursion to Palazzo Montanari, Valpolicella (14th century house) for guided tour followed by wine and olive oil tasting. Free afternoon in Verona followed by early evening lecture and independent dinner. Evening performance at the Arena: Verdi Aida. Day 4 Morning: further explorations of Verona on foot. Free afternoon followed by early evening lecture. Evening performance at the Arena: Puccini Turandot. Day 5 Free morning. Afternoon excursion to Lake Garda for boat trip from Sirmione to Lazise. Day 6 Free morning. Depart Venice 1615, arriving Gatwick 1730.

Take your seat in Verona’s spectacular Arena for Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Puccini’s Turandot and a new production of Verdi’s Aida, the work that launched the festival

UNITED KINGDOM

Worcester Three Choirs Festival July 27–31, 2024 with Paul Jackson | July 31 – August 4, 2024 with Russell Keable Worcester Cathedral beside the River Severn

Experience a superb selection of concerts at the 2024 festival, including pieces by Holst, Rossini, Elgar and Charles Villiers Stanford in the 100th anniversary year of his death Works by Respighi, Britten, Whitacre, Chilcott, Sarah Kirkland and Grace-Evangeline Mason feature as we explore the influence on music of the natural world Absorb the area’s links with Elgar with a visit to The Firs, the composer’s birthplace For over 300 years the cathedral cities of Hereford, Gloucester and Worcester have taken turns to host a renowned annual music celebration. In 2024 the Three Choirs Festival will take place in Worcester, surrounded by the captivating architecture of the city’s cathedral, built between the 11th and 16th centuries. The 2024 festival takes as its central theme the environment and the ways in which the natural world has inspired composers. Celebrating the beauty of the landscape – and highlighting the importance of environmental conservation – the programme will 12

Our first tour will be led by Paul Jackson, MA, PhD, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Director of Music and Performance at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Paul has enjoyed an extensive career as a conductor and solo and chamber music pianist. Our second tour will be led by Russell Keable, BA, MMus, a composer, performer and broadcaster who teaches at the University of Surrey. He trained at the universities of Nottingham and London and studied conducting at London’s Royal College of Music. feature a selection of inspiring concerts featuring works both old and new. Our first tour will open with a performance of The Imagined Forest by award-winning British composer Grace-Evangeline Mason, juxtaposed with Gustav Holst’s Hymn of Jesus and Charles Villiers Stanford’s Stabat Mater. 2024 marks 150 years since the birth of Holst, and 100 years since the death of

Stanford, making it a poignant moment to experience, in the words of Artistic Director Samuel Hudson, “some of their finest works”. Further highlights will include a new festival commission by Nathan James Dearden alongside Respighi’s The Birds, and the UK premiere of Sarah Kirkland Snider’s Mass for the Endangered. On our second tour, the Three Choirs Festival Chorus will perform Stanford’s exquisite partsong The Blue Bird alongside Bob Chilcott’s The Angry Planet and a new work commissioned by Welsh composer Paul Mealor, who created a piece for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. This departure will also include a chance to hear Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle, as well as the festival’s closing concert, featuring Elgar’s magnificent The Kingdom. Festival Fringe Events In addition to the four evening festival performances advertised for each tour, we hope to include two further daytime performances per tour, subject to scheduling and availability. Details and updated itineraries will be released on the ACE website once the full festival programme has been confirmed in spring 2024.

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Three Choirs Festival 2023, Gloucester

We will explore the area’s musical heritage and connections with Edward Elgar with a visit to his birthplace and the museum dedicated to him at The Firs. Our accommodation will be at the Worcester Whitehouse Hotel, chosen for its ideal location in the heart of the historical city. While simply furnished, the hotel provides a welcoming base. FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking, including over uneven ground, cobbles, worn steps and in dimly lit interiors. The walk from the hotel to the cathedral takes around 20 minutes, and care must be taken around traffic. .

ITINERARY

Please note that the itineraries represent a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements, including the musical programme, may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. TOUR 1 Day 1 Tour assembles 1400 at Worcester Whitehouse Hotel for four nights. Welcome and introduction followed by short orientation walking tour. Evening festival performance at Worcester Cathedral featuring Three Choirs Festival Chorus: Grace-Evangeline Mason The Imagined Forest; Holst Hymn of Jesus; Stanford Stabat Mater. Day 2 Morning lecture followed by some free time or option to attend festival Eucharist. Afternoon festival performance (to be confirmed). Evening festival performance featuring Three Choirs Festival Voices: Nathan

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“Great variety of music and performers” “Can’t praise highly enough in all respects” – ACE customers on previous Worcester Three Choirs tours James Dearden new work (premiere, festival commission); Judith Weir Still, Glowing; Respighi The Birds; Holst The Cloud Messenger. Day 3 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Afternoon visit to The Firs (Elgar’s birthplace). Evening festival performance at Worcester Cathedral featuring Three Choirs Festival Youth Chorus: Cameron Biles-Liddell Yr Afon Yn Yr Awyr (English premiere); Judith Weir O Sweet Spontaneous Earth; Sarah Kirkland Snider Mass for the Endangered (UK premiere). Day 4 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Afternoon festival performance (to be confirmed). Evening festival performance featuring BBC Singers & Anna Lapwood (organ): Kristina Arakelyan Seascapes interspersed with Britten (trans Anna Lapwood) Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes; Poulenc Figure Humaine; Judith Weir In the Land of Uz. Day 5 Tour disperses after breakfast at the hotel. TOUR 2 Day 1 Tour assembles 1400 at Worcester Whitehouse Hotel for four nights. Welcome and introduction followed by short orientation walking tour. Evening festival performance at Worcester Cathedral featuring Three Choirs Festival Chorus: Rossini Petite messe solennelle.

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Afternoon festival performance (to be confirmed). Evening festival performance featuring Three Choirs Festival Chorus: Whitacre Cloudburst; Stanford The Blue Bird; Paul Mealor new work (premiere, festival commission); Stanford Three Motets; Bob Chilcott The Angry Planet. Day 3 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Afternoon festival performance (to be confirmed). Evening festival performance at Worcester Cathedral featuring Three Choirs Festival Youth Choir: Cecilia McDowall Shipping Forecast; Stanford/Jeremy Dibble Sonata for String Orchestra; Ian Venables Requiem. Day 4 Morning lecture followed by visit to The Firs (Elgar’s birthplace). Free afternoon. Evening festival performance at Worcester Cathedral featuring Three Choirs Festival Chorus: Elgar The Kingdom. Day 5 Tour disperses after breakfast at the hotel.

Cost of £1595 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, four breakfasts, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £130. TOUR CODE: WTH124 / WTH224

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UNITED KINGDOM

Buxton International Festival July 5–10, 2024 Enjoy a selection of the festival’s main performances, including Verdi’s Ernani, Haydn’s La Canterina and Handel’s The Triumph of Time and Truth

Buxton Opera House

Attend rarely performed works including Ethel Smyth’s The Boatswain’s Mate and Bizet’s La Tragedie Explore the Grade I listed Buxton Crescent to Haddon Hall, a delightful country house with medieval origins Every summer the Derbyshire spa town of Buxton, surrounded by the glorious hills of the Peak District, presents a feast of opera, literature and music. The combination of established and promising up-and-coming performers makes for one of the UK’s most stimulating arts festivals, and over the years it has become both nationally and internationally acclaimed. The festival is beloved for its mix of familiar and less familiar works, and our 2024 tour offers examples of each. Historically one of Verdi’s most popular operas, Ernani – based on a work by Victor Hugo and the composer’s first to be commissioned by the Teatro La Fenice – helped to make him a household name; despite that, productions today are rare compared with his better known operas. As his first opera written for Prince Esterhazy, Haydn’s shorter work La Canterina (The Songstress) marked a similarly significant moment in his career; while The Triumph of Time and Truth – an allegorical tale in which Time and Truth compete against the more Festival Fringe Events In addition to the main festival operas, we plan to include one fringe event in our itinerary, details of which will be published on the ACE website once more festival information is released in early 2024. Please note there may be some itinerary adjustments at this time.

This tour will be led by Russell Keable, BA, MMus. Russell trained at the universities of Nottingham and London and London’s Royal College of Music. He currently teaches at the University of Surrey and is active as a composer, arranger, lecturer, broadcaster and performer. ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements, including the musical programme, may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Day 1 Tour assembles 1430 at Best Western Plus Buxton Lee Wood Hotel, Buxton, for five nights. Welcome and introduction followed by orientation walking tour of Buxton.

tempting Pleasure and Deceit for the soul of Beauty – was Handel’s first oratorio. Moving forward to the early 20th century, suffragette Ethel Smyth’s rarely performed The Boatswain’s Mate will light up the stage on our fourth evening. Our tour concludes with La Tragedie de Carmen, an intimate and powerful re-examination of Bizet’s seminal work adapted by the celebrated film and theatre director Peter Brook and performed by a small cast. Making the most of our time in Buxton, we look forward to visiting the Grade I listed Buxton Crescent. We will also make an excursion to Haddon Hall, a beautiful country house described by Simon Jenkins as “the most perfect house to survive from the Middle Ages”. We will stay throughout at the four-star Best Western Plus Buxton Lee Wood Hotel. FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking every day between the hotel, opera house and other festival venues. The walk between the hotel and the centre of Buxton is hilly, and the venues are around a 10 minute walk from the hotel. Please note some rooms may be in the hotel’s annexe, accessed by steps; the Sales Team will advise you further upon booking. Participants should meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Day 2 Morning lecture followed by visit to Buxton Crescent including Pump Room, Assembly Room and Heritage Experience. Free afternoon. Evening festival performance at Buxton Opera House featuring Adrian Kelly (conductor): Verdi Ernani. Day 3 Morning lecture followed by some free time. Matinee festival performance at the Pavilion Arts Centre: Haydn La Canterina. Evening festival performance at Buxton Opera House featuring the Early Opera Company and Christian Curnyn (conductor): Handel Il Trionfo del temple e del disinganno (The Triumph of Time and Truth). Day 4 Excursion to Haddon Hall. Some free time. Evening festival performance at Buxton Opera House: Ethel Smyth The Boatswain’s Mate. Day 5 Morning lecture followed by festival fringe event (subject to scheduling). Free afternoon. Evening festival performance at Buxton Opera House featuring Norwich Theatre: Bizet (adapted by Peter Brook) La Tragedie de Carmen. Day 6 Tour disperses after breakfast.

Cost of £1895 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, a festival fringe event (to be confirmed in spring 2024), five breakfasts, five dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, twin/ double room for single use supplement £215. TOUR CODE: BUXF24

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I TA LY

Lucca Puccini Festival August 21–25, 2024 moral quandaries at the heart of Tosca will round our tour off in thrilling style. Alongside the music, our tour will immerse us in the area’s captivating architecture and engaging history. Local visits will include the Romanesque Cathedral of San Martino, where Puccini played the organ.

Statue of Puccini in Lucca

Join the 2024 Puccini Festival set in the beautiful lakeside village of Torre del Lago Enjoy performances of three of the composer’s most beloved works: La Bohème, Turandot and Tosca Walk in the composer’s footsteps with a visit to the Villa Museo Puccini, where he once lived Born in 1858 in Lucca, it was in the nearby lakeside village of Torre del Lago that Giacomo Puccini composed Madama Butterfly, La Bohème and Tosca, among other famous works. Today, the picturesque Tuscan village lies at the heart of the annual Puccini Opera Festival, one of the most famous classical music events in the world. Puccini was a choirboy in the cathedral, played the organ in the Church of San Michele and studied at the Pacini School of Music. He settled in Torre in 1891 and bought a country estate there at the turn of the century – now the Villa Museo Puccini. At Torre’s nearby grand open-air theatre, on the banks of Lake Massaciuccoli, we will attend three festival performances: La Bohème, Tosca and Turandot – all firm favourites among the composer’s repertoire.

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This tour will be led by Sandy Burnett, MA, a musician and broadcaster who spent a decade as a presenter on BBC Radio 3. Conducting credits have included a complete cycle of Bach cantatas as well as work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal National Theatre and in London’s West End. Containing one of the most enduring arias in the operatic canon, (‘Nessun Dorma’ – the historical epic) Turandot is full of powerful orchestral moments. Also featuring some of Puccini’s most recognisable music as well as atmospheric choral scenes, La Bohème’s tale of love, friendship and eventual heartbreak will make for a moving opening performance; while the romance, political conflicts and Accommodation We stay in the heart of Lucca at the four-star Grand Universe Lucca, one of the city’s most prestigious hotels. Dating from the mid 19th century – but with a history stretching back to 1700 – the hotel possesses a wonderful combination of charm, history and elegance. Famous guests are said to have included Puccini himself.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking, often over grass, uneven ground and cobbles. While our visits in central Lucca will be broken up by breaks, participants should feel comfortable with urban walking and staying on their feet for up to two hours at a time. Certain visits will also involve navigating steps and the weather is likely to be warm. Please consult ACE’s usual fitness criteria in our Booking Terms & Conditions. Please note all performances begin at 2115 each evening; morning visits will take place at a more leisurely time to allow for the late nights.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements, including the festival programme, may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Day 1 London Heathrow 0815 on British Airways, arriving Pisa 1125. Transfer to Lucca for four nights at Grand Universe Hotel. Welcome and introduction. Day 2 Morning lecture followed by visits in Lucca including Romanesque Cathedral of San Martino and cathedral museum. Afternoon: visit to Villa Museo Puccini and lake tour (subject to final confirmation) followed by festival opera at Gran Teatro Puccini, Torre del Lago: La Bohème. Day 3 Morning visits: Museo Nazionale and Chiesa di San Francesco. Early evening lecture followed by evening festival opera at Gran Teatro Puccini, Torre del Lago: Turandot. Day 4 Morning: Villa Torrigiani, Camigliano. Afternoon: free time followed by early evening lecture and festival opera in Gran Teatro Puccini, Torre del Lago: Tosca. Day 5 Morning visits in Lucca including Palazzo Pfanner – subject to final flight arrangements. Depart Pisa 2000, arriving Heathrow 2115.

Cost of £2995 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, four breakfasts, four dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £450. TOUR CODE: PUCC24

SWITZERLAND

Schubert in Schwarzenberg August 24–31, 2024 Attend recitals from a range of esteemed musicians, including Renaud Capuçon, Quatuor Modigliani and Julia Kleiter

Schubert at the Piano II by Gustave Klimt 1899

Enjoy a performance of Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin from rising operatic star Ilker Arcayürek Explore the region with an array of daytime visits, including the Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein and Baroque library in St Gallen

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Each summer, amidst the tranquil mountain scenery of the Bregenz Forest, a select group of musicians gather to present a dynamic selection of Schubert’s music alongside works by other composers. Our venue is the Angelika Kauffmann Hall, named after the 18th century Swiss-born painter and founding member of the Royal Academy in London who spent her early years in Schwarzenberg. Chamber highlights of the 2024 tour will include a rendition of ‘The Trout’ by award-winning French violinist Renaud Capuçon and fellow instrumentalists, and ‘Der Tod und das Mädchen’ performed by Quatuor Modigliani. Lieder naturally forms a core focus, with German lyric tenor Christoph Prégardien, tenor Ilker Arcayürek, operatic soprano Julia Kleiter and baritone Andrè Schuen all contributing their unique interpretations to songs by Tour Director Nicholas Wearne, BA, MPhil, is an organist and international competition prizewinner who was previously Assistant Organist at New College, Oxford and Organist at St Martinin-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square. Nicholas is a former ACE Bursary student and currently holds the position of Senior Tutor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. 16

“All aspects of the programme were excellent” – ACE customer on the 2023 Schubert in Schwarzenberg tour with Nicholas Wearne

Schubert, Mahler, Schumann, Brahms and Liszt. Conductor and pianist Christian Zacharias, meanwhile, will round things off with Schubert’s Six Moments Musicaux and Piano Sonata in D ‘Gasteiner’. Alongside the music, we will enjoy a guided tour of Schwarzenberg as well as visits to the Rieger Orgelbau workshop and the charming town of Lindau in the Lake Constance area. In Liechtenstein’s capital of Vaduz, we will explore the city’s fantastic Kunstmuseum. We will stay at the luxurious modern four-star Hotel Die Wälderin, in the scenic surroundings of Mellau in the Bregenz Forest. Rooms are of a premium standard with balconies, and include

access to swimming pools and sauna facilities. The hotel is a 10-15 minute walk from the centre of Mellau and a short drive from Schwarzenberg.

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: A good level of fitness is required for this tour, which involves walking for up to 90 minutes at a time. Participants should feel comfortable ascending stairs, as lifts are not available at some visits and restaurants. Please note this tour also involves walking over cobbles (which may be slippery when wet), and negotiating occasionally steep inclines and rugged terrain. Our tour also includes a ferry crossing. The journey to and from Zurich Airport takes approximately two and a half hours.

ITINERARY

Please note that the below itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements (including details of the musical programme) may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Day 1 Depart London Heathrow 0840 on SWISS, arriving Zurich 1135. Transfer to Mellau for seven nights at Hotel Die Wälderin. Welcome and introduction.

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SWITZERLAND

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Autograph of Die Nebensonnen (The Sun dogs) from Winterreise

Day 2 Guided walking tour of Schwarzenberg including a visit to the Angelika Kauffmann Museum. Early evening lecture followed by evening song recital at the Angelika Kauffmann Hall featuring Christoph Prégardien (tenor) and Hartmut Höll (piano): Schumann Liederkreis, Op 24; Mahler Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Songs of a Wayfarer); Schubert Selection of songs including Versunken, Auf der Bruck, Abschied, An mein Herz, Die Mutter Erde, An den Mond & Rastlose Liebe. Day 3 Free morning to relax and explore Mellau independently. Afternoon lecture followed by chamber recital at the Angelika Kauffmann Hall featuring Renaud Capuçon (violin), Gérard Caussé (viola), Julia Hagen (cello), Alois Posch (double bass) & Guillaume Bellom (piano): R Strauss Piano Quartet in C minor, Op 13; Schubert Piano Quintet in A, D 667 ‘The Trout’. Evening song recital at the Angelika Kauffmann Hall featuring Ilker Arcayürek (tenor), Patrick Grahl (tenor), Martin Mitterrutzner (tenor), Jan Petryka (tenor), Konstantin Krimmel (baritone), Andrè Schuen (baritone), Andreas Bauer Kanabas (bass), David Steffens (bass) & instrumentalists: Schubert selection of polyphonic songs; F Silcher selection of German folk songs. Day 4 Morning visit to Rieger Orgelbau workshop. Afternoon lecture followed by song recital at the Angelika Kauffmann Hall featuring Julia Kleiter (soprano) & Julius Drake (piano): Schubert songs including Liane, Ständchen (D

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957 / 4), Der Wanderer an den Mond, Ins stille Land, Gretchen am Spinnrade, Der Zwerg & Der Fischer; Brahms songs including Ständchen, Es ging ein Maidlein zarte, Da unten im Tale, Die Sonne scheint nicht mehr & Schwesterlein; Liszt songs including Der Fischerknabe, Der Alpenjäger, Die Loreley & Kling leise, mein Leid. Evening chamber recital at the Angelika Kauffmann Hall featuring Quatuor Modigliani: Joaquín Turina La oración del torero, Op 34; Ravel String Quartet in F; Schubert String Quintet in D minor, D 810 ‘Der Tod und das Mädchen’. Day 5 Relaxing excursion to the Lake Constance area, including a visit to the picturesque town of Lindau by ferry. Afternoon song recital at the Angelika Kauffmann Hall featuring Ilker Arcayürek (tenor) & Ammiel Bushakevitz (piano): Schubert Die schöne Müllerin. Evening chamber recital at the Angelika Kauffmann Hall featuring Quatuor Modigliani & Julia Hagen (cello): Hugo Wolf Italian Serenade in G; Beethoven String Quartet No 3 in D major, Op 18 No 3; Schubert String Quintet in C, D 956. Day 6 Morning excursion to Vaduz, Liechtenstein for visit to the Kunstmuseum and optional visit to St Florin’s Cathedral (time permitting). Afternoon song recital at the Angelika Kauffmann Hall featuring Andrè Schuen (baritone) & Daniel Heide (piano): Brahms ‘Four Serious Songs’; Mahler songs including Revelge, Wo die schönen Trompeten blasen, Rheinlegendchen & Zu Strassburg auf

der Schanz; Brahms songs including Geheimnis, Auf dem Kirchhofe, Lerchengesang, Wie bist du, meine Königin & Entführung. Day 7 Morning: free time followed by short organ recital at Mellau Church with the Tour Director and scenic lunch. Afternoon piano recital at the Angelika Kauffmann Hall featuring Christian Zacharias (piano): Schubert Six Moments Musicaux, D 780; Haydn Piano Sonata in G, Hob XVI:39; Schubert Piano Sonata in D, D 850 ‘Gasteiner’. Day 8 Morning: Baroque library at the Abbey in St Gallen (oldest library collection in Switzerland). Continue to Zurich for 1835 departure, arriving Heathrow 1925.

Cost of £4295 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a premium twin or double bedded room, performances as described, seven breakfasts, four lunches (one light, one packed), seven dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, premium double room for single use supplement £235. TOUR CODE: SCSC24

UNITED KINGDOM

International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival: 30th Anniversary Tour July 27–30, 2024 Explore the world of Gilbert and Sullivan in the festival’s 30th anniversary year, guided by expert Tour Director and opera singer Donald Maxwell

We will stay at the four-star Best Western Plus Buxton Lee Wood Hotel, a comfortable hotel located in a Georgian building in Buxton, set in its own mature gardens.

Take in sparkling performances of The Gondoliers and The Pirates of Penzance staged by the professional National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company on the festival’s opening weekend

FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Our itinerary will involve a moderate amount of walking between the hotel, opera house and other venues (around a 10 minute walk away). Please be aware that there is an uphill section on return to the hotel, with some uneven pavements, and the route is poorly lit, so care must be taken. Taxis can be arranged (at participants’ own expense) if required. To make the most of the festival, our itinerary will be busy, with multiple performances/events spread across each day. Participants should meet ACE’s usual fitness criteria, as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

Enjoy a variety of talks and fringe performances, all set in the picturesque spa town of Buxton Gilbert and Sullivan represent quintessential Victorian England. The brilliant, witty lyrics of W S Gilbert dazzle alongside the attractive melodies of Arthur Sullivan. In 2024, we look forward to an exciting and memorable tour to the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival as it celebrates 30 years of music-making from its “spiritual home” of Buxton, surrounded by the glorious hills of the Peak District. Our tour, which takes in the festival’s opening weekend, will include professional performances of perennial favourites The Gondoliers and The Pirates of Penzance staged by the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company. We also plan to enjoy a production of The Yeomen of the Guard on our final evening, presented by the Grosvenor Light Opera Company, subject to final confirmation. Our expert Tour Director, operatic baritone Donald Maxwell, has long had a close relationship with the festival, and Festival Fringe Events The main operas will be complemented by 1-2 fringe performances, to be announced once the final festival programme is confirmed. We also hope to include an opportunity to meet members of the cast, as well as an expert guest lecture, to be confirmed closer to the time.

Buxton Opera House

Our Tour Director Donald Maxwell is an operatic baritone, director and lecturer. Donald has enjoyed a close relationship with the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival for many years, and has also been involved in the Buxton Opera Festival as performer, artist in residence and artistic director. He continues to perform with opera companies worldwide, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Donald looks forward to returning to the Gilbert & Sullivan Festival with an ACE group in 2024, to celebrate this landmark birthday edition of the festival during what will be his final ACE tour before his retirement from tour directing. we will enjoy his insightful introductions to the operas during dedicated talks. These performances will take place in Buxton’s delightful opera house. Originally designed by successful theatre architect Frank Matcham, the opera house – which opened in 1903 – is one of his few remaining theatres still surviving with many of its original decorative elements in situ, described by Sir Nikolaus Pevsner as “sumptuous”. In addition to the main events, our tour will feature a special guest talk with an expert on Gilbert and Sullivan, as well as fringe events, an opportunity to meet some festival singers and a private recital.

ITINERARY

Please note that theitinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Day 1 Tour assembles at the Best Western Plus Buxton Lee Wood Hotel, Buxton, for three nights. 1530 welcome and introduction to the tour and The Gondoliers. Evening professional performance at the Opera House featuring the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company: The Gondoliers. Day 2 Morning talk introducing The Pirates of Penzance followed by historical walking tour of Buxton. Afternoon: fringe event (to be confirmed). Evening professional performance at the Opera House featuring the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company: The Pirates of Penzance. Day 3 Morning talk introducing The Yeomen of the Guard followed by guest talk and afternoon fringe event (to be confirmed). Evening performance at the Opera House featuring the Grosvenor Light Opera Company: The Yeomen of the Guard (subject to final confirmation by the festival office). Day 4 Tour disperses after breakfast at the hotel. Cost of £1195 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described, three breakfasts, three dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, twin/ double room for single use supplement £150. TOUR CODE: IGSB24

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UNITED KINGDOM

Oxford College Chapels & Organs October 23–25, 2024 “Visited colleges and chapels I’ve not been to before, and the music was sublime” – ACE customer on a previous Oxford College Chapels & Organs tour with Nicholas Wearne

Choral Evensong services at Magdalen College and Christ Church Cathedral – where we will hear the organs being used liturgically, alongside their worldrenowned choirs – will round off our tour. Christ Church Cathedral

Investigate a selection of Oxford’s beautiful college chapels, from Brasenose to Merton, with an emphasis on their distinguished organs Enjoy recitals on a variety of instruments from accomplished organist Nicholas Wearne Soak up the special atmosphere of college choral services at Magdalen College and Christ Church Cathedral The city of dreaming spires is home to a remarkable number of organs, each defined by the personality that made them, the aesthetics of their time, the space within which they resound and the uses to which they are put. Our tour will explore several of the organs and colleges of Oxford, with private recitals given on each organ. We will begin with a visit to Brasenose College, where the chapel, constructed during the 17th century and dedicated to St Hugh and St Chad, will welcome a new Romantic-style organ in 2024, built into the chapel’s existing historical casework. This will be followed by a visit to Lincoln College Chapel, home to an organ by William Drake, installed in 2010. We will enjoy a morning excursion to UNESCO-listed Blenheim Palace, one of England’s largest houses and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. The Long Library organ is the work of perhaps the most famous British builder,

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This tour will be led by organist Nicholas Wearne, BA, MPhil, an international competition prizewinner who was previously Assistant Organist at New College, Oxford and Organist at St Martinin-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square. Nicholas is a former ACE Bursary student and currently holds the position of Senior Tutor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. He will be joined for some of the recitals by guest musician John Bryden, MA, ARCM, ARCO, an international concert pianist and former senior lecturer in Music at Dartington College. ‘Father’ Willis. With 2300 pipes, it is the largest such instrument in a private house in Europe. We also look forward to a visit – new for our 2024 tour – to Lady Margaret Hall. Founded in 1878 and backing onto the River Cherwell, Lady Margaret Hall was the first Oxford college to admit women. The college’s Byzantine-style chapel was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott. Further highlights will include visits to the Christopher Wren chapel at Pembroke College; Trinity College chapel, with its neoclassical organ; and Merton College, where the chapel dates back to the end of the 13th century.

The tour will be based at the fourstar Mercure Oxford Eastgate Hotel, occupying a 17th century building conveniently located in the heart of the city. FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour is conducted on foot in historical Oxford, so participants must be prepared for a significant amount of walking, and for traversing narrow pavements, cobbles and uneven surfaces that may be slippery if wet. It is necessary to navigate steps to access the hotel and certain chapels, and some of the interiors are dimly lit. Please consult ACE’s fitness criteria in our Booking Terms & Conditions.

ITINERARY

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change. Due to the special nature of the visits, we cannot confirm some of these until nearer the time.. Day 1 Tour assembles 1415 at Mercure Oxford Eastgate Hotel for two nights. 1500 departure on foot for organ recitals at Brasenose College and Lincoln College (with visit to library - subject to confirmation). Choral Evensong at Magdalen College. Day 2 Morning excursion to Blenheim Palace: tour, recital and introduction to Long Library organ (subject to final confirmation). Afternoon: return to Oxford for organ recitals at Lady Margaret Hall and Pembroke College. Choral Evensong at Christ Church Cathedral. Day 3 Morning: organ recitals at Trinity College and Merton College. Tour disperses approx 1200 at the hotel. Cost of £1195 includes: accommodation based on sharing a privilege twin or double bedded room, performances as described, two breakfasts, two dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes. Not included: travel insurance, privilege double room for single use supplement £275. TOUR CODE: OCCO24

UNITED KINGDOM

East Neuk Festival June 2024

Appreciate the “outstanding acoustics” of some of the region’s most beautiful churches Discover the history and culture of this beautiful ‘nook’ of Scotland Founded in 2004 on a strong belief “in the joy and power of live music and its potential to transform lives and life”, this superb event takes place annually to broad critical acclaim. Attendees particularly enjoy the festival’s eclectic range of venues, including parish churches set in a landscape that is both historical and naturally stunning, from charming fishing villages to beguiling coastline.

Pavel Haas Quartet, 2023 East Neuk Festival

Attend a range of excellent concerts from solo artists and chamber groups

Elisabeth Leonskaja; our 2023 tour included performances by cellist JeanGuihen Queyras, the Castalian and Belcea Quartets, and pianist Yeol Eum Son, building to a magnificent finale in St Andrews courtesy of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

While music will be at the heart of the tour, select daytime excursions will allow us to explore local history and culture in more depth. In 2023 we visited Falkland Palace and Garden, one of Scotland’s most impressive Renaissance estates. The calibre of the artists involved, together with the richness of the musical offering and surrounding cultural treasures, will undoubtedly make for a memorable, stimulating and immersive week in one of Scotland’s most beautiful regions.

Full details, including the tour dates, cost, itinerary and musical programme, will be released early in 2024. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest. TOUR CODE: ENEU24

Previous festivals have featured concerts with pianists Christian Zacharias and

This tour will be led by Michael Downes, MA, MPhil, DPhil. Michael is a conductor, lecturer and writer who has lectured for most of the UK’s leading opera companies companies. He is Director of Music at the University of St Andrews.

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Aldeburgh Festival June 2024

Hear from internationally acclaimed artists as well as up-and-coming musicians Soak up the atmosphere and heritage of the local area Stirred by the vast skies and moody seas of Suffolk, Benjamin Britten was inspired to launch the festival that has blossomed into a year-round concert venue at Snape Maltings. Today, internationally acclaimed artists perform alongside up-and-coming musicians at the world-famous Concert Hall and the venue’s newer buildings. ACE tours to Aldeburgh typically include some of the very best performances the festival has to offer; previous groups have enjoyed works ranging from Britten’s 20

Snape Maltings

Winter Words to Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, and appearances from acclaimed musicians such as cellist Alisa Weilerstein and tenor Mark Padmore. Our 2023 tour featured a range of superb concerts from the BBC Philharmonic, Roderick Full details, including the tour dates, cost, itinerary and musical programme, will be released early in 2024. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest. TOUR CODE: ALDF24

Enjoy a selection of concerts at the delightful Aldeburgh Festival on the Suffolk coast

Tour Director Nicholas Wearne, BA, MPhil, is a Senior Tutor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. His career as a solo organist has taken him all over the world and he is a previous winner of the Poul Ruders Prize at the Odense International Organ Competition. Williams, The King’s Singers and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra among many others. In addition to the musical content, we will also take the opportunity to discover the cultural highlights of the surrounding area. Previous departures have included a visit to the Red House, once home to Britten, to learn about his life and legacy, as well as an excursion to Sutton Hoo, site of the famous Anglo Saxon ship burial.

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UNITED KINGDOM

York Early Music Festival July 7–12, 2024

Take in the beautiful historical surroundings of York’s buildings Enjoy programmes from acclaimed artists across the festival Established in 1977, York Early Music Festival has been delighting audiences for several decades and is considered the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the National Centre for Early Music (NCEM). Every July a line-up of world-renowned instrumentalists, vocal groups and artists presents a sparkling array of works from the 18th century and before. Our 2023 departure featured performances from The Sixteen, The Marian Consort, Rose Consort of Viols, Dunedin Consort and violinist Rachel Podger; while previous

This tour will be led by Professor Ashley Solomon, HonRCM, ARAM, Director of early music ensemble Florilegium, Fellow of the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, and Chair and Head of Historical Performance at the Royal College of Music. Florilegium frequently perform at the York Early Music Festival.

The Sixteen performing in York Minster at the 2023 York Early Music Festival

COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR EARLY MUSIC

Join flautist Ashley Solomon for some of the best early music performances the UK has to offer

festivals have included Ex Cathedra, the Gonzaga Band and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Full details, including the tour dates, cost and musical programme, will be released early in 2024. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest. TOUR CODE: YEMF24

There is perhaps no better environment in which to discover this music than York, with its assemblage of historical buildings, from St Margaret’s Walmgate, where the NCEM is based, to York Minster.

IRELAND

Wexford Opera Festival October / November 2024 Attend several operatic performances at Wexford’s stunning National Opera House Discover forgotten operatic treasures, innovatively produced and staged Explore the cultural treasures of Ireland with daytime excursions

Nestling amidst the medieval streets of old Wexford, Ireland’s most impressive music venue – the National Opera House – hosts an annual festival of opera featuring a superb range of music and performers. Since its first celebration of music and the arts took place in 1951, Wexford Opera Festival has grown into one of the leading operatic events of the year, drawing audiences from all over the

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world to enjoy often-neglected and forgotten masterpieces as well as exciting new works. Past ACE tours have featured operas ranging from Alma Deutscher’s Cinderella and Fromental Halévy’s La Tempesta (based on Shakespeare’s Tempest) to Stanford’s The Veiled Prophet and Dvořák’s Armida.

Wexford at night

The festival is particularly well known for introducing up-and-coming stars, composers, conductors and directors. Wexford and its surroundings also offer a wide variety of cultural experiences, which we will take advantage of during our stay. Full details, including the dates, cost, itinerary and musical programme, will be released in spring 2024. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest. TOUR CODE: WEXF24

Tour Director Donald Maxwell is an operatic baritone, director and lecturer. Donald performs with opera companies worldwide, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he featured in La Bohème in 2022. 21

I TA LY

Verdi Festival in Parma October 2024 Enjoy a selection of superb performances including Un ballo in maschera and Macbeth

This tour will be led by Sandy Burnett, MA, a musician who spent a decade as one of the core team of presenters on BBC Radio 3.

Visit locations associated with Verdi’s life and work Make an excursion to Cremona, where master violin maker Antonio Stradivari established his workshop in the early 1700s Twenty years ago, the city of Parma inaugurated an annual festival to honour its most famous local son, Giuseppe Verdi. It has since become one of the most important showcases of the composer’s music in the world. Our tour will incorporate several specially selected performances from the 2024 programme. Next year’s operas will include new productions of Un ballo in maschera and the wonderful Macbeth

Verdi Conducting in Paris by Adrien Marie, 1880

PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Bettoli, and the Teatro Giuseppe Verdi in Busseto, not far from Verdi’s former villa in Sant’Agata.

with its famous ‘Witches’ Chorus’. Operas take place in the beautiful Teatro Regio di Parma, designed by Nicola

Our days, meanwhile, will be spent exploring the musical and cultural treasures of the region, interspersed with free time to reflect on the operas.

Full details, including the cost, itinerary and final musical programme, will be released early in 2024. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest. TOUR CODE: VERD24

UNITED KINGDOM

Glyndebourne October / November 2024

Explore the beautiful county of Sussex with visits to local houses and galleries Develop a greater understanding of each opera in the company of our expert Tour Director Every year, the Glyndebourne tour produces an exhilarating programme of world-class opera featuring young and promising singers. We look forward to returning in 2024 for another inspiring musical programme, based at the festival’s East Sussex home. Previous ACE tours to Glyndebourne have included performances of some of 22

Glyndebourne

the world’s most beloved operas, ranging from Verdi’s Rigoletto and Mozart’s Don Giovanni to Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore and Puccini’s La Bohème. Our tour will feature selected evening operas woven around daytime excursions to nearby cultural attractions. Previous tours have included visits to Charleston House, the Towner Eastbourne and the remarkable Brighton Pavilion.

Enjoy performances from Glyndebourne’s autumn tour, all presented at the festival’s famous opera house

This tour will be led by Nicholas Wearne, BA, MPhil, a former ACE Bursary student and organist at St Martinin-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square. Nicholas is currently Senior Tutor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. His career as a solo organist has taken him all over the world, and he is a previous winner of the Poul Ruders Prize at the Odense International Organ Competition.

Full details, including the dates, cost, itinerary and musical programme, will be released in the spring of 2024. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest. TOUR CODE: GLYN24

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UNITED KINGDOM

Bath Mozartfest November 2024 Attend a selection of performances from specialist ensembles and solo artists

The Royal Crescent

This tour will be led by Sandy Burnett, MA, a musician and broadcaster who spent over a decade as one of the best-known classical music presenters on BBC Radio 3. He has conducted many orchestras and choirs, and has masterminded a complete cycle of J S Bach’s sacred cantatas.

Learn about Mozart’s life and work in the company of musician and broadcaster Sandy Burnett Visit Bath’s Holburne Museum to explore its wonderful collection of fine and decorative arts Each year music pilgrims flock to the beautiful Georgian city of Bath to enjoy the classical festival that celebrates one of Europe’s foremost musical sons: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The festival has garnered critical acclaim for its high calibre performers. Concerts take place in the stunning surroundings of Bath’s historical buildings, including the elegant Assembly Rooms and the Guildhall.

Previous ACE tours to the festival have encompassed solo recitals, chamber performances and grand orchestral works. Artists have included awardwinning vocal ensemble The Cardinall’s Musick, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, violinist Alina Ibragimova MBE, and internationally acclaimed pianists Dame Imogen Cooper and Sir András Schiff, who have brought us music not only by Mozart but other composers including Mendelssohn, Liszt, Beethoven and Brahms.

Alongside the musical treats, our tour will take in further cultural delights on offer in the city of Bath. Full details, including the tour dates, cost, itinerary and musical programme, will be released in spring 2024. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest. TOUR CODE: BMZF24

COMING SOON

Mahler Festival in Amsterdam May 8–14, 2025 with Russell Keable | May 13–19, 2025 with Michael Downes Join ACE as we journey to Gustav Mahler’s “second musical homeland” for one of the biggest celebrations of the composer’s music in the world

In addition, the Recital Hall will host a series of more intimate performances, featuring all of Mahler’s songs brought to

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The Great Hall of the Concertgebouw

us by a range of internationally acclaimed artists and accompanied by English pianist Julius Drake. Guide price for one departure: £5295. Full details, including the confirmed cost and itinerary, will be released in 2024. Please contact the ACE office now to register your interest. TOUR CODES: MAH125 / MAH225

At the heart of these concerts will be an eminent line-up of orchestras, ranging from the Budapest Festival Orchestra and an “impressively large” Chicago Symphony Orchestra, to the Berliner Philharmoniker (once led by Mahler) and the orchestra of the Royal Concertgebouw, where performances take place. Conductors including Jaap van Zweden, Daniel Barenboim, Kirill Petrenko, Iván Fischer and Klaus Mäkelä will all raise their batons in tribute to Mahler and his oeuvre.

Tickets for the main evening performances will be Category 1, and tickets for the daytime recitals will be Category 1+, providing the highest quality listening and viewing experience. We also hope to include some local cultural visits, and will stay in accommodation of four and five-star standard.

We plan to release two tours, each covering one half of the festival; travellers can select one or the other departure, or book both and take in all ten evening performances. We anticipate a high level of interest for these tours, so please contact the ACE office to register your interest and be the first to receive the dates, itinerary and booking information when it becomes available.

Music Tours Schedule June 10–17

Bach Festival in Leipzig led by Sandy Burnett

25–1/7

East Neuk Festival led by Michael Downes

26–1/7

Verona Opera Festival led by Paul Jackson

TBC

Aldeburgh Festival led by Nicholas Wearne

July

Performance of La Traviata,Verona Opera Festival

We are delighted to present an overview of our planned music departures for 2024. Please note that some tours and dates may be subject to change or confirmation. To register your interest in a tour that is not yet on sale, please visit our website or contact the ACE office on 01223 841055.

Valletta Baroque Festival led by Ashley Solomon

27–2/2

Mozart Festival in Salzburg led by Ashley Solomon

February

Buxton International Festival led by Russell Keable

7–12

York Early Music Festival led by Ashley Solomon

27–30

International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival: 30th Anniversary Tour led by Donald Maxwell

27–31

Worcester Three Choirs Festival led by Paul Jackson

31–4/8

Worcester Three Choirs Festival led by Russell Keable

March 4–7

Imogen Cooper & Friends at Crathorne Hall led by Russell Keable

August

April 2–8

Music & Opera in Dresden led by Paul Jackson

21–25

Lucca Puccini Festival led by Sandy Burnett

14–20

Seine River Cruise: From Honfleur to Paris with Sarah Burles, Suzanne Fagence Cooper, Emilie Capulet & Imogen Corrigan

24–31

Schubert in Schwarzenberg led by Nicholas Wearne

January 16–22

5–10

October 23–25

Oxford College Chapels & Organs led by Nicholas Wearne

May 20–27

Wagner’s Ring Cycle in Berlin led by Michael Downes

TBC

Glyndebourne led by Nicholas Wearne

21–26

Dresden Music Festival led by Sandy Burnett

TBC

Verdi Festival in Parma led by Sandy Burnett

TBC

Wexford Opera Festival led by Donald Maxwell

8–11

Cambridge College Chapels & Organs led by Nicholas Wearne

15–18

Bath Bachfest led by Sandy Burnett

November

26–2/3

Elgar, Birmingham & Worcester led by Nicholas Wearne

13–17

Bath Mozartfest led by Sandy Burnett

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ACE CULTURAL TOURS

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