The Norwegian Fjords in Spring

We chose this itinerary for our cruise to Norway because of its variety – it is divided equally between time to enjoy the country’s beautiful fjords and coastline as well as spending time exploring four major cities – Oslo, Kristiansand, Stavanger and Bergen. Appropriately, the cruise ends in Lerwick, just over two hundred miles west of Bergen as the Shetland Islands have long and ancient links with Norway.

the Itinerary

Sailing from Liverpool, the cruise begins with two full days at sea with our first port of call at Kristiansand, Norway’s fifth largest city. The picturesque historic neighbourhood has many well preserved white wooden houses in the area close to the city’s neo-Gothic cathedral. We continue along the country’s lovely southern coastline and then along the Oslofjord before reaching the capital where we stay overnight. Our visit coincides with Norwegian National Day on 17 May when the Norwegians still celebrate the beginning of the country’s independence in 1814. Retracing our route along the southern shores, Black Watch will cruise past the Langfoss Waterfall before reaching Stavanger. Here there will be an optional excursion to Utstein Monastery with a concert. The next day we will be in Bergen, birthplace of Edvard Grieg. There will be an opportunity to visit the composer’s house as well as the flamboyant villa of the virtuoso violinist, Ole Bull, another distinguished Bergen resident. Our optional tour here will include a concert in the villa. Our final port will be Lerwick in the Shetland Islands before a day spent cruising around the coast of Scotland en route back to Liverpool.

music & MUSICIANS

We welcome four distinguished Danish musicians on board Black Watch for the first time – Thomas Lonquich, clarinet, Jonathan Slaatto, cello, Martin Qvist Hansen, piano collectively known as The Danish Clarinet Trio. When the cellist and the pianist, common to both ensembles, are joined by the violinist Erike Heide, they metamorphose in to a piano trio, the Trio Ondine! In either or both guises, the musicians have won an impressive number of competitions and awards. Effectively then, we have two trios with four musicians! In Oslo, the Marmen Quartet will board. They are made up of musicians from Sweden, New Zealand, Wales and Japan and are now firmly established as one of the leading new wave of young quartets. Needing very little introduction is the pianist Tim Horton who has taken part in so many Kirker Music Festivals. Tim will join the cruise in Stavanger. Our music programme will include fifteen concerts including one dedicated to the works of Beethoven in his 250th anniversary year. Kirker’s Director of Music, Simon Rowland-Jones, viola, will perform with the Trios and give several musically illustrated talks. In addition to a number of trios and quartets, the musicians will also include sonatas, songs by Brahms transcribed for cello and piano, works for clarinet, viola and piano, Nordic folk tunes arranged for string quartet, works by Grieg and Niels Gade (1817-1890) and four ballades by Chopin played by Tim Horton in his solo recital. The Beethoven Anniversary celebration will include his Violin Sonata in G Op.30 No. 3 and his cello sonata in D Op.102. No.2.

Prices range from £2,845 per person for an inside cabin to £5,695 per person for a Marquee Suite. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner are all included as well as two drinks parties hosted by Kirker. Concerts and talks in the Marina

Theatre are private and only open to Kirker clients.

portugal & the AZORES

A THIRTEEN NIGHT CRUISE FROM LIVERPOOL 12 September 2020 Liverpool – Three Azorean Islands – Terceira – Faial – Sao Miguel – Lisbon – Porto – Liverpool The remote Azorean archipelago has a special charm. Its beautiful and striking natural volcanic landscape contrasts sharply with the rural and bucolic way of life on these unspoilt islands which makes for an unforgettable visit. Back on the mainland we will visit the beautiful capital, Lisbon, on the banks of the Tagus and Porto, dramatically sited overlooking the River Douro. Details of the musicians taking part in this cruise will be available on our website in May.

Our range of Music Holidays includes tickets for some of the most important festivals, concerts and events throughout Europe and beyond. Each year we select the finest performances at magnificent venues – from legendary opera houses including La Scala in Milan, La Fenice in Venice and the Metropolitan Opera in New York, to Amsterdam’s

Concertgebouw or Grafenegg’s striking ‘Wolkenturm’ in Lower Austria. In 2020 we will also visit Bonn for the Beethoven Festival, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth. Itineraries are carefully planned to include not only music of the highest calibre, but also sightseeing excursions to a range of important museums, galleries and monuments, and perhaps lesser known points of interest in each destination – as well as a certain amount of free time for rest, relaxation, or independent exploration.

OPERA HOLIDAYS

A performance at one of the great opera houses is a magical experience, whether you are an experienced opera aficionado or an enthusiastic amateur – and what could be better than travelling in the company of an expert who will give a short talk before every performance? Our popular opera holidays include New York, with three stand-out performances at the Metropolitan Opera, as well as Milan, Venice, Dresden and Budapest, whilst opera lovers in search of more esoteric destinations will enjoy our visit to Stockholm which includes a performance at the beautiful 17th century Theatre Confidencen.

Dutch Masters in Amsterdam & The Hague, page 17 Opera & Ballet in Stockholm, page 18 Opera & Art in Dresden, page 21 Music in Baden-Baden, page 22 Music & Art in Berlin, page 23 La Scala, Milan, page 28 Venice & Opera at La Fenice, page 29 Opera & Music in Budapest, page 30 The Metropolitan Opera & Art Galleries of New York, page 32

MUSIC FESTIVALs

We have selected the very best festivals around Europe, from the annual Grafenegg Festival in Austria, one of the most important chamber music events in the world, to the Beethoven Festival in the composer’s home city of Bonn, and the Puccini Opera Festival – an alfresco celebration of Italian opera under the Tuscan sky. A common theme to all of these events is that they all take place in beautiful surroundings and each itinerary also includes a programme of carefully selected excursions.

The Grafenegg Music Festival, page 19 The Beethoven Festival in Bonn, page 20 The Puccini Opera Festival, page 31

UK HOLIDAYS

We feature four UK based music holidays within this section of the brochure. These holidays do tend to sell out quickly so please reserve your place as soon as possible. New UK tours are added regularly so please call us for the latest updates or refer to the music section of our website.

The Three Choirs Festival in Worcester, page 24 The North Norfolk Music Festival, page 25 The Buxton International Festival, page 26 The Cheltenham Music Festival, page 27

OPERA, ballet & CONCERT TICKETs

For every performance on our Music Holidays, tickets will always be of a high category, to ensure that you get the most out of the experience. The exact category booked depends on the venue and the performance – and we select the tickets which offer the best combination of acoustics, view and value for money (they may not always be the ‘top’ category). Please speak to one of our experts for details. If you have any particular requests for seating at a specific theatre, don’t forget to ask at the time of booking.

GROUP SIZES & MOBILITY

We operate our tours with a smaller number of participants to ensure a more personal experience. Typically, there will be between10 and 22 participants accompanied by a guest lecturer and, where necessary, a local guide to help with the smooth running of your holiday. Our holidays have been created to show you as much as possible of your chosen destination, and often the best way to do this is on foot. Should you have any concerns whatsoever, please speak to one of our team who will provide you with all the advice you need and perhaps recommend holidays that may involve easier walking.