Cultural Tours & Music Holidays Spring Newsletter 2020 | Kirker Holidays by Kirker Holidays

cultural tours & music holidays S P R I N G

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Welcome to the Cultural Tours & Music Holidays spring newsletter – including a range of new itineraries departing in Summer and Autumn 2020, from music and art tours to wine and garden holidays, as well as a number of new destinations further afield. Firstly, following my own visit last year, we are delighted to launch a new Kirker Cultural Tour to the Caribbean island of Barbados. Departing in late October and staying at the very comfortable Cobblers Cove, this holiday is not only the perfect antidote to the arrival of winter in the UK, but also an excellent opportunity to explore a selection of the island’s fascinating villas and gardens. (Participants should be warned that there will be a very real temptation to stay and relax at this exceptional hotel – spending your day enjoying the occasional swim in the warm Caribbean Sea, with nothing but a good book and the hotel’s immaculate service to tend to your every need.) In November we head east for Kirker’s new Cultural Tour to India, which includes the great cities and palaces of Rajasthan during the Hindu festival of Diwali, and, we have added a new itinerary to our growing portfolio of Wine Index Tours in the excellent company of expert Tim Clarke, departing in February 2021 for the splendid vineyards of South Africa’s Western Cape. Gardens & History of Barbados 2 Closer to home, we cross the Channel for a tour of Normandy’s D-Day Battlefields with Hugh MacDonald-Buchanan in August, and a new itinerary to the Gardens of Brittany in September, with the charming and very knowledgeable Kirsty Fergusson. The 2020 programmes for some of our favourite music festivals have now been announced and you will find details for the Verdi Festival in Parma, the Sibelius Festival in Finland, The Grange Festival in Hampshire and the Aldeburgh Festival in Suffolk inside. Details are also confirmed for the Kirker Music Festival in Tenerife for January 2021, see page 12 for details of this popular winter escape in the company of Christopher and Simon Monckton.

Gardens of Brittany

Baroque Opera in Sweden

Verdi Festival in Parma

The Grange Festival / Autumn at Glyndebourne

73rd Aldeburgh Festival

Diwali in Rajasthan

Finally, we have four Christmas departures in 2020, to Vienna, Nice, Rome and Venice – turn to the back page to register your interest as soon as possible for these ever-popular holidays.

Wine Tour of the Western Cape 9

We look forward to hearing from you soon – 020 7593 2284.

Kirker Tenerife Music Festival 12

Ted Wake

Joint MD & Director of Sales & Marketing

Kirker Music Festivals

Kirker Opera Holidays

Sibelius Festival in Lahti

Kirker Cultural Tours

D-Day Landing Grounds in Normandy

Kirker Christmas Holidays

THE GARDENS & HISTORY OF BARBADOS A SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 16 OCTOBER 2020 Arguably the most civilised of all the Caribbean islands, Barbados is a wonderful cultural oasis in the heart of the Caribbean Sea. This tour is the perfect introduction to the gardens and history of the island and we stay at the charming 5* Deluxe Cobblers Cove – where the Godsal family has created a very private beachside hotel offering understated, world-class style and a home-from-home ambience. We visit historical highlights including Andromeda Botanical Gardens, Bridgetown and the extraordinary St Nicholas Abbey and rum distillery. The relaxed itinerary allows time for participants to take advantage of the hotel’s excellent facilities, including the sandy beach and blissfully warm sea, swimming pool, renowned spa, tennis court, restaurant and an excellent bar.

Please see overleaf for a detailed itinerary and prices

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020 7593 2284 Published February 2020. Terms and conditions apply. Prices are per person based on 2 sharing.

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KIRKER CULTURAL TOURS

THE GARDENS & HISTORY OF BARBADOS A SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 16 OCTOBER 2020 The itinerary We fly to Bridgetown and transfer to the 5* Deluxe Cobblers Cove, a boutique hotel on the west coast of Barbados where we stay for seven nights. A delicious dinner with wine is included each evening in the hotel’s Camelot Restaurant overlooking the sea. DAY

After a relaxed breakfast we depart for the hills for a half day excursion to highlight the island’s Old World charm. First stop is Gun Hill Signal Station, built in 1818 following the 1816 rebellion with views of 8 of the island’s 11 parishes. We proceed to the handsome Codrington College, endowed by Colonel Christopher Codrington (1668-1710) who succeeded his father as Governor General of the Leeward Islands. We then head to the beautiful St John’s Parish Church, and the magnificent Caribbean Georgian mansion, Clifton Hall Great House, before heading back to the hotel for an afternoon at leisure. DAY

After breakfast we make a short visit to St James’ Parish Church en route to St. Nicholas Abbey. Built in 1650, it is one of only three extant Jacobean mansions in the Western Hemisphere and was restored by Larry Warren. Our tour includes the house, the restored steam-powered sugar cane grinder and rum distillery. We then continue via the Morgan Lewis Windmill (restored by the Barbados National Trust) to meet the eccentric Anthony Hunte for a tour of his extraordinary tropical garden, Hunte’s Gardens. DAY

We set off across country to Bathsheba for a visit to Andromeda Botanical Gardens, which lie on the boundary of the parishes of St. John and St. Joseph, about 300 yards from the Atlantic Ocean. Walk through the winding pathways to view the astonishing variety of tropical trees, some of which are unique to the Caribbean. Then we enjoy a scenic drive along East Coast Road with a brief stop at Farley Hill, before heading to the charming settlement at Speightstown. Formerly a thriving sugar port known as Little Bristol, we stop for an afternoon stroll and lunch before a short tour of the excellent Arlington House museum heading back to the hotel for tea. DAY

We start today in the north at Animal Flower Cave - the island’s only accessible sea cave, discovered in 1750 by Welsh naturalist and author, Reverend Griffith Hughes. From there we head to visit a private Oliver Messel House (subject to reconfirmation) and on to the Barbados Wildlife Reserve where we shall see green monkeys roaming in and out of the enclosure, as well as a variety of other animals including red brockets, red-footed tortoises, Patagonian maras, rock iguanas, and tropical birds. We shall also call at Grenade Hall Signal Station which offers remarkable views of the island. DAY

DAY

Free time before leaving for the airport for the flight back to London.

Today we will be joined by expert guide, Miguel Pena, General Manager of the Barbados National Trust, to visit Barbados’ Capital, Bridgetown, including the Parliament Museum, the UNESCO Jewish Synagogue - dating back to the 17th century it is arguably the earliest consecrated temple in the Western Hemisphere - the Nidhe Israel Museum on Jewish settlement in Barbados, and Mikvah baths. We then travel to St George’s Parish Church, a splendid Caribbean creole Georgian/Gothic church of 1784 with a magnificent altar painting of The Resurrection by Benjamin West. Then on to the 17th century Sunbury Plantation House for a tour and lunch; the house was refurbished in 1995 after a fire and contains rare Caribbean artefacts and furnishings and a collection of horse-drawn carriages. DAY

DAY

Codrington College

The day is free to explore the island independently or relax and enjoy the hotel’s facilities. FLIGHT Information

Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick 11.20, arrive Bridgetown 15.05 Depart Bridgetown 16.55, arrive London Gatwick 06.05 (the following morning)

Price from £4,796 per person (single supp. £998) for seven nights including return flights, accommodation with breakfast and dinner (including wine), two lunches, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader.

VILLAS & GARDENS AROUND ROME FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAYS | 18 MAY & 28 SEPTEMBER 2020 The countryside surrounding Rome is home to a number of wonderful gardens including the beautiful and romantic gardens of La Landriana and Ninfa. A day will be devoted to Tivoli with its two great gardens: the Villa D’Este and Hadrian’s Villa and another to Rome itself where we will visit the Villa Borghese Gardens and Gallery and the Villa Torlonia. We also visit the Villa Lante - one of the greatest of all Italian Renaissance gardens and the gardens of the Villa Farnese. We stay at the 4* Park Hotel Villa Grazioli in Frascati, a charming town surrounded by vineyards only 20 kilometres from Rome. Price from £1,785 per person (May, single supp. £298) or £1,898 per person (Sep, single supp. £298) for five nights including flights, accommodation with breakfast, two lunches, three dinners, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader.

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KIRKER CULTURAL TOURS

GARDENS OF BRITTANY A SIX NIGHT HOLIDAY | 3 SEPTEMBER 2020 Brittany’s mild, maritime climate and rich, largely acid soil creates a rewarding environment for both plants and gardeners, whilst the region’s craggy coastline and plunging wooded valleys provide extraordinary microclimates and dramatic spaces in which both subtropical exotics and hardy natives flourish. Breton culture has always stood proudly apart from the French mainstream and this originality is manifest in the gardens we shall visit. Our hotel is a discreet haven of luxury and tranquillity in the picturesque seaside town of Perros Guirec, a short stroll away from the wide, sandy beach of Trestraou. This tour is led by Kirsty Fergusson, who is an experienced garden expert and resident of Brittany.

Jardins de Kerdalo

The itinerary DAY

We leave London by coach and travel to Portsmouth for the overnight crossing to St. Malo.

On arrival at St. Malo we visit Château de la Ballue, an immaculately presented 17th century chateau. Having a long association with both writers and radicals, the Château is complemented by two dramatically different gardens, which we will explore in the company of the owner. We will continue to L’Agapa Hôtel and Spa (4* Deluxe) where we will stay for the duration of the tour. DAY

This morning we visit Jardins de Kerdalo where will have a private tour given by the owner Isabelle Vaughan. The garden was designed by Isabelle’s father, Prince Wolkonsky, who created the stupendous valley garden and arboretum in the 1960s. We will have lunch in Treguier before visiting a superb plantsman’s garden, Le Jardin de Pellinec, a series of interlinked gardens, each filled with a range of rare and beautiful plants from different climatic regions of the globe. DAY

Today we will travel into the heart of Brittany to explore two very different contemporary gardens. We will first visit Le Grand Launay, a designer’s garden, with witty topiary snakes entwined around apple trees and Marie Defaysse’s garden at Le Botrain: a tour de force of plantsmanship, exhibited in a series of themed gardens, all on a domestic scale. DAY

We will begin today with a visit to Jardin Exotique. The garden was planted by two gifted amateur plantsmen with a passion for southern hemisphere plants on the site of the former municipal rubbish dump. We will continue to Roscoff harbour for the foot passenger ferry to Île de Batz. We will have lunch on the island before visiting Jardin Georges Delasselle, planted over a century ago by a retired colonial with a fondness for palms and sub-tropical plants and home to more than 2,000 subtropical species. DAY

Jardin Exotique de Roscoff

This morning we check out of our hotel and drive to La Roche Jagu, an arts centre based in a 16th century fortress, surrounded by several hectares of imaginatively planted gardens, before arriving at St. Malo to board the overnight ferry to Portsmouth. DAY

DAY

We will disembark this morning and return to London by coach, arriving late morning. TRAVEL Information

Brittany Ferries: Depart Portsmouth 20.15, arrive St. Malo 08.15 (the following day) Depart St. Malo 20.30, arrive Portsmouth 07.45 (the following day)

Price from £1,878 per person (single supp. £298) for six nights including return overnight ferry tickets with reserved inside cabins, four nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast, four lunches, two dinners, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader, Kirsty Fergusson. GARDENS OF MARRAKECH SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAYS | 31 MAY & 4 OCTOBER 2020 Marrakech is an intoxicating destination for all the senses, and the city and its surroundings are also home to a number of remarkable gardens. In the company of expert horticulturist Kirsty Fergusson, we shall explore some of the finest – from the famous Jardin Majorelle created by Yves Saint Laurent, to several private gardens which are not normally open to the public. Price from £2,998 per person (May, single supp. £598) or £3,195 per person (Oct, single supp. £598) for seven nights including flights, accommodation with breakfast, three lunches, three dinners, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader.

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KIRKER MUSIC HOLIDAYS

BAROQUE OPERA IN SWEDEN

with performances at the historic court theatres at Drottningholm and Ulriksdal A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 7 AUGUST 2020 Built across 14 of the 20,000 islands that shelter the city from the Baltic, Stockholm is a revelation and undoubtedly one of the world’s most elegant capitals. The number of Swedish opera singers who enjoy top-level careers and who grace the world’s stages is nothing less than astonishing. Sweden has a population of fewer than ten million and yet there often seems to be a Swedish singer in an opera every night in the world’s most important houses. This has been the case for two hundred years, no doubt due to the enormous number of people who sing in choirs from a very early age. The holiday includes performances of two Baroque operas at Stockholm’s historic 18th century theatres.

The itinerary We fly to Stockholm where we stay at the 4* First Reisen Hotel which has a great location overlooking the harbour on the edge of the atmospheric old town, Gamla Stan. DAY

We begin with a guided walking tour through the old town’s 2 mediaeval maze of narrow streets ending at Stockholm’s City Hall, Ragnar Östberg’s landmark building on the shores of Riddarfjärden. During the afternoon we will enjoy a cruise around the islands of Stockholm’s archipelago. DAY

We go to Ulriksdal Palace, located in the leafy environs of the National City Park. We will tour the palace and the Orangery, as well as the exquisite 18th century Rococo theatre, Confidencen, where today’s performances of Venus & Adonis and Dido & Aeneas take place. DAY

We sail to Lake Mälaren today to visit the Royal Palace of Drottningholm, the official residence of King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia. Here we will enjoy the performance of Agrippina by Handel in the palace theatre. DAY

Today we go to Sweden’s largest art museum, the recently reopened National Museum of Fine Art. Next as a complete contrast we go to the wonderful Vasa Museum to learn about the dramatic sinking of the Vasa as she sailed out of Stockholm’s harbour on her maiden voyage in 1628. Raised from the seabed in 1962, the extraordinarily wellpreserved warship can now be enjoyed in a specially-designed museum. DAY

This morning we will visit the Nobel Museum, which features interactive displays dedicated to the winners of the annual prizes first established by Swedish chemist, engineer and industrialist Alfred Nobel, before leaving for the airport. DAY

FLIGHT Information

Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 13.25, arrive Stockholm 17.00 Depart Stockholm 15.45, arrive London Heathrow 17.25

THE OPERAS AND OPERA HOUSES 9 August: Operas by John Blow and Henry Purcell at Theatre Confidencen, Ulriksdal The operas this summer place the works of teacher and student side by side – Venus & Adonis by John Blow (1649 – 1708) and Dido & Aeneas by Henry Purcell (1659-1695). Blow gave the title ‘Masque for the Entertainment of the King’ to his work, generally considered to be the first English opera. It takes a wry look at the life of the court of Charles II and was first performed c1683 at the court either in London or Windsor. Dido & Aeneas was probably first performed in 1687 and was, astonishingly when one considers the work’s popularity today, abandoned until a performance to mark the bicentenary of Purcell’s death in 1895. This original and ingenious programming makes a visit to Stockholm essential for anyone interested in baroque opera. The elegant Rococo Theatre Confidencen was originally built in the 1750s and, much like Drottningholm, it lay forgotten until it was resurrected through painstaking restoration in 1976. 10 August: Agrippina by Handel at Drottningholm Agrippina, wife of Claudius and mother of Nero, was first performed at the Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo on 26 December 1719. It tells the story of intrigues, scheming behind closed doors and fake news during the reign of Claudius. The title role will be sung by Ann Hallenberg who is currently Artist in Residence at Drottningholm. This exquisite theatre, located next to the palace of Drottningholm, lay forgotten and abandoned following the assassination of King Gustav III in 1792. Rediscovered in 1921, the theatre remains exactly as it was when first built, complete with original stage machinery, wind machine and thunder box. About thirty original sets are still in use. With its original colours, papier-mâché walls and stucco, the Court Theatre creates an utterly authentic 18th century atmosphere. Only electricity has been added, the bulbs producing a gently flickering light to re-create the effect of candlelight.

Price from £2,449 per person (single supp. £358) for five nights including flights, accommodation with breakfast, three dinners, tickets for two performances, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader, Andrew Taylor.

call 020 7593 2284 to reserve your place

KIRKER MUSIC HOLIDAYS

THE VERDI FESTIVAL IN PARMA A SIX NIGHT HOLIDAY | 28 SEPTEMBER 2020 The annual Verdi Festival takes place in one of Italy’s most beautiful historic cities, Parma. It is here in the countryside around Parma that Verdi was born, grew up and lived for much of his life. The special charm of Parma’s Verdi Festival is that performances take place not just in the Teatro Regio, one of the loveliest theatres in Italy, but also at the Teatro Verdi in Busseto when singers from the Verdi Voci Competition get a chance to perform. The tour will be led by art historian and opera specialist, Patrick Bade.

The itinerary We fly from London to Bologna and transfer to Parma where we stay at the 4* Mercure Parma Stendhal in the centre of this vibrant city. DAY

The day is spent in Parma, which was the seat of the all-powerful Farnese Family. We visit the important art collection at the Palazzo della Pilotta with many fine works including paintings by Correggio and Parmigianino. We will also see the Teatro Farnese – the first theatre with a proscenium arch – and the great Romanesque cathedral with frescoes by Correggio. DAY

The entire day is devoted to Verdi. We will drive to Busseto today 3 to visit Villa Verdi where many of the rooms are arranged just as the composer left them. Later we visit the Museo Nazionale Giuseppe Verdi, dedicated to the life and works of the composer. We will have lunch at the Hotel I due Foscari, once owned by one of the greatest Verdi singers of all time, Carlo Bergonzi. Today his son Marco welcomes guests. We end the day with a visit to the humble farm dwelling where Verdi was born in 1813. DAY

The morning is free for further exploration of Parma which, in addition to its musical heritage, is considered to be the gourmet capital of Italy. We will have lunch at the Antico Corte Pallavicina, a magnificent restaurant on the banks of the River Po. DAY

Spending the day in Parma we will visit the house where Arturo Toscanini was born on 27 March 1867. Later we will go to the Camera di San Paolo where we will see one of the jewels of Parma - the frescoed ceilings by Correggio. The rest of the day is free. DAY

The day is spent in Cremona, a delightful historic town in 6 Lombardy. Stradivarius was born here and today the town is full of luthiers still producing finely crafted instruments in their ateliers. After stopping for an included lunch, we also visit the cathedral and the Museum of the Violin which has an unrivalled collection of historic instruments. DAY

DAY

Parma

OPERA Programme The 2020 Verdi Festival includes three opera performances at three different venues in and around Parma. Our first opera will be Macbeth, which is performed in the magnificent 13th century Church of St Francesco del Prato, recently rescued from dereliction and restored to its former glory. At the Teatro Verdi in the composer’s hometown of Busseto, we will see Rigoletto, which premiered at La Fenice,Venice on 11 March 1851 and went on to become one of the most popular of all Verdi’s operas.Verdi’s stirring and tuneful I Lombardi alla Prima Crociata (The Lombards on the First Crusade) received its first performance at La Scala, Milan on 11 February 1843, reappearing at the Salle Le Peletier in Paris in a grander form to suit Parisian taste as the opera Jérusalem. The first performance of that revised version was given on 26 November 1847. At the 2020 Verdi Festival we will hear the original version of I Lombardi alla Prima Crociata, performed at Parma’s opulent Teatro Regio. 1 October: Chiesa di San Francesco del Prato Macbeth (French version) 2 October: Teatro Verdi Busseto Rigoletto 3 October: Teatro Regio I Lombardi alla prima crociata

We return to Bologna today for the flight back to London. FLIGHT Information

Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 14.25, arrive Bologna 17.40 Depart Bologna 12.05, arrive London Heathrow 13.25

Teatro Regio

Price from £2,949 per person (single supp. £480) for six nights including flights, accommodation with breakfast, three lunches, two dinners, tickets for three performances (some seats may be in boxes), all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader, and opera expert Patrick Bade.

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KIRKER MUSIC HOLIDAYS

THE GRANGE FESTIVAL A THREE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 26 JUNE 2020 The Grange Festival is held every summer at one of the country’s most magnificent neo-classical houses, Grange Park. Located in the heart of the Baring family’s estate not far from Winchester, it is arguably one of the most beautiful of all country house settings. Today, the Grange Festival is in the hands of the countertenor Michael Chance who took on the role of Artistic Director in 2017.

the operas 27 June: La Cenerentola by Rossini First performed at the Teatro Valle, Rome on 25 January 1817 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Conductor: David Parry Angelina: Jose Maria Lo Monaco Don Ramiro: Nico Darminan Dandini: Christian Senn Don Magnifico: Luciano di Pasquale Rossini’s sparkling take on the story of Cinderella and her horrid family has always found favour with audiences since its first performance in Rome. Although often seen in the world’s largest opera houses, La Cenerentola is an opera which is perfectly designed for the intimate surroundings of The Grange. 28 June: Manon Lescaut by Puccini First performed at the Teatro Regio, Turin on 1 February 1893 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Francesco Cilluffo Manon Lescaut: Elin Pritchard Lescaut: Nicholas Lest Des Grieux: Samuel Sakker Despite her many flaws, Manon Lescaut remains a favourite opera heroine as we follow her colourful journey from an innocent young girl on the way to a convent, through love for the poet Des Grieux and her fatal attraction to jewels and money.

The itinerary Based at the Royal Hotel (3*) in the historic heart of Winchester, we will visit Hinton Ampner, a house with a long and colourful past. Its last owner was Ralph Dutton who modernised the house only to see it burned down. Undaunted, he restored the house for a second time, and created one of the finest gardens in Hampshire. At the Hospital of St. Cross, we find a glorious 12th century church and almshouses which today are still home to up to 25 Brothers, who enjoy the exquisite gardens on the Itchen water meadows.

Price £1,297 per person (single supp. £90) for three nights including accommodation with breakfast, three dinners - one in Winchester and two at the Grange Festival restaurant, first category tickets for two operas, the festival programme, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and services of the Kirker Tour Escort, Graeme Coles.

AUTUMN AT GLYNDEBOURNE THREE NIGHT HOLIDAYS | 23 & 26 OCTOBER AT DEAN’S PLACE, ALFRISTON 29 OCTOBER AT THE GRAND, EASTBOURNE

The HOTEL Deans Place, Alfriston (3*)

Located in the historic and picturesque village of Alfriston the hotel looks out over to the rolling South Downs. The hotel has a cosy lounge and bar and a restaurant. The closest station is Polegate, a fifteen minutes’ taxi ride away. (£15 each way).

The Grand, Eastbourne (5*)

The stately Grand Hotel is on Eastbourne’s elegant promenade and a few minutes’ walk from the town centre and pier. Its most famous guest was Claude Debussy who stayed here for a month with his mistress, Emma Bardac, in 1905. The hotel is just five minutes by taxi from the railway. Charleston Farmhouse - 23 & 26 October departures A visit to Charleston Farmhouse in nearby Firle is included. On the recommendation of the writer Virginia Woolf, her sister Vanessa Bell moved into this Sussex farmhouse with Duncan Grant and Clive Bell and created one of the most scandalous ménage à trois of all time, shocking local society with their enlightened views and drawing attention to this hitherto bucolic idyll. The Towner Art Gallery - 29 October A visit with a private tour of the gallery and its storerooms is included. We will see the permanent collection which includes works by Eric Ravilious who grew up and studied in Sussex.

the operas Two of the most popular operas of all time are included the 2020 programme. Just over a century separates this pair of sharply contrasting operas. 25, 28 and 31 October at 4pm Die Zauberflöte by Mozart First performed at the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden,Vienna on 30 September 1791 24 October (4pm), 27 and 30 October (7pm) Madama Butterfly by Puccini First performed at La Scala, Milan on 17 February 1904

Price from £1,096 per person on all three departure dates (single supp. £165) for three nights including accommodation with breakfast, three dinners, tickets for two operas, two pre-performance lectures, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities, and the services of a Kirker Tour Escort, Jane McNamara.

call 020 7593 2284 to reserve your place

KIRKER MUSIC HOLIDAYS

THE 73RD ALDEBURGH FESTIVAL A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 15 JUNE 2020 Founded by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears almost three quarters of a century ago, the Aldeburgh Festival is now one of the world’s bestknown and most innovative music festivals. Most concerts are given in The Maltings concert hall overlooking the reed beds of this stretch of the Suffolk coast. It is one of the most spectacularly-located concert halls in the world. Some concerts are still performed in a variety of other local venues but it is at The Maltings in Snape, five miles from Aldeburgh itself, where the genius and foresight of Britten and Pears live on.

Music Programme

The itinerary Make your own way to The Brudenell Hotel (3*) in Aldeburgh. Parking is available in the streets around the hotel or you may wish to travel by train to Saxmundham, the closest station to Aldeburgh and continue by taxi - pre-booking is essential so ask for details. We will depart from the hotel at 5pm for our first concert at Snape. DAY

DAY

The day is free for independent exploration in Aldeburgh before departing for Snape.

The morning is free. This afternoon we will visit Ely Cathedral, one of the great glories of English architecture, which is famous for its octagonal lantern towering for miles over the surrounding desolately flat Fen landscape. The cathedral dates from 1083 but the first religious settlement on the site was founded in 672. After the visit, we will have a pre-concert supper in a restaurant close to the cathedral. DAY

After a free morning, we will drive to The Red House, the home of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears from 1957 until their respective deaths here in 1976 and 1986. We will see the house left exactly as it was at the time of their deaths, the Library where the world’s most distinguished musicians would come to rehearse Britten’s compositions and his composing studio overlooking the garden. En-route, we will stop at Aldeburgh Church where both men are buried. DAY

Another free morning after which we will drive to the Holy Trinity Church in Blythburgh, known locally as the Cathedral of the Marshes because of its prominent position close to the sea. Concerts given as part of the Aldeburgh Festival are often performed here. We will attend two performances at Snape today. DAY

DAY

The tour ends after breakfast today.

The HOTEL The Brudenell is a long-established hotel right on the beach at the south end of Aldeburgh. It has a bar lounge and restaurant and is just a few minutes’ walk from the centre of town.You can choose a room looking directly out to sea or one with a view over the marshes.

15 June: Snape Maltings, 19.30 Allan Clayton and Friends Allan Clayton, tenor Roderick Williams, baritone Olivia Jageurs, harp James Baillieu, piano The tenor Allan Clayton is appearing in several concerts in Suffolk in 2020. Here he is joined by his colleagues in a programme of music by Benjamin Britten together with a world premiere of a short piece by Mark-Anthony Turnage. Britten: Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo Suite for Harp Canticle IV ‘The Journey of the Magi’ Canticle V ‘The Death of St Narcissus’ Arrangements of a selection of traditional folk songs Turnage: ‘Silenced’ for tenor and piano - World Premiere 16 June: Snape Maltings, 19.30 Monteverdi Choir English Baroque Soloists Sir John Eliot Gardiner, conductor Monteverdi: Messa a 4 voci de cappella SV 190 Monteverdi: Adoramus te Christe for 6 voices SV289 Monteverdi: Domine, ne in furore SV298 Carissimi: Jepthe Scarlatti: Stabat Mater 17 June: Ely Cathedral, 19.30 Tenebrae Works by Tavener, Rachmaninov, Glinka and Tallis 18 June: Snape Maltings, 19.30 Royal Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra Ryan Wigglesworth, conductor Rachel Nicholls, soprano Wagner: Good Friday Music from Parsifal Birtwistle: Deep Tim Wagner, arranged Ryan Wigglesworth: A Symphonic Journey for soprano and orchestra – music from Gotterdammerung 19 June: Britten Studio, Snape, 16.00 Sophie Bevan, soprano Ryan Wigglesworth, piano Songs by Lili Boulanger, Purcell, Fauré, Poems pour ‘Mi’ by Messiaen and Ryan Wigglesworth Snape Maltings, 19.30 BBC Philharmonic Orchestra Ilan Volkov, conductor Daniel Pioro, violin Steven Osborne, piano Ravel, arr. Grainger: La vallee des cloches Britten: Piano Concerto Tom Coult: Violin Concerto Respighi: Pines of Rome

Price from £1,529 per person (single supp. £298) for five nights including accommodation with breakfast, five dinners, tickets for concerts as described, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader, Andrew Taylor.

www.kirkerholidays.com

KIRKER CULTURAL TOURS

THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE AND DIWALI IN RAJASTHAN A NINE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 9 NOVEMBER 2020 There is no question that for discerning travellers, a visit to India’s Golden Triangle and Rajasthan is the perfect way to introduce new visitors to this extraordinary country of breath-taking sights and the kaleidoscopic range of sounds and scents that make India such a fascinating and unforgettable travel experience. At no time is the north of the country more vibrant than during Diwali, the Hindu ‘Festival of Lights’, which is marked by traditional feasts, firework displays and the lighting of lamps and candles to celebrate the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance; we celebrate the occasion spending the evening with a local family in Udaipur, the city of lakes. Rajasthan – the land of kings – is arguably the most emblematic region of India, with a history dating back 5,000 years and a landscape traversed by desert, mountains, ancient cities and Mughal palaces. We will visit the extraordinary maze of ancient streets of Old Delhi, and new Delhi where Lutyens and the British Raj left their indelible mark, followed by the iconic Taj Mahal at Agra.

Delhi

The itinerary DAY

Overnight flight from London to Delhi, arriving the following morning.

Arriving at Delhi airport, you will meet Kirker’s local guide and be transferred to the Taj Mahal Hotel (5*), Delhi. The first visit of your itinerary will be the spectacular Humayun’s Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was constructed by Persian architects in the 16th century for the Mughal Emperor Humayun. Returning to the hotel there will be some free time to relax this afternoon. DAY

Today will be devoted to Delhi, India’s vast capital city, starting at Lutyen’s imposing complex of palaces constructed in 1929 as the official residence of the Viceroy of the British Raj. Now known as Rashtrapati Bhavan, or the President’s House, the 320 acre estate is the largest of any head of state in the world and includes a museum complex which showcases a vast collection of art and artefacts. In the afternoon you will continue to Old Delhi, where you will explore the narrow alleys and see spectacular monuments including the 17th century Mughal landmarks of the Red Fort and Jama Masjid Mosque. DAY

This morning you will take India’s first high-speed train, the Gatiman Express to Agra, a journey of just over 90 minutes. There will be time to check in to the hotel for the night, The Oberoi Amarvilas (5* Deluxe), followed by lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon you will have a guided tour of Agra Fort, built in the 16th century and the seat of the Mughal Empire. This evening you will see Agra, and India’s most iconic monument, the Taj Mahal, at sunset. DAY

The first visit today will be to Jaipur’s magnificent Amber Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site overlooking Maota Lake, which dates back to the 10th century. After lunch you will then visit the Observatory & Hawa Mahal or ‘Palace of The Winds’ withits dazzling sandstone façade featuring 953 delicate windows. The final visit will be to the 19th century Dera Mandawa, where you meet the owners and have an opportunity to enjoy a local cooking demonstration before dinner. DAY

Fly from Jaipur to the lake city of Udaipur this morning, where you will stay for two nights at the Taj Fateh Prakash Palace (5*). Begin with a sightseeing tour including the City Palace, before joining a local family to learn about the history of the festival of Diwali. This is followed by Lighting the Diyas and offering prayers to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and Lord Ganesh where doors and windows of the house are left open to allow prosperity to pass through. DAY

You will explore the elegant city of Udaipur today, including the Crystal Art Gallery & Sahelion Ki Bari, the Garden of the Maidens, laid out in the early 18th century as a pleasure garden for the ladies of the court by the Maharana Sangram Singh. In the evening you will take an atmospheric boat cruise on Lake Pichola. DAY

This morning you will have the opportunity to watch the sun rise at the Taj Mahal, before breakfast at the hotel.You will then be transferred by road from Agra to Jaipur. There will be time to check in to the Rambagh Palace Hotel (5*), where you will be staying for the next two nights, before proceeding to Sujan Raj Mahal Palace where you will enjoy a traditional high tea.

This morning will be at leisure to relax before departing the hotel for an early afternoon flight to Delhi, where you will stay for the last night at the JW Marriott Aerocity hotel (4*) at the airport. DAY

DAY

After checking-out this morning you will be transferred to Delhi airport for the return flight.

DAY

FLIGHT Information

Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow at 18.50, arrive Delhi 08.50 (following day) Depart Delhi at 11.00, arrive London Heathrow 15.20

Price from £5,598 per person (single supp. £1,798) for eight nights including return flights, all internal flights between Delhi, Jaipur and Udaipur in economy class, eight nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast, two lunches, four dinners, one high tea, Diwali celebration with a local family in Udaipur, exclusive boat cruise on Lake Pichola in Udaipur, all transfers by air-conditioned vehicle, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of a Kirker tour lecturer and an English-speaking local guide.

call 020 7593 2284 to reserve your place

KIRKER CULTURAL TOURS

WINE TOUR OF THE WESTERN CAPE AN ELEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 18 FEBRUARY 2021 Join Kirker wine expert Tim Clarke on this fascinating exploration of South Africa’s Winelands. Tim has been leading wine tours to the Cape for almost 30 years and during this time he has followed developments including the single estate movement, the spread and triumph of Shiraz and Chardonnay, the opening up of new regions, the shift to sustainability and, most recently, to more natural ways of making wine. On this tour we have superb high-level visits to producers ranging from grand old estates that pre-date winemaking in the Médoc, through to new producers of the Swartland Revolution. We look forward to meeting many fascinating and talented people, who are key players in the South African wine industry. The tour is not just for serious oenophiles, it gives a great introduction to the country and its wines and we will encounter aspects of the country that are rarely seen by tourists. Kirstenbosch Garden

The itinerary DAY

We will depart from London on the overnight flight to Cape Town.

We will arrive in Cape Town where we will stay at the 4-star Vineyard Hotel. Based around a house built in 1800, the hotel has added contemporary buildings in a landscaped garden. In the late afternoon, we visit Buitenverwachting, part of the original Constantia Wine Estate where the focus is on aromatic cool-climate Sauvignon and fine reds. The tasting will be followed by dinner. DAY

An early morning safari at Villiera Wines’ Wildlife Sanctuary, home to a huge variety of birds and native mammals including giraffe, bush pig and zebra, will include a tasting of V illiera’s wines. Next is Thelema Mountain Vineyards, where we hope our tasting will be with winemaker Giles Webb. The day ends with a visit to Kanonkop to taste their great Pinotage and Cabernet over a traditional ‘braii’ barbecue. DAY

We begin our day at Meerlust, which was the first Cape estate to produce a ‘Bordeaux blend’, their awesome ‘Rubicon’. After some free time to explore the vibrant Cape Town Waterfront, we will have dinner at a Cape Town wine estate, such as Beau Constantia.

A day in Franschhoek begins at Anthonij Rupert, where we see their state-of-the-art cellars and have a tasting in the historic manor house. Lunch will be at GlenWood, a charming boutique winery with award-winning wines. After lunch, there‘s time to explore Franschhoek with its many shops, galleries and Huguenot Museum. Our final visit is to Le Lude who specialise in Cap Classique.

This morning, we have a unique insight into Klein Constantia, one of South Africa’s most important estates, where we will taste their range including the Vin de Constance. We continue to Boulders Beach to visit the African Penguin colony and take the dramatic coastal drive to Cape Point. In the evening Tim Clarke will host a tasting followed by dinner.

Vergelegen is reputed to be the most beautiful of all the Cape Dutch Wine Farms and has exquisite gardens that we can explore after our tasting of their flagship wines. Paul Cluver Wines, where we have lunch, is a family-owned winery focused on producing wines that reflect the cool-climate Elgin terroir. We continue to Hermanus, where we stay at the Marine Hotel for two nights.

Swartland was an overlooked area 20 years ago, but a clutch of ambitious young winemakers are determined to turn the wine scene upside-down. At AA Badenhorst Family Wines, Adi Badenhorst has made this small winery one of the most exciting in South Africa. After a harvest lunch we drive to the historic Oude Werf Hotel, Stellenbosch, where we stay for four nights.

After an optional walk in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve, we will enjoy a tasting of several vintages of the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with Anthony Hamilton Russell at the renowned Hamilton Russell estate. This will be followed by lunch with Anthony and his wife Olive. This evening we will have dinner at a wine estate, such as Springfontein.

DAY

Today we explore just to the west of Stellenbosch. Reyneke is 6 another young wine producer and was the first biodynamic wine farm in the Cape. At Jordan wines, Gary Jordan will lead a masterclass on the land and wines of the area and showcase a selection of wines over dinner. DAY

DAY

Today we visit Creation Wines for a tasting and early lunch. In the afternoon, we visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, then transfer to Cape Town Airport for an overnight flight to London. DAY

FLIGHT Information

Flights with British Airways: Depart London Heathrow 21.30, arrive Cape Town 11.05 (the following day) Depart Cape Town 21.20, arrive London Heathrow 07.20 (the following day)

Price from £5,594 per person (single supp. £790) for eleven nights including return overnight flights, nine nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast, six lunches, six dinners, winetastings, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader, Tim Clarke.

www.kirkerholidays.com

KIRKER MUSIC HOLIDAYS

EXCLUSIVE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS 2020 Combining highly-acclaimed musicians with carefully planned music programmes - Kirker’s exclusive Music Festivals include private concerts in elegant surroundings, and are perfect for those who enjoy relaxed holidays in the company of like-minded travellers. Artists, concert programmes and venues have all been carefully arranged to create an atmosphere akin to a country house party where audiences and musicians alike enjoy a unique experience. Prices shown are per person and include flights (excluding UK holidays), accommodation with breakfast, meals and guided excursions as described and the services of a Kirker Tour Leader.

THE KIRKER CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN ALFRISTON

THE VILLA MEDICI GIULINI COLLECTION

A THREE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 29 NOVEMBER 2020

A FOUR NIGHT HOLIDAY | 1 SEPTEMBER 2020

with the Doric String Quartet; Melvyn Tan, piano and Simon Rowland-Jones, viola

‘The progress of the piano’ with Melvyn Tan

Our base is Deans Place Hotel, in the heart of this historic and picturesque Sussex village, with superb views of the South Downs.You can enjoy gentle walks along the banks of the River Cuckmere and visit the 14th century Clergy House, and in nearby Berwick you can see the once controversial church murals by Duncan Grant. Price from £1,130 (single supp. £159) for three nights including three dinners and three concerts.

One of the world’s best known pianists, Melvyn Tan will introduce you to Fernanda Giulini’s matchless collection of historical keyboard instruments at her villa in Lombardy. Staying in the villa, you will be able to admire these beautiful instruments and hear Melvyn bring them to life in a series of talks and recitals. We will also visit Monza Cathedral and take a boat trip on nearby Lake Como to the Villa Balbianello, romantically sited on its own promontory, before continuing to Lenno where we have lunch at a lakeside hotel.

Price from £1,996 (single supp. £296) for four nights including four dinners, two lunches and a series of talks and concerts.

THE KIRKER CHOPIN FESTIVAL IN MALLORCA

THE KIRKER ISCHIA MUSIC FESTIVAL

A SIX NIGHT HOLIDAY | 29 SEPTEMBER 2020

with the Castalian String Quartet; Simon Rowland-Jones, viola; Alessandro Fisher, tenor and Ashok Gupta, piano

with the Carducci String Quartet; Martin Roscoe, piano; Morgan Szymanski, guitar and Simon Rowland-Jones, viola Based in the village of Banyalbufar, we will discover the gloriously unspoilt north coast of Mallorca. There will be visits to the picturesque artists’ village of Deia, the capital, Palma, and the villa of Son Marroig. We will also discover the monastery at Valldemossa where Chopin spent three months with his lover, the aristocratic Baroness Dudevant, better known as the writer George Sand.

Price from £2,548 (single supp. £189) for six nights including two lunches, six dinners and five concerts.

A SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 13 OCTOBER 2020

We shall enjoy six exclusive concerts in the lovely concert hall overlooking the garden at La Mortella, the former home of Sir William & Lady Walton. Our base for the duration will be the 4* Albergo San Montano in the small resort of Lacco Ameno. We include a guided tour of the garden at La Mortella and a half-day sightseeing tour of Ischia. There are three optional tours; one to Herculaneum and the Villa Oplontis; one to Naples; and the third is a half-day exploration of the Ischia countryside.

Price from £2,659 (single supp. £357) for seven nights including seven dinners and six concerts.

call 020 7593 2284 to reserve your place

KIRKER MUSIC HOLIDAYS

KIRKER OPERA HOLIDAYS Whether you are a passionate opera aficionado or an enthusiastic novice, a night at the opera is a sublime experience and Kirker offers an extensive range of escorted opera holidays each year, including excellent tickets for carefully-selected performances at some of the finest opera venues in Europe. Highlights for 2020 include the Hungarian National Opera in Budapest, La Fenice in Venice, and Berlin, where we include visits to all three opera houses - as well as the Puccini Opera Festival in Tuscany, where performances take place on the lake shore. Prices shown are per person and include flights, accommodation with breakfast, meals and guided excursions as described and the services of a Kirker Tour Leader.

OPERA & MUSIC IN BUDAPEST

MUSIC & ART IN BERLIN

A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 22 APRIL 2020

SIX NIGHT HOLIDAYS | 1 APRIL & 27 MAY 2020

The River Danube divides the Hungarian capital into two distinct halves - Pest, the commercial heart of the city with its shops and museums and Buda, dominated by its historic castle. Performances by the Hungarian State Opera are currently taking place at the city’s historic Erkel Theatre.

Berlin’s historic opera house, the Staatsoper unter den Linden, is now open again and giving performances alongside the city’s other two opera houses - the Deutsche Oper and the Komische Oper. Our April holiday will include four performances: two at the Staatsoper, including a special concert conducted by Daniel Barenboim, Verdi’s Aida at the Deutsche Oper and Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the Komische Oper. In May we shall attend performances of Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer, Parsifal and Tristan und Isolde at the Deutsche Oper and a concert given by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra at the Philharmonie. Our base is the 4* Marriott Hotel, just five minutes’ walk from the Philharmonie.Visits to the city’s two leading art collections are included - the Alte National Museum and the Gemäldegalerie. On Museum Island we visit David Chipperfield’s newly opened James Simon Galerie, the £100 million centrepiece of the plan to redesign Berlin’s cultural acropolis. We shall also make an excursion to Potsdam, once the residence of the Prussian kings.

We have selected performances of popular operas including Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera and Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, as well as a concert at the impressive Béla Bartók Concert Hall. Our base for the duration is the 4* Hotel Prestige, located in Pest, just 10 minutes’ walk from the Chain Bridge. We include an introductory tour of the city, and visits to the Hungarian National Gallery and the Museum of Fine Arts. Outside of the capital we shall see the dramatic landscape on the West bank of the Danube and visit three pretty small towns – Szentendre, Visegrad and Esztergom. Price from £1,985 (single supp. £370) for five nights including one lunch, three dinners and tickets for three performances.

Price from £2,620 (single supp. £398) for six nights including three dinners and second category tickets for four performances.

VENICE & OPERA AT LA FENICE

THE PUCCINI OPERA FESTIVAL

FOUR NIGHT HOLIDAYS 29 MAY, 1 JULY, 7 SEPTEMBER & 11 OCTOBER 2020

A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 5 AUGUST 2020

La Fenice is one of the world’s most historic opera houses. Originally built in 1790 it has twice burned down, in 1836 and again in 1996. It reopened in 2003 and has been sensitively restored to its original splendour. Performances in 2020 include Verdi’s Rigoletto, La traviata, Aida and Il trovatore, Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux and Handel’s Rinaldo. We also include a series of walking tours taking in the finest churches and galleries, including the jewel-like Santa Maria Miracoli, the Accademia, and the more modern Peggy Guggenheim collection. We shall be based at the 4* deluxe Monaco & Grand Canal for the duration of each holiday.

Price from £2,118 per person (single supp. £498) for four nights including two dinners and one opera ticket.

Giacomo Puccini was born into a musical family in Lucca on 22 December 1858, and each summer his operas are performed in nearby Torre del Lago on the peaceful shores of Lake Massaciuccoli. Our holiday includes three performances and the operas this summer are Manon Lescaut,Turandot and La bohème. We stay at the 3* Albergo Celide, just outside Lucca’s magnificent walls and from here we shall enjoy a walking tour, including a visit to the house where Puccini was born. Outside of Lucca we shall drive to the popular seaside resort of Viareggio, where Puccini came to live from 1919 when pollution drove him out of his beloved villa at Torre del Lago, and Pistoia, a lovely small town whose fortunes were eclipsed by its more powerful and wealthier neighbours, Lucca and Florence. A visit to two great Tuscan gardens – the Villa Reale in Marlia and the Villa Garzoni – is also included. Price from £2,298 per person (single supp. £397) for five nights including four dinners, tickets for three operas and one concert ticket.

www.kirkerholidays.com

KIRKER MUSIC HOLIDAYS

THE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN TENERIFE A SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAY | 17 JANUARY 2021 Escape from the rigours of the British winter for a week of music-making in the sub-tropical Canary Islands. We return to Tenerife in January for our sixth festival, staying at the splendid Hotel Botanico surrounded by lush gardens in Puerto de la Cruz. Mass tourism is confined to an area far away from where we will be staying, and our tour will show you the island’s unspoilt volcanic landscape, well-preserved colonial villages and lush gardens. A visit to the Mount Teide National Park is one of the highlights of a fascinating week.

Music Programme 18 January: Tim Horton, piano Two Fantasies by Mozart Fantasy in C minor, K.396 Fantasy in D minor, K397 Granados: Goyescas Op.11 This is considered one of the most difficult works in the repertory of solo music. Chopin: Two Ballades Op 23 and Op.38 19 January: Navarra String Quartet Mozart: String Quartet in G, KV387 Turina: The Bullfighter’s Prayer. This atmospheric piece was inspired by the prayers muttered by the bullfighter as he prepares to enter the bull ring to encounter not just the bull, but possible death. Beethoven: String Quartet in F, Op.59 No.1

The itinerary In addition to our programme of concerts at the Hotel Botanico there will be a number of included excursions taking in the best of the island’s unspoilt north coast. We will visit the Sitio Litro Orchid Garden in Puerto de la Cruz, with its wonderful collection of more than three hundred varieties, followed by a visit to All Saints’ Church which has been serving the British community for more than a hundred years, where Christopher Monckton will give an organ recital. A visit to Mount Teide National Park will show us the island’s volcanic interior, and we will take a cable car to the summit at 3,718m from which there are breathtaking views of the island. We will also drive along the spectacular north coast route to Maca, a tiny village clinging to a steep ravine, and to Garachico with its 17th-century Franciscan convent. There will also be some free time to make visits on your own: La Oratava is a picturesque small town nearby with several historic buildings; Tenerife’s Botanical Garden is located just opposite the hotel, and Santa Cruz, the island’s capital, can be reached by a fast and frequent bus service.

The HOTEL The 5* Hotel Botanico is a long-established and much loved property, surrounded by six acres of impeccably maintained gardens. There are spacious lounges, a bar and three restaurants. In addition, the hotel has indoor and outdoor swimming pools and an extensive spa. All the wellappointed bedrooms have balconies and look out either to the sea or inland to Mount Teide. FLIGHT Information

Flights with British Airways: Depart London Gatwick at 12.45, arrive Tenerife at 17.05 Depart Tenerife at 17.55, arrive London Gatwick at 22.20

Price from £2,597 per person (single supp. £398) for seven nights including flights, accommodation with breakfast, five dinners, six concerts, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leaders, Christopher & Simon Monckton.

20 January: Benjamin Appl, baritone Tim Horton, piano Three song cycles, two German and one English share the programme with two works by Chopin in a typically imaginative programme from these two artists. Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen Mahler’s song cycle, Songs of a Wayfarer, tells the bitter story of a young man’s failed quest for love who finds peace only in the shadow of a linden tree. Butterworth: One of the many settings of A E Housman’s ‘A Shropshire Lad.’ Schumann: Liederkreis Op. 39 21 January: Benjamin Appl, baritone Navarra String Quartet Tim Horton, piano All the musicians will today take part in our own Kirker Schubertiade, which includes a selection of songs, a string quartet and a piano sonata. Piano Sonata in A, D664 Quartet No.14 in D minor, D 810 ‘Death and the Maiden’ 22 January: Navarra String Quartet Haydn: String Quartet in F, Op50 No.5 ‘The Dream’ Rowland-Jones: String Quartet ‘Etude’. Simon’s 9th quartet, was written for the Navarra’s own annual festival in Weesp, and was first performed in March 2020. Ravel: String Quartet Manuel Hidalgo: A new work by the Andalucian composer commissioned by the Navarra. 23 January: Benjamin Appl, baritone Navarra String Quartet Barber: Dover Beach for baritone and string quartet based on the poem by Matthew Arnold. Dvorak: String Quartet in G, op.106 Bartok: String Quartet No.3 Sz.85 Rowland-Jones: A setting for baritone and string quartet of An die ferne Geliebte by Beethoven, composed for Benjamin Appl.

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KIRKER MUSIC HOLIDAYS

THE 21ST SIBELIUS FESTIVAL IN LAHTI Including all seven Sibelius Symphonies

A FOUR NIGHT HOLIDAY | 14 OCTOBER 2020 The annual Sibelius Festival in Lahti is held every autumn in the magnificent 1,200 seater Sibelius Hall on the shores of Lake Vesijärvi; it is one of the most important cultural events in Finland. The Hall is universally recognised by musicians who have played there as having one of the best acoustics anywhere. The largest wooden building in Finland, it overlooks the lake and is on the site of a sawmill, reminding us that Lahti was once an important manufacturing and industrial centre.

The itinerary We fly from London Heathrow to Helsinki and on arrival transfer by coach to Lahti, a journey of just over one hour. We stay at the centrally located 4* Sokos Hotel Lahden Seurahuone for the duration of the holiday. DAY

After breakfast we leave for Hämeenlinna where Jean Sibelius was born into a Swedish-speaking family on 8 December 1856. The house is now a museum dedicated to the composer’s life and work and we will see an important collection of photographs and letters. He moved to Helsinki to begin his law studies there before moving to the conservatoire which is now named after him. We then return to Lahti for our first concert. DAY

We drive to Ainola this morning for a visit to the lovely house where Sibelius and his wife, Aino lived until their deaths. The couple are buried side by side in the peaceful garden here. After an included lunch we will go to the shores of Lake Tuusula to visit the villa designed by Alvar Aalton for the composer Joonas Kokkonen (1931-1996). DAY

We spend the day in Lahti and will meet a representative of the Sibelius Festival who will provide a guided tour of the Sibelius Hall. There will also be a lunchtime chamber music concert today. DAY

DAY

We will drive to Helsinki for a panoramic tour of the capital before continuing to the airport for the flight to London.

Hämeenlinna

Music Programme The 2020 Sibelius Festival will include performances of all seven symphonies written by Sibelius. His first symphony was performed in 1899 and the seventh, his last, in 1924. Six of these symphonies received their first performance in Helsinki and it was not until the seventh that a world premiere took place outside of Finland - in neighbouring Sweden. Sibelius himself conducted that first performance given by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Dimo Slobodeniouk will conduct the Lahti Symphony Orchestra in the Sibelius Hall in Lahti. He has conducted the Lahti Symphony Orchestra since 2016 and has been music director of the Orquestra Sinfonica de Galicia since 2013. The concerts will be given on 15, 16 and 17 October.

FLIGHT Information

Flights with Finnair: Depart London Heathrow 10.20, arrive Helsinki 15.15 Depart Helsinki 16.00, arrive London Heathrow 17.10

Price from £1,897 per person (single supp. £298) for four nights including flights, accommodation with breakfast, three lunches, four dinners, tickets for three performances, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader. THE GRAFENEGG MUSIC FESTIVAL A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 2 SEPTEMBER 2020 Grafenegg’s celebrated festival in Lower Austria, just one hour from Vienna, runs throughout the summer and always closes with a feast of music-making. Concerts are held in the architecturally dramatic, and acoustically excellent, Wolkenturm, on the Metternich estate. For 2020, Austrian pianist and Director of the Festival, Rudolf Buchbinder, has recruited the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Tonkünstler Orchestra and the Orchestra Mozart. Staying at the 4* Steigenberger Hotel in Krems, we shall visit the art gallery which holds more than 40 works by Egon Schiele, who was born in nearby Tulln, and go to the village of Kirchstetten, close to St. Pölten. Price from £2,956 (no single supplement) per person for five nights including flights, accommodation with breakfast, one lunch, five dinners, tickets for five concerts, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader.

www.kirkerholidays.com

KIRKER CULTURAL TOURS

ART OF THE CÔTE D’AZUR

PUGLIA – A LAND OF CONQUEST

FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAYS | 15 APRIL & 8 SEPTEMBER 2020

SIX NIGHT HOLIDAYS | 17 MAY & 11 OCTOBER 2020

French artists began to discover this region’s dazzling light towards the end of the 19th century. Monet arrived in 1885, followed swiftly by Matisse, Chagall, Picasso and many more.

Puglia, the ‘heel’ of Italy, is an ancient land that is highly fertile despite its harsh limestone landscape typical of the Mezzogiorno. It was this remote corner of the peninsula that the Normans conquered in the 11th century, dominating the entire south of Italy and the island of Sicily by the mid-12th century.

Based at the 4* Hôtel Le Grimaldi in Nice, we will visit the Chagall Museum, Matisse’s Chapel of the Rosary in Vence and the Maeght Foundation at St-Paul-de- Vence. We’ll also visit the Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain and the Musée Matisse, the Château Grimaldi, and Picasso’s collection at the Musée Bonnard in Le Cannet. Price from £1,798 (Apr, single supp. £340) or £1,898 (Sep, single supp. £340) for five nights including one lunch and three dinners.

PALLADIAN VILLAS & THE ART OF THE VENETO SIX NIGHT HOLIDAYS | 9 MAY & 5 SEPTEMBER 2020 Masters of Renaissance art and architecture designed classical buildings across the Veneto for the sophisticated gentry of the sixteenth century; the most famous of these architects was Andrea Palladio. As the wealth of the region spread from Venice inland across the countryside of the Veneto, educated patrons commissioned villas to be built on ancient principles of classical Roman architecture. Our tour is based in Padua, where contemporaries of Palladio designed new buildings for the mediaeval university, including an anatomical theatre. Highlights include the Palazzo della Ragione, Palladio’s Villa la Rotonda,Villa Barbaro, Ponte Vecchio and Teatro Olimpico, and the University of Padua. Price from £1,935 (single supp. £286) for six nights including three dinners and two winetastings.

Our tour begins in the Baroque town of Martina Franca, where we stay for three nights. We shall visit Alberobello, a UNESCO site famous for its countless examples of trulli, and Matera, an extraordinary town built on the edge of a steep ravine that is pockmarked with caves. The final three nights will be based in Lecce, one of the best preserved Baroque towns in Italy. From here, we visit the beautiful coastal town of Otranto, situated on the most eastern peninsula of Italy. Price from £1,992 (single supp. £364) for six nights including four dinners.

UMBRIA – THE ESSENCE OF ITALY SEVEN NIGHT HOLIDAYS | 18 MAY & 1 SEPTEMBER 2020 Perugia, the capital of Umbria and one of the finest cities in Italy, is the centre from which we explore this fascinating region. Umbria is filled with historic art towns with wonderful views of the rolling olive groves and vineyards. We will visit the most important of these towns including Orvieto, Arezzo and Assisi – each of which is within easy reach of Perugia. Works by some of Italy’s most important artists will be viewed, including frescoes by Giotto, Filippo Lippi and Piero della Francesca. Further highlights include Spello, a small hilltop town of the utmost charm and Spoleto, nestled in the foothills of the Appenines. Price from £1,198 per person (single supp. £378) for seven nights including four dinners.

BYZANTINE & OTTOMAN ISTANBUL

SICILY – AN ENIGMATIC ISLAND

A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 4 NOVEMBER 2020

NINE NIGHT HOLIDAYS | 20 APRIL, 20 SEPTEMBER & 1 NOVEMBER 2020

Istanbul is one of the world’s most fascinating cities and has a colourful and complex history, spanning many centuries. Our five night holiday will introduce you to both the Byzantine and Ottoman periods; spanning 1,600 years from 330 AD until the early 20th Century. Based at the 4* Hotel Eresin Sultanahmet, we begin with a guided tour of the city, starting at the Hippodrome, the most important relic from the city’s Roman period and rebuilt by Constantine in 330 AD. Next we visit the Blue Mosque before proceeding to the Islamic Arts Museum and the Topkapi Palace, the Sultan’s residence and the nerve centre of the Ottoman Empire.Visits will be made to the ancient Serefiye Cistern, the vast Dolmabahce Palace and the small but beautiful Church of St. Saviour in Chora. We shall also enjoy a boat journey along the Bosphorus, before visiting the Sadberk Hanim Museum. Price from £1,592 (single supp. £265) for five nights including one lunch and three dinners.

The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily’s strategic importance has given it a violent, eventful and colourful history. Discover the four corners of this fascinating island, starting in Syracuse which was once the most important city in Magna Graecia. We will visit a private palace in Catania and spend some time in the beautiful resort of Taormina. Next comes the spectacular Valley of the Temples before Palermo, a city of great contrasts. We will visit the great Norman Royal Palace and the Chapel of the Kings, the Martorana with its impressive Norman tower, and visits will also be made to Monreale Cathedral, Segesta and Selinunte. Price from £2,858 (Apr, single supp. £598), £2,995 (Sep, single supp. £698) or £2,646 (Nov, single supp. £490) for nine nights including seven dinners.

Prices shown are per person and include flights (excluding UK holidays), accommodation with breakfast, meals and guided excursions as described and the services of a Kirker Tour Leader.

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KIRKER CULTURAL TOURS

THE D-DAY LANDING GROUNDS IN NORMANDY A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 23 AUGUST 2020 This tour is designed to tell the story of the famous D-Day landings in June 1944 that launched the invasion of France and opened the Battle for Normandy, which led directly to the capture of Paris in August. Thereafter, the Allies would advance steadily towards Nazi Germany where the European war would end in May 1945. The beaches are extremely evocative with so much of the original battlefields remaining intact replete with bunkers, gun emplacements and many of the farm buildings and villages that were used as defensive positions during the fighting. Apart from the WWII interest, Normandy is a beautiful area to tour with glorious scenery, ancient churches, strong local character and a fascinating history that has for centuries been so closely intertwined with that of the British Isles. Time will be found to explore beyond the battlefields and to take full advantage of the Normandy cuisine.

Omaha Beach

The itinerary We leave London by coach and travel to Portsmouth where we visit the Portsmouth D-Day Museum. Then we continue to the port terminal for the afternoon ferry service to Caen. On arrival we will transfer to the 3 star Manoir de Mathan, which is in the village of Crépon where the only D-Day Victoria Cross was won. DAY

This morning we visit the Longue Sur Mer battery, the Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches, as well as Gold and Juno Beaches. This afternoon there will be free time to explore Bayeux and visit the cathedral and the famous Bayeux Tapestry. DAY

Our first stop today is Utah Beach followed by the town of St. Mere Eglise which US paratroops defended against furious counter attacks. The morning ends at the German cemetery at La Cambe. After lunch, we go to Omaha Beach where the American army suffered the largest casualties of D-Day. We will see the Pointe du Hoc, a promontory overlooking the English Channel which was captured by US Rangers scaling a cliff face, the beach landing ground, The American Cemetery and the Omaha Museum. DAY

Today we will explore the battlefields around Caen including The Falaise Pocket where the Allied Armies inflicted vast casualties on the retiring German forces but failed to cut them off entirely. DAY

We begin at Sword Beach and follow the fighting inland through the bunker system in front of Caen to Perier Ridge where the German Panzers were beaten off. We will view Pegasus Bridge where Lovat, famously accompanied by his piper, relieved Major Howard’s glider force. The day ends with a visit to the heights above Ranville and the excellent Caen WWII museum. DAY

TOUR LECTURER: HUGH MACDONALD-BUCHANAN Hugh Macdonald-Buchanan specialises in military history especially in Wellington’s Peninsular Campaigns 1808-1814, the Battle of Waterloo 1815, the Western Front 1914-1918, the D-Day Landings 1944 and the Fall of France 1940. Hugh is especially interested in interpreting the course of battlefield action in relation to the local landscape. Hugh has led many small group tours for Kirker, as well as a variety of tailormade itineraries for private groups, students and charities.

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We leave on the early ferry from Caen back to Portsmouth and then travel back to London by coach, arriving late afternoon. TRAVEL Information

Brittany Ferries: Depart Portsmouth 14.45. arrive Caen 21.30 Depart Caen 08.30, arrive Portsmouth 13.15

Price from £1,787 per person (single supp. £278) for five nights including return ferry, coach transfers, accommodation with breakfast, two lunches, four dinners, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader, Hugh Macdonald-Buchanan.

THE WESTERN FRONT – THE ROAD TO VICTORY A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 21 OCTOBER 2020 Led by military historian Hugh Macdonald-Buchanan, we will visit the principal battlefields of the British Expeditionary Forces, starting at the notorious Ypres Salient which saw intense action throughout the war. We follow the progress of the troops until we reach Amiens where in August 1918 the Allies began their journey to victory. In between, we visit Passchendaele, Arras, the Somme and Cambrai.Visits to some exceptional museums help tell the story of how the troops fought both underground and above, in the mud and on horseback. The Great War was not the ‘war to end all wars’ but it left an indelible impression on Europe and the world. Price from £1,449 per person (single supp. £280) for five nights including Eurostar, accommodation with breakfast, three dinners, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Lecturer.

www.kirkerholidays.com

KIRKER CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS

For more information and to register your interest in our Christmas tours please call 020 7593 1896. CHRISTMAS IN VENICE

CHRISTMAS IN VIENNA

A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 23 DECEMBER 2020

A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 22 DECEMBER 2020

Christmas brings a unique atmosphere to La Serenissima, returning Venice to a place of brooding mystery and beauty. It’s a time for the cognoscenti to enjoy the city’s undimmed charms in peace and solitude. Galleries and museums remain open on most days so visitors will find them blissfully quiet.

Vienna is at its best at Christmas time, when exquisitely decorated windows and elegant festive lights brighten up the mediaeval city centre.

Our visits include Ca’Rezzonico with its 18th century art, the Frari, the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, the Scuola Grande dei Carmini and the Cini Foundation on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. We stay at the 4* Deluxe Monaco & Grand Canal Hotel, one of the most stylish in Venice, and will enjoy delicious Venetian cuisine, including a special Christmas lunch at the famous Hotel Danieli. Includes flights, water taxi transfers, accommodation with breakfast, three dinners, Christmas Day lunch, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader.

CHRISTMAS IN ROME

We stay at the 5* Deluxe Hotel Bristol, an elegant art deco hotel which has been one of the city’s finest for over 100 years and is located on the famous Ringstrasse, opposite the State Opera. We will include a performance at the Opera as well as visits to the city’s finest museums and galleries, including the Belvedere, which is home to the great works of Klimt and the Vienna Secession, and the Kunsthistorisches Museum with one of the world’s greatest collections of Old Master paintings. Includes flights, accommodation with breakfast, two dinners, Christmas Day lunch, a second category ticket for a performance at the Vienna State Opera, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader.

CHRISTMAS ON THE CÔTE D’AZUR

A FIVE NIGHT HOLIDAY | 22 DECEMBER 2020

The Eternal City is a perfect destination for a Christmas break with its unique festive atmosphere. The majestic piazzas and churches are adorned with beautiful decorations and nativity displays, each one seemingly more detailed and extravagant than the last.

The Côte d’Azur has attracted artists since the 19th century, and the glowing light which brought Monet, Matisse, Chagall and Picasso to the Riviera makes this the perfect destination for an elegant Christmas escape.

Rome also takes on a particular charm during this season when, probably for the only period in the year, Romans outnumber visitors and enjoy their own city at this special time. A number of visits are included and our tour leader, art historian Andrew Taylor, will share some of his favourite places with you on some optional walks during the free time. Includes flights, accommodation with breakfast, Christmas Day lunch, four dinners including one on Christmas Eve, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader.

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The holidays featured within are just a small selection from the wide range that we offer - to speak to an expert or request a Cultural Tours & Music Holidays brochure please call 020 7593 2284. Full details of all our tours are also available on our website at www.kirkerholidays.com.

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CULTURAL TOURS & MUSIC HOLIDAYS

Includes flights, accommodation with breakfast, three dinners, two lunches, all sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader.

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We stay at the iconic Hotel Negresco (5*), which epitomises the glamour and elegance of Old Nice and our itinerary, in the company of art historian and artist Lydia Bauman, will include not only the most important museums and galleries in Nice, Antibes and St Paulde-Vence, but also exquisite French cuisine, including a Michelinstarred dinner on Christmas Eve, Christmas lunch at the wonderful Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, and Boxing Day lunch at La Colombe d’Or, where paintings by Matisse, Picasso, Braque and Chagall adorn the walls.

CERNING

MUSIC

CULTURAL TOURS: ALBANIA • belgium • FRANCE • italy • Jordan • morocco • Portugal • Russia • Spain EXCLUSIVE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS: alfriston • eastbourne • ischia • villa medici giulini • Lake como • mallorca st. mawes • TENERIFE • music cruises 2019

ESCORTED Holidays TO LEADING MUSIC FESTIVALS & events: amsterdam • berlin • Buxton dresden • three choirs • GRAFENEGG • grange festival • La FENICE, venice • LA SCALA, milan • leipzig • malta • naples • new york north Norfolk • the ruhr • schubertiade • thuringia & saxony • puccini • vienna

Published February 2020. Terms and conditions apply. Please ensure that you have adequate travel insurance cover before booking your holiday. See www.kirkerholidays.com for full booking conditions.