WAGNER'S RING CYCLE IN MUNICH - JULY 19-28, 2018 TOUR LEADER: ROBERT GAY - Academy Travel
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WAGNER’S RING CYCLE IN MUNICH JULY 19-28, 2018 TOUR LEADER: ROBERT GAY
WAGNER’S RING CYCLE
Overview
IN MUNICH
Wagner’s four-part music-drama, Der Ring des Nibelungen, is considered
Tour dates: July 19-28, 2018 by many music lovers to be the pinnacle of the Western music tradition. It
combines intense, heroic drama with orchestral and vocal writing which is
Tour leader: Robert Gay both vast in scale and highly innovative.
Academy Travel has selected the Bavarian State Opera’s Ring Cycle in
Tour Price: $8,850 per person, twin share
2018 for its fine production, unsurpassable singing cast and the musical
leadership of Kiril Petrenko. We’ve also included two additional
Single Supplement: $1,500 for sole use of performances taking place at the time of the Munich Ring.
double room
The itinerary includes nine nights’ accommodation in the heart of Munich,
Booking deposit: $500 per person close to the National Theatre, best available tickets to six performances*,
in-depth background talks, several meals and a music-themed excursion
Recommended airline: Singapore Airlines, to the Bavarian countryside. We have deliberately kept the program
Emirates or Etihad relaxed, with lots of free time to undertake individual sightseeing or simply
relax and reflect upon the performances.
Maximum places: 20
*Seat locations will be confirmed in October 2017.
Itinerary: Munich (9 nights)
Your tour leader
Date published: September 1, 2017
For over 25 years, Robert Gay has presented
music history courses for the Centre for
Continuing Education at the University of
Sydney. Over the same period he has
designed and escorted more than 80 musical
and cultural tours to Europe and America.
On tour, Robert will provide a thorough
introduction to the performances you see, with
detailed pre-performance talks and post-
performance reviews. Robert’s approach to
music is multi-faceted. First and foremost, he
links the music to the biographical, historical and social context in which it
was created. Secondly, he explains in plain language technical aspects of
the music – how the composer communicates through sound. Finally, as a
trained singer who attends dozens of performances each year, he offers
great insight into the qualities of the performances you see on tour.
Robert’s enthusiasm for music is infectious, and his skills as an educator
and tour leader are exceptional. Since 2010, he has led tours exclusively
for Academy Travel.
Enquiries and “There is no doubt that it was Robert Gay’s leadership that made the trip
bookings such a memorable experience. He was brilliant in every way. His
encyclopaedic knowledge of music and generosity in sharing it added
For further information and to immeasurably to everything we did. His meticulous planning and careful
secure a place on this tour attention to detail made the logistics very easy for us all. His warmth,
please contact Frederick superb communication skills, sense of humour, patience and sensitivity to
Steyn at Academy Travel on group dynamics all made the trip a delight from beginning to end.”
9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 Feedback from Switzerland to Spain: a musical adventure, April 2015
(outside Sydney) or email
frederick@academytravel.com
.au
About the Munich Ring Cycle Andreas Kriegenburg’s production premiered in Munich in Los Angeles Times reviewer Mark Swed summed up his 2013, and returns in 2018. Kriegenburg is well known in experience of Kriegenburg’s Munich Ring in 2013 thus: Germany as a theatre director, where he has worked for more than 25 years, directing plays by Shakespeare, Kriegenburg has stripped the "Ring" of much of its baggage Moliere, Schiller, Goethe, Kafka, Brecht and Lorca. He for the theater where the first two operas in the cycle had directed his first opera in 2006 (Gluck’s Orpheus and their premieres. He has gone back to essentials, reinventing Eurydice) and has since directed works by Handel, Mozart, and updating them. In doing so, he has sought and found one Verdi, Puccini, Richard Strauss and Shostakovich. His Ring of art's greatest gifts — a sense of renewal. Cycle is a contemporary, but lucid interpretation that pays close attention to Wagner’s intentions and the text. New York [This is] the right "Ring" for our time — the freshest, least Times reviewer Zachary Woolfe noted that the production self-conscious and most memorable "Ring" that I have seen was ‘consistently creative and thoughtful’ but ‘there are or heard about in nearly 40 years. enough swords, spears, arrows and anvils to satisfy any conservative Wagnerian’. Los Angeles Times, February 23, 2013
The cast
The singers assembled for the 2018 Munich Ring Cycle represent the very best available Wagnerian singers of today.
Swedish soprano Nina Stemme heads the cast, singing Brünnhilde in all three operas in which the character appears.
Baritone Wolfgang Koch will be a fine Wotan/Wanderer, having sung the role at Bayreuth in 2014, and having performed
other Wagnerian roles in London, Vienna, Frankfurt and Salzburg. Star tenor Jonas Kauffman adds lustre to Die Walküre in
the role of Siegmund, with fine soprano Anja Kampe opposite him as Sieglinde. Heldentenor Stefan Vinke, who has sung
Wagnerian roles in Bayreuth, Vienna, Berlin and Melbourne, takes on the role of Siegfried.
The cast is led by young Russian-Austrian maestro Kiril Petrenko. Petrenko holds the prestigious role of
Generalmusikdirektor of the Bavarian State Opera, and conducted the Ring Cycle at the Bayreuth Festival in 2013, 2014 and
2015. He is one of the finest Wagnerian conductors of his generation.
Cast and creative list
Conductor: Kiril Petrenko
Director: Andreas Kriegenburg
Sets: Harald Thor
Costumes: Andrea Schraad
Lighting: Stefan Bolliger
Wotan/The Wanderer: Wolfgang Koch
Siegmund: Jonas Kaufmann
Sieglinde: Anja Kampe
Siegfried: Stefan Vinke
Brünnhilde: Nina Stemme
Hagen: Hans-Peter König
Alberich: John Lundgren
Mime: Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke
Fafner: Ain Anger
Erda: Okka von der Damerau
Jonas Kaufmann
Anja Kampe Nina Stemme
Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the letter B, L, D or C for canapes. Get the most from performances In order to fully enjoy the Ring Cycle we suggest you plan to arrive in Europe at least a day before the tour commences. As well as flights, we are happy to arrange pre-tour accommodation in Munich or another European city. Please contact us to discuss the best options. Thursday July 19 Arrival You should arrange your travels to arrive at our Munich hotel by the late afternoon. In the early evening, meet your tour leader and fellow travellers in the hotel for drinks and canapes. (C) Friday July 20 Das Rheingold In this morning’s pre-performance talk, Robert Gay introduces Wagner’s epic cycle before focusing on the cycle’s preliminary evening. We then enjoy a welcome lunch in a private room in one of Munich’s finest restaurants. Our performance of Das Rheingold commences at 7.00pm. (B, L) Above: Wagner’s Das Rheingold by the Bavarian State Opera Performance details Venue: National Theatre, Bavarian State Opera Program: Wagner’s Das Rheingold Saturday July 21 Below: Stunning Neuschwanstein Castle THE LUDWIG CASTLES King Ludwig II of Bavaria saw his first Wagner opera at the age of 15, and subsequently became perhaps the most obsessed Wagnerian of all time. Today we visit two of his famous Bavarian castles: Linderhof, a tiny neo-rococo villa set amidst beautifully landscaped grounds; and Neuschwanstein, a breathtaking fairy-tale chateau complete with replica of the Singers’ Hall from the Wartburg depicted in Wagner’s Tannhäuser, and decorated with wall paintings of scenes from his idol’s music dramas. Lunch in a country restaurant. (B, L) Sunday July 22 Die Walküre This morning’s talk examines Die Walküre, the best-known opera of the Ring, and the one in which we meet the principal characters of the work. Key narrative elements are introduced and key musical ideas presented. The remainder of the day is free to explore Munich, and we recommend a visit to one of the city’s many excellent art museums. Tonight’s performance commences at 5.00pm (B)
Performance details Venue: National Theatre, Bavarian State Opera Program: Wagner’s Die Walküre Monday July 23 Piotr Beczala recital Today is free to further explore Munich. This evening we take a break from Wagner with a song recital by the fine Polish lyric tenor Piotr Beczala. Beczala’s repertoire spans from Mozart to Puccini, and he has sung roles such as Tamino (The Magic Flute), Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor), The Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto), Lenski (Eugene Onegin) and Rodolfo (La Bohème) at all the great opera houses of the world. (B) Performance details Venue: National Theatre, Bavarian State Opera Program: to be announced Performers: Piotr Beczala (tenor) Tuesday July 24 Siegfried The third music-drama in the Ring Cycle, Siegfried, contains perhaps the pivotal episodes and character development of the work. But it is also the least known work of the cycle. This morning Robert Gay takes you through the music and plotlines in preparation for this evening’s performance. The remainder of the day is free. The curtain rises at 5.00pm. (B) Performance details Venue: National Theatre, Bavarian State Opera Program: Wagner’s Siegfried Wednesday July 25 Free day The entire day is free to relax, do more sightseeing, or perhaps to take a day trip to nearby Nuremberg which is only a little over an hour away by train and has rewarding Wagnerian connections. (B) Thursday July 26 Les vêpres siciliennes We are indeed fortunate to be able to include Verdi’s rarely- performed Les Vêpres siciliennes in our program. The Bavarian State Opera has chosen the original French version of the work, a grand opera in five acts from Verdi’s middle period. Les Vêpres siciliennes is a highly charged political story of a Sicilian uprising against French rule in the 13th century. Composed in the mid 1850s, Verdi clearly meant the work to encourage his fellow countrymen to shake off their own yoke of oppression. In this morning’s talk, Robert Gay will place the opera in its historical and musical context. The afternoon, before the 6.00pm performance, is free. (B) Performance details Program: Verdi’s Les Vêpres siciliennes Performers: Carmen Giannatasio (Hélène), Bryan Hymel (Henri), Erwin Schrott (Procida), Omer Meir Wellber (conductor)
Friday July 27 Götterdämmerung The final work in the Ring Cycle is also the longest, containing grand, dramatic scenes and fine orchestral passages, such as Siegfried’s Rhine journey and his funeral music. After Robert Gay’s analysis of this important work, we share a farewell lunch. The performance begins at 4.00pm. (B, L) Performance details Venue: National Theatre, Bavarian State Opera Program: Wagner’s Götterdämmerung Saturday July 28 Departure The tour ends after breakfast. Transfers to Munich airport are included for travellers booking their flights through Academy Travel. (B) Hotel Munich, Maximilian Hotel & Apartments (9 nights) The 4-star-superior Maximilian Hotel and Apartments has been selected principally for its location, right in the heart of the Bavarian capital, 600 meters from the National Theatre, home of the Bavarian State Opera. The accommodation is spacious, modern and comfortable with a fully-equipped kitchenette, a dining table and desk, as well as a sofa or recliner to relax. Bathrooms are large and equipped with a shower over the bathtub. Other features of the hotel are a sizable city garden, a wellness spa and the Restaurant “kleines Max” with summer terrace. Many of Munich’s major attractions, including the Residenz, the Frauenkirche and the Viktualienmarkt, are only a short walk away. www.maximilian-munich.com/en Images clockwise from top left: The Bavarian State Opera’s past production of the Ring Cycle including Die Walküre, Siegfried, and Götterdämmerung
Tour Price Fitness Requirements
The tour price is $8,850 per person, twin share (land content of THIS tour
only). The supplement for a single room is $1,500 per
person. A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is GRADE ONE
required to secure a place on the tour.
It is important both for you and for your fellow travellers that
you are fit enough to be able to enjoy all the activities on this
second deposit tour. To give you an indication of the level of physical fitness
required to participate on our tours, we have given them a
In January 2018, we will send you a second invoice for star grading. Academy Travel’s tours tend to feature
$1,500 to cover the cost of tickets. extended walking tours and site visits, which require greater
fitness than coach touring. We ask you instead to consider
carefully your ability to meet the physical demands of the
Tour Inclusions tour.
Included in the tour price Participation criteria for this tour
Accommodation at the Platzl Hotel in Munich This Grade One tour is appropriate for travellers in good
Breakfasts daily, plus lunches and dinners as noted in health with good mobility. You should be able to comfortably
the itinerary participate in up to three hours of physical activity per day on
Land travel by air-conditioned coach most days, including walking at an easy pace, sometimes on
Best available seats for performances uneven terrain, climbing stairs and standing in galleries.
Extensive tour notes You should be able to:
Background talks keep up with the group at all times
Services of an Australian tour leader throughout tour walk for 2-3 kilometres at a moderate to slow pace with
All entrance fees to sites mentioned on itinerary only short breaks
Qualified local guides where appropriate stand for a reasonable length of time in galleries and
Porterage of one piece of luggage at the hotel museums
Tips for all services included in the itinerary negotiate stairs and bridges
Not included get on and off a coach, ferry or boat with steep stairs
unassisted
International air fares, taxes and surcharges (see below) move your luggage a short distance if required
Travel insurance
Meals not mentioned in itinerary A note for older travellers
Expenses of a personal nature If you are more than 80 years old, or have restricted mobility,
it is likely that you will find this itinerary challenging. You may
have to miss certain activities and may not get the full value
Air travel OPTIONS of the tour. Before submitting your booking form, please
contact Academy Travel to discuss your situation and the
The tour price quoted is for land content only. For this tour exact physical requirements of this tour. While we will do our
we recommend Singapore Airlines, Emirates or Etihad; each best to reasonably accommodate the physical needs of all
offering daily flights into Munich. Please contact us for group members, we reserve the right to refuse bookings if
further information on competitive Economy, Business and we feel that the requirements of the tour are too demanding
First Class airfares. Transfers between airport and hotel are for you and/or if local conditions mean we cannot reasonably
included for all passengers booking their flights through accommodate your condition.
Academy Travel. These may be group or individual
transfers.
Weather on Tour
Enquiries & bookings July is a pleasant time to be in Munich with summer
temperatures ranging on average from the mid 20s, dropping
For further information and to secure a place on this tour to 12-16°C at night. However, you should pack for a few
please contact Frederick Steyn at Academy Travel on days which are cooler than this, as well as a few warmer
9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email ones. Rainfall is fairly evenly spread across the year, and it
frederick@academytravel.com.au is reasonable to expect rain on at least a few days, though
not enough to disrupt our program.
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