Ballet in Dresden, Berlin, and Hamburg Summer 2018

escorted by

Canada's Word Lady,

Katherine Barber

presents

Ballet in 
Dresden, Berlin, and Hamburg

DRAFT ITINERARY

BOOKING WILL OPEN FALL 2017 AT WHICH TIME FINALIZED PRICING WILL BE AVAILABLE

 

29 June – 9 July 2018

11 days, 10 nights

6 ballet performances by four major ballet companies

BALLET-LOVERS' BUCKET LIST

♥ The Hamburg Ballet performing works by John Neumeier

♥ Neumeier's Illusions...like Swan Lake

♥ Jerome Robbins' Dances at a Gathering

Semperoper Dresden

Friday June 29 DRESDEN

Arrive Dresden. Check in to five-star Hyperion Hotel Dresden am Schloss, 5-minute walk from opera house.

Saturday June 30 DRESDEN

Attend daily ballet class and working rehearsals of Dresden Semperoper Ballet (TO BE CONFIRMED). Rest of day at leisure. Three-course welcome dinner.

Sunday July 1 DRESDEN

Morning: Private guided walking tour of beautiful historic Dresden, with a visit to the mind-boggling “Green Vault” priceless treasure chamber of the Saxon dukes. Afternoon at leisure. Early evening performance of Dresden Semperoper Ballet: Gods and Dogs (Kylian), Heatscape (Peck), Political Mother (Schechter) at the palatial Semperoper Dresden. Three-course dinner.

https://youtu.be/SIs3uMG8DlY?t=46s 

Justin Peck's Heatscape

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin

Monday July 2 DRESDEN – BERLIN

Morning: check out of hotel. Transfer by private coach to Berlin (approx. 2½ hours).

2-hour private guided coach tour of Berlin. Mid-afternoon: check into the superior 4-star Arcotel John F hotel in the Unter den Linden district of central Berlin. 3-course dinner before Berlin State Ballet: Don Quixote.

Tuesday July 3 BERLIN

Backstage tour of the newly refurbished Staatsoper Unter den Linden. Rest of day at leisure. Suggested activities: Visit one or more of the museums on Berlin's famous Museumsinsel, about 5 minutes walk from the hotel.

Sanssouci Palace

Wednesday July 4 BERLIN – HAMBURG Morning: Check out of hotel. Private guided tour of the magnificent Unesco World Heritage Sanssouci Palace, home of Frederick the Great, and Cecilienhof Palace, the site of the Potsdam conference to end the Second World War. Afternoon: continue by express train (1 ½ hours) to Hamburg. Check in to Scandic Hotel Emporio Hamburg. Evening: 3-course dinner before National Ballet of Canada performance: Dreamers Ever Leave You (Binet), Emergence (Pite), The Man in Black (Kudelka)

https://youtu.be/65YLQeqCb4E

Colonnaden, Hamburg

Thursday July 5 HAMBURG

Morning: 2-hour walking tour of central Hamburg. Afternoon at leisure. Recommended activities: take a hop-on hop-off bus tour of Hamburg and its port or discover Hamburg's many canals on a boat tour. Take a tour through the City Hall or visit the chocolate museum. Go shopping along the elegant Colonnaden. Evening: Hamburg Ballet performance of John Neumeier's brilliant reinterpretation of Swan Lake.

Friday July 6 HAMBURG

day trip to LÜBECK

Morning: depart by train for the Unesco World Heritage medieval town of Lübeck (45 minutes from Hamburg). 2-hour walking tour, followed by free time to shop for or indulge in the famous local Niederegger marzipan. Late afternoon: return by train to Hamburg. Evening: Hamburg Ballet performance: Beethoven Project (Neumeier)

Bremen Market Square

Saturday July 7 HAMBURG

Day trip to BREMEN

Morning: depart by train for Bremen (1 h 10 minutes from Hamburg), Germany's oldest maritime city, with one of its most beautiful market squares. 2-hour private guided walking tour of the old town followed by free time to explore. Mid-afternoon: return to Hamburg. Evening: Hamburg Ballet all-Robbins performance: The Concert, Dances at a Gathering.

Fischauktionshalle, Hamburg

Sunday July 8 HAMBURG

Day at leisure. Suggested activities: enjoy Hamburg's lively fish market (not just fish: fruit and vegetables, flowers, clothing, souvenirs...), a Sunday morning tradition since 1703 . Visit the art galleries, go for a stroll in the botanical garden or take a guided tour through the spectacular new Elbphilharmonie concert hall. Evening: Farewell three-course dinner.

Monday July 9 HAMBURG

Check out of hotel and depart Hamburg.

Hamburg

GROUP SIZE LIMITED TO 25!

Dresden

LAND-ONLY PACKAGE allows you the flexibility of arranging travel from your most convenient departure point,

on the dates and times you prefer,

and to extend your stay if you wish.

Victor Travel's experienced agents

will be happy to assist you with

flight arrangements.

Package includes:

10 nights double-share accommodation (guaranteed single occupancy available on payment of single supplement)

Premium seats for 6 ballets

Transfer by private luxury coach from Dresden to Berlin

Private guided coach tour of Berlin

Excursion by private luxury coach to Potsdam

Admission to Sanssouci Palace and Cecilienhof Palace with private tour

Train transfer to Hamburg

Day excursions by train to Lübeck and Bremen

Private guided walking tours of Dresden (including “Green Vault”), Hamburg, Lübeck, and Bremen

Visit to Dresden Semperoper Ballet daily class and rehearsals (TO BE CONFIRMED)

Five 3-course dinners

Beverages with group meals (mineral water, tea or coffee, and 1 glass wine or beer or soft drink)

Tips for group meals, bus excursions, and guides

Free wifi in hotels

Ballet enrichment program: ballet notes and informal pre-performance talks and post-performance reviews with tour leader

Not included:

Airfare

Meals and transfers not specifically mentioned in this itinerary

Items of a personal nature, e.g. phone calls

Cancellation insurance

and hospital/medical insurance

All items and activities listed as optional in this brochure

To be added to the priority notification list for when this trip opens for booking, please send an email to toursenlair@gmail.com

This program must be sold as a package. Extra hotel nights can be added on (subject to availability), but we cannot offer individual components separately or break the package into shorter installments. As a significant benefit of the Tours en l'air package is sharing the complete experience with those with common interests, we do not offer an “accommodation only” option.

Travellers wishing to share will be

put in touch with one another.

Mobility issues should be discussed with the travel agent before registering

What the critics say:

“Semperoper Ballett, under the direction of Aaron S. Watkin, is a company

that can take anything on.”

Deborah Weiss, Dance Europe, July 2015

Visit http://toursenlair.blogspot.ca/p/upcoming-ballet-trips.html

for more fabulous escorted vacations

for ballet lovers
and 
http://toursenlair.blogspot.ca/2017/02/ballet-appreciation-course-fokine.html 

for information on Katherine's highly popular

ballet appreciation courses

For more information about this trip:

email: toursenlair@gmail.com

phone: 416.693.4496