Vienna Independent Opera

Arblaster & Clarke offer tailor-made, unescorted breaks all with first class Opera tickets to the great Austrian Staatsoper with hotel accommodation in central Vienna 4* hotel within easy walking distance of the Opera house. This can be with or without flights, depending what suits you best.

The Vienna Staatsoper opened in 1869 as a key part of the development ordered by Emperor Franz-Joseph I involving the demolition of Vienna’s medieval walls and replacing these with a wide boulevard, the ‘Opern ring’. The Staatsoper is on the site of the old Opera house dating back to the early 1700s and was built in a grand neo-Renaissance style with an arched loggia, great stairways and many reception rooms. It was virtually completely rebuilt after World War2 having been severely damaged. The directors have included Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss and Herbert von Karajan, and for many years Ioan Holender.

Directors have included Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Herbert von Karajan and Ioan Holender. The standard currently is superb and the output is prolific! Here is (most of ) the spring 2010 programme. Tickets can be difficult to find but Arblaster & Clarke can normally get them.

The high standard of our choosen four star hotel (which has a typical Biedermeier style near the centre of the city which is kept free of cars) means that this is a superb value luxury break and you can explore the culture of Vienna with St Stephens Cathedral nearby.

The amazing hospitality of the people, the sophistication of the cuisine, the variety and high quality of the wines and the opportunity to see three Operas in one of Viennas famous Opera houses.

For 2010 Arblaster & Clarke also offer an escorted Opera & Wine tour based in Vienna.

Opera Packages available from Arblaster & Clarke:

(see below for dates, prices and cast lists).

Includes: 2 nights staying in a central 4* hotel in Vienna.
One First Class ticket to a performance at the Staatsoper
Vienna information booklet.
Arblaster & Clarke’s restaurant notes and Opera synopsis.

Approximate Price per person is subject to exact hotel room & ticket prices – please call.
Upgrades normally available to Superior rooms or 5*.
Guided tours, transfers and additional Opera tickets or nights at the hotel can be arranged.

Opera	Cast	Performance Dates
Mayerling by MacMillan/Franz Liszt/Lanchbery	Katharina Schratt: Roxana Constantinescu	31 May & 4, 9, 18, 22 June 2010
Madama Butterfly by Puccini	Cio-cio-san: Hui He B.F.Pinkerton: Maxim Aksenov Sharpless: Boaz Daniel	8, 11, 14 June 2010
Capriccio by Richard Strauss	Die Gräfin: Renée Fleming Der Graf,ihr Bruder: Morten Frank Larsen	15, 17 June 2010
Tannhauser by Wagner	Hermann: Ain Anger Tannhäuser: Johan Botha Elisabeth: Anje Kampe	16, 20, 24, 27 June 2010
La forza del destino by Verdi	Leonore: Micaela Carosi Don Carlos: Alberto Gazale Alvaro: Fabio Armiliato Pater Guardian: Stefan Kocán	19, 23, 28 June 2010
Parsifal by Wagner	Amfortas:Falk Struckmann Gurnemanz: John Tomlinson Parsifal: Christopher Ventris Kundry: Petra Lang	1, 4, 7 April & 30 June 2010
La Boheme Puccini	Rodolfo, ein Poet: Rolando Villazon Mimì: Krassimira Stoyanova Marcello, Maler: Boaz Daniel Musetta: Alexandra Reinprecht	6,9,12,16,19 Sept & 31 Jan 2011
La forza del destino by Verdi	Leonore: Eva-Maria Westbroek Don Carlos: Zeljko Lucic Alvaro, ein Inkaspross: Fabio Armiliato	14, 17, 21, 24, 27 Sept 2010
Tosca by Puccini	Floria Tosca: Catherine Naglestad Mario Cavaradossi: Massimo Giordano Baron Scarpia: Falk Struckmann	28 Sept, 1 & 5 Oct, 12 Nov 2010 & 7,10,13 Jan, 15 Apr 2011
Lucrezia Borgia by Donizetti	Don Alfonso I.: Michele Pertusi Lucrezia Borgia: Edita Gruberova Gennaro: José Bros	2,6,10,14 & 18 Oct 2010
Il barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini	Graf Almaviva: Benjamin Bruns Rosina, dessen reiches Mündel: Caitlin Hulcup Figaro, Barbier: Marco Caria	12, 15 Oct, 2,4 Nov, 4,6,10,29 Dec 2010 & 2,6 Jan 2011
Salome by Richard Strauss Director: Peter Schneider	Salome: Catherine Naglestad Herodes: Wolfgang Schmidt Herodias:Elisabeth Kulman	16, 21 Oct 2010 & 16 Jan, 2 Feb 2011
L’elisir d’amore by Donizetti Director: Yves Abel	Nemorino: Juan Diego Flórez Adina: Sylvia Schwartz Belcore:Tae Joong Yang	22,25 & 29 Oct, 9,21 Dec 2010 & 9,12 Apr 2011
Madama Butterfly by Puccini	Cio-cio-san: Svetla Vassileva B.F.Pinkerton: Neil Shicoff Sharpless: Marco Caria	8,11,15 Nov 2010 & 27 Feb, 6,31 Mar & 3 Apr 2011
Rigoletto by Verdi	Der Herzog von Mantua: Ramón Vargas Rigoletto: Dmitri Hvorostovsky Gilda, dessen Tochter: Patrizia Ciofi	16,19,22,25 & 28 Nov 2010

For more information on any of these Operas and for prices for the tickets, please call the office ask to speak to Cindy-Marie, alternatively e-mail contact@winetours.co.uk

To Book

Please email us or phone us on 0044 (0)1730 263111.

The booking procedure is as follows:

• Please click on the ‘Register Interest’ button below and send your details and the dates that you would like to travel (The dates shown and hotels mentioned are subject to availability). Prices will be available for these independent Opera’s on request.
• We will call or email to discuss hotels and other aspects of your trip with you.
• If you wish to go ahead with the trip we will check availability for you on receipt of a credit or debit card number as a guarantee.
• The deposit of £300 per person will be debited immediately if the dates are available as requested, this then becomes a confirmed booking. The balance is due ten weeks before departure.

Travel: Meet at Destination

Given the flexibility we offer in arranging a spectacular Opera break, we strongly suggest you register your interest or call the office and discuss the travel options with us. It may be that you wish us to book accommodation and flights, or perhaps you will only require the Opera tickets and a hotel, this is why no exact price is stated.

Extend your stay

Please call the office to discuss your options.