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Verdi and Puccini became major international figures of the European musical world in the 19th and early 20th centuries, yet both composers retained a distinct sense of Italian regional identity – they both are quintessentially ‘Italian’ composers whose music and lifestyles encapsulated the spirit of Italy on the eve of modernity. Our carefully crafted itinerary explores the lives and work of Verdi and Puccini from this regional perspective, beginning at their birthplaces and following the progress of their careers from local theatres, to Rome and Milan and on to the stages of Paris, London and New York.
Experience
Italy’s major musical capitals, Rome and Milan, and its elegant provincial cities
The life and times of Verdi and Puccini: the places they lived and performances of their works
Stellar performances in venues such as Milan’s Scala and Rome’s Teatro dell’Opera
Italy’s rich cultural heritage, from great collections to tranquil villas
National identity and the advent of modernity, in Verdi and Puccini’s works
Italy’s diverse landscapes: Tuscany’s rolling hills, Emilia-Romagna’s fertile plains, Lombardy’s sublime lakes
HIGHLIGHTS
Highlights/Performances
A full program for this tour will be available in November 2018, when theatres have released their schedules.
Six to seven performances overall, including historic venues such as Milan’s Scala and Rome’s Teatro dell’Opera
Operatic performances in Rome, Milan, Parma and Turin, selected from the 2019 season
Lucca and Busseto, hometowns of Puccini and Verdi, their country villas and the theatres where they gained early success
Music-themed touring in Rome, Lucca, Parma and Milan, with expert commentary
Day trips to some of regional Italy’s most beautiful towns: Siena, Pisa, Bologna and Bergamo
Several fine meals and visits to stand-out Italian museumsReturn international/domestic air travel unless those flights take place during the tour
Special taxes and airport levies that can only be paid in cash at the destination. We will advise you of these charges (if any) before you depart
Costs involved in obtaining visas for countries visited, where required
Travel insurance. We require all participants to have comprehensive travel insurance. A typical policy for one of our tours will cost from $160 upwards, depending on your age, pre-existing medical conditions, the countries you are visiting and the overall length of your trip
Lunches and dinners not specifically mentioned as included in the itinerary
Personal expenses such as laundry and phone calls
Costs associated with any activity mentioned as “optional” in the itinerary, or any suggested free time activity
Day 1 : Arrive Rome
If you have booked your air travel through Academy Travel we will organise a transfer from Rome Fiumicino Airport to our hotel. Please note that hotel rooms may not be available until early afternoon. In the evening meet Robert Gay at the hotel bar for welcome drinks followed by a light dinner. Overnight Rome (C)
Day 2 : Borghese Gallery - Performance I
After a morning talk on this evening’s performance, we visit the Borghese Gallery to see several masterpieces by Bernini, including his ‘Apollo and Daphne’. We explore the painting gallery on the upper floor where works by Raphael, Titian and Caravaggio are on display. We have a welcome lunch at a fine local restaurant, then the later afternoon is free before this evening’s performance. Overnight Rome
Performance details
Venue: Teatro dell’Opera di Roma
Program: to be announced
Performers: to be announced
Day 3 : Tosca’s Rome - Performance II
Today we use Puccini’s Roman opera Tosca as the basis for our sightseeing. We visit the baroque church of Sant’ Andrea della Valle (Act I) to see where Cavaradossi was painting and where Angelotti hid. We then walk to the nearby Palazzo Farnese (Act II), a Renaissance palazzo designed for the Farnese Pope Paul III. Today, this magnificent building which is adorned with fleur de lys – the Farnese symbol – houses the French embassy. In the famous Campo dei Fiori we pause for lunch, after which we follow the Via Giulia to the Castel Sant’ Angelo (Act III). This massive structure was originally the mausoleum of the Emperor Hadrian before it became a papal fortress and then a prison. We see the spot where Cavaradossi was executed by firing squad, and where Tosca plunged to her death! The later afternoon is free before this evening’s performance. Overnight Rome
Performance details
Venue: Teatro dell’Opera di Roma
Program: to be announced
Performers: to be announced
Day 4 : To Viareggio Via Siena
This morning we travel to the coastal Tuscan resort town of Viareggio, stopping along the way in Siena. Siena was an important centre of trade, banking, art and pilgrimage in the Middle Ages, but the Black Death killed a third of the population in 1348 and the city never recovered. It is now frozen beautifully in time, but a large student population lends a vitality to the elegant streets. We tour the Palazzo Pubblico, and the medieval cathedral, where every available space is decorated with sculptures, floor mosaics and fine frescoes. This evening we have dinner in the hotel. Overnight Viareggio
Day 5 : Puccini’s Lucca
This morning we travel the short distance to the walled town of Lucca, closely associated with Giacomo Puccini. Our morning walking tour takes in the Roman origins of Lucca, so clearly seen in the Piazza dell’ Anfiteatro, as well as the many fine monuments associated with the medieval age of pilgrimage, most notably the cathedral of San Martino, constructed in local Carrara marble. Inside, we see the strange ‘Volto Santo’ (Holy Face) crucifix, and the lovely funerary statue of Ilaria del Carretto by Jacopo della Quercia. We then have lunch at a local trattoria, followed by free time to stroll along the Renaissance walls or to shop in the fine stores of the old town. We return to Viareggio in the early evening. Overnight Viareggio
Day 6 : Torre Del Lago and Pisa
In 1880, Puccini left Lucca to study at Milan’s music conservatory, returning to Tuscany after his studies to rent a lakeside house in Torre del Lago, 15km west of Lucca on the shore of Lago di Massaciuccoli. Nine years later he had a villa built on the same lakeshore, undertaking the Liberty-style interior decoration himself. The villa has been preserved almost exactly as it was during Puccini’s residence from 1900 until 1921. Here he wrote Madama Butterfly, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi. We visit the Museum Villa Puccini then in the afternoon travel to Pisa for a guided tour of Piazza dei Miracoli. Overnight Viareggio
Day 7 : Parma - Performance III
This morning we depart for the elegant city of Parma. After checking into our hotel, we have a guided visit to the fine Romanesque cathedral and baptistery which are amongst the most outstanding monuments in northern Italy. This evening, we attend a performance at Teatro Regio di Parma. Overnight Parma
Performance details
Venue: Teatro Regio di Parma
Program: To be announced
Performers: To be announced
Day 8 : Bologna - Performance IV
Today we visit the city of Bologna, situated at the foot of the Apennines. Bologna has enjoyed a special reputation in Italy and abroad for its cultured and educated citizens. We visit the Romanesque cathedral of San Petronio, Le Due Torri and the covered markets before some free time to explore the city at leisure. There is a concert performance in Bologna this evening. Overnight Parma
Performance details
Venue: Teatro Comunale di Bologna
Program: To be announced
Performers: To be announced
Day 9 : Busseto and Verdi’s Farmhouse
In the late morning we set off on our exploration of the three major sites associated with Verdi, beginning with his birthplace at Le Roncole. In nearby Busseto, we visit the house of his patron and father-in-law Antonio Barezzi, and the tiny Teatro Verdi which was built in his honour – and against his express wish – in 1868. In the afternoon we continue on to his farmhouse at Sant’ Agata where we see some of the rooms which have been preserved as a museum. We have time to stroll in the extensive grounds before returning to Parma. Overnight Parma
Day 10 : Donizetti’s Bergamo
Today we depart for Milan, en route visiting the beautiful city of Bergamo, birthplace of Donizetti. It is a delightful place, with an historic fortified Upper Town full of splendid medieval and Renaissance buildings and squares. We visit the Donizetti museum, as well as the church where he is buried, and the small but magnificent Colleoni Chapel. We arrive in Milan in the later afternoon and gather for dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Milan
Day 11 : Teatro Alla Scala - Performance V
Milan has been a centre of music and culture since the Renaissance, but it was in the 19th century that its opera house became the most famous in the world, with many important premieres taking place there. This morning we take a walking tour of Milan, visiting Teatro alla Scala and museum, to admire an extensive collection of librettos, paintings of the famous names of Italian opera, posters, costumes, antique instruments, and design sketches for the theatre. Often there are special exhibitions to reflect current productions. Overnight Milan
Performance details
Venue: Teatro alla Scala
Program: To be announced
Performers: To be announced
Day 12 : Villa D’este On Lake Como
Today we have a relaxing day visiting the beautiful shores of Lake Como with lunch at the Renaissance-era Villa d’Este. This has been one of Europe’s grand hotels for more than a century, and we enjoy an elegant lunch al fresco on the lakefront before returning to Milan. Overnight Milan
Day 13 : Brera Gallery - Performance VI
This morning after a talk on this evening’s performance, we visit the Brera gallery, a world-class collection of northern Italian art whose highlights include Mantegna’s Lamentation of Christ and Piero della Francesca’s representation of Federico da Montefeltro’s court in his Holy Conversation. Other artists represented here include the Bellini brothers, Raphael, Titian and Tintoretto, Caravaggio and Rembrandt. The afternoon is at leisure to relax before this evening’s performance at La Scala. Overnight Milan
Performance details
Venue: Teatro alla Scala
Program: To be announced
Performers: To be announced
Day 14 : Turin
Today we depart for Turin, the capital of Piedmont. Formerly the seat of the Dukes of Savoy, the city was chosen as the first capital of the new Italian Kingdom in 1860. Turin has much to offer, including a world-class Egyptian museum and art gallery, and a fine modern opera house replacing the historic Teatro Regio which was destroyed in the Second World War. It was here that Puccini had his first big successes with the premieres of Manon Lescaut and La Bohème in 1893 and 1896 respectively. On arrival, we have a guided walking tour of the city centre, then time to relax before dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Turin
Day 15 : Egyptian Museum - Performance VII
After a talk on this evening’s opera, we head to Turin’s acclaimed Egyptian Museum, specialising in Egyptian archaeology and anthropology. It houses one of the largest collections of Egyptian antiquities, with more than 30,000 artefacts. Afterwards we have our farewell lunch at a fine local restaurant, then the later afternoon is at leisure before tonight’s opera at Teatro Regio.
Performance details
Venue: Teatro Regio Torino
Program: To be announced
Performers: To be announced
Day 16 : Departure
The tour ends after breakfast. Departing group members transfer to Milan Malpensa Airport for outgoing flights.
Payment Terms & Methods :
* Some Advance Percentage of total booking amount
* Airfare/Transport fare to be paid full at one time in advance.
Cancellation & Refund Policy :
* Upon cancellation, refund will be made after deducting the Retention Amount.
* Retention Amount varies as per the number of days left before your package start date.
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