Easter 2013 in Vienna
Two Vienna Residency Tours: Itinerary
Land Package Inclusions (for each residency package)
MidAmerica Productions, Inc
Peter Tiboris, General Music Director and Artistic Director
P R E S E N T S
Two Remarkable Music Tours to Vienna
Featuring the Music of Mozart and Beethoven
at Easter, March 31, 2013
For North American Choruses
Mozart’s Requiem:
Friday, March 22 – Easter Sunday, March 31, 2013
Guest Conductor, Tim Sharp
Beethoven’s Mass in C Major:
Friday, March 29 – Sunday, April 7, 2013
Guest Conductor, Earl Rivers
Orchester der St. Peterskirche Wien &
World Class Soloists
Identical residencies, each starting on different dates over the Easter week.
Each residency features two performance venues during a period of 10 days, and
9 nights in historic Vienna.
Subject to change without notice
TWO VIENNA RESIDENCY TOURS: Itinerary
Residency 1: Arrive Friday, March 22 & Depart Sunday, March 31, 2013
or
Residency 2: Arrive Friday, March 29 & Depart Sunday, April 7, 2013
(Note: All tours are subject to change without notice)
DEPART USA: RESIDENCY 1: Thursday, March 21 or RESIDENCY 2: Thursday, March 28
Day 1 – Friday
RESIDENCY 1: Friday, March 22 or RESIDENCY 2: Friday, March 29
s Arrive in Vienna. MidAmerica Productions staff and Columbus Welcome Management staff meet you at the airport and transfer you to Imperial Riding School Renaissance Vienna Hotel of the Marriott Corporation for check in. The Imperial Riding School http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/viese-imperial-riding-school-renaissance-vienna-hotel is located in central Vienna. Refreshments will be served upon arrival.
s 6:00 PM-7:00 PM: Organizational meeting at hotel
s Remainder of evening free
Day 2 - Saturday
s Breakfast
s 9:30 AM-12:00 PM: Rehearsal with piano in Imperial Riding School Hotel
s 12:30 PM: Bus transfer of all participants to vicinity of Schönbrunn Palace; lunch on-your-own in the area.
s First Tour: A guided general tour of the city and Schönbrunn Palace; bus, guide, and entrance fee all included.
Ø First Tour: See the most important sights of Vienna: the Hofburg Palace (the former winter residence of the Hapsburg family), the Ringstraße with its magnificent and impressive buildings such as the State Opera House, national museums, Parliament, the Burgtheater, the University and the Votivkirche; as well as the Karlskirche (Vienna’s most beautiful baroque church) and the Musikverein, home of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The highlight of the tour will be an interior visit of the famous Schönbrunn Palace with its lavishly decorated rooms that demonstrate the glamour of past times. Schönbrunn is simply a must see.
s 6:00PM: Bus transfer back to hotel
s Evening free
(Tour descriptions courtesy of Vienna’s Columbus Management)
Day 3 – Sunday (Palm Sunday or Easter Sunday)
s Breakfast
s Morning free to attend services
s 2:00 PM-5:00 PM: Afternoon rehearsal in hotel
s Evening free to explore central Vienna on your own
Day 4 - Monday
s Breakfast
s 9:30 AM-12:00 PM: Rehearsal in hotel
s Break for lunch on your own
s Second Tour: From 2:00PM-5:30PM: Visit the House of Music. Bus, guide, and entrance fee all included.
s 5:00 PM: Bus transfer back to hotel
s Evening free
Ø Second Tour: Set off on your own musical journey at the House of Music located in the very historical site of the palace of Archduke Charles. Nestled in the center of Vienna, the House of Music’s six floors invite you to the world of sounds and its many phenomena. You will find that music is not only for listening: in the House of Music, you can see different sounds, feel them, and create them yourself. State-of-the-art computer installations will be your "tour guides." Visitors are encouraged to engage in interactive play with music: you will learn about music history, experience unexpected sounds, and will come to know the House of Music as a center for aesthetic, scientific, popular, and artistic musical encounters.
The Virtual Conductor: Experience conducting the Vienna Philharmonic! Each visitor gets a chance to conduct the Vienna Philharmonic in a virtual simulator. The orchestra abides by your instructions as you set the tempo and rhythm with your baton. For more information, visit www.hdm.at
The Vienna Philharmonic Museum: Experience the history of this unique orchestra. Separate from the House of Music’s experience zones, the Vienna Philharmonic Museum is located on the first floor in what were formerly the magnificent rooms of the Palace.
Day 5 - Tuesday
s Breakfast
s 9:30AM-12:00PM: Rehearsal in hotel
s Third Tour: Lunch in central Vienna on your own, followed by a guided walking tour of the homes of Mozart and Beethoven, and a visit to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, where the funerals of important musicians have been held (including Mozart’s):
Ø Third Tour: We take you on a stroll through the atmospheric old city, seeing selected points of interest. You will discover some of the delightful features of Vienna and visit parts of the city only a true Viennese can point out.
The Old City: The first district is the oldest part of Vienna, where some sections date back to the Roman Empire. Narrow roads still paved with cobblestones, and historic buildings are typical stopovers along the evolution of architectural style from Renaissance to Baroque, to today. One of the many special highlights is St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the finest Gothic structure in Austria. It boasts a high Gothic choir and a late Gothic nave with a steeply pitched roof and decorative glazed tiles. The regularly tapering south tower, popularly known as “Steffl” is Vienna’s principal landmark. Major state services are held here, and Mozart’s funeral took place here.
Mozarthaus Vienna: Though Mozart lived at a dozen different addresses in Vienna, the only apartment that has survived to this day is at Domgasse No. 5. The composer lived at this address from 1784 till 1787. Occupying 1,000 square meters on six levels, the Mozarthaus was opened on January 27, 2006 – the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth. Visitors are immersed in the vibrant world of Mozart, experiencing his bountiful genius and creativity, his family, and his friends and foes in Vienna of the late Baroque. His apartment on the first floor had four large rooms, two small ones and a kitchen. Throughout his life, Mozart attached great importance to outward appearances: only smart clothes and buckled shoes would suit him. www.mozarthausvienna.at
s Return to hotel
s Evening free
Day 6 – Wednesday
s Breakfast
s Fourth Tour: Take a morning tour of the burial sites of famous composers.
Ø Fourth Tour: Burial Sites of Famous Composers
Each group contains a number of famous graves:
Group 32A
-Ludwig Van Beethoven: died in 1827, grave 29.
-Johannes Brahms: died in 1897, grave 26.
-Franz Schubert: died in 1828, grave 28.
-Johann Strauss Jr.: the most famous of the family; died 1899, grave 27.
Group 32C
-Arnold Schönberg: died 1951, grave 21a.
Group 40
-Antonio Salieri: died 1825, Group 0, grave 54.
-Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: died 1791, grave 55. This is a memorial only. This is the most famous gravestone, but Mozart’s actual resting place remains hidden somewhere in the cemetery in the village of St. Marx— when he died he was buried in a communal plot, as was standard practice at the time, and not a pauper's grave as many people believe.
s 1:00 PM: General rehearsal in St. Peter’s Church with orchestra and soloists
s Return to hotel; dinner on own and dress for concert
s First Performance at 8:00 PM in St. Peter’s Church
Day 7 - Thursday
s Day at leisure or optional tour to Salzburg, in which case you leave from hotel by bus at 9:00 AM.
Ø OPTIONAL Tour: To Salzburg with a guide. Leave at 9:00 AM and return at 9:00 PM. This is not part of the cost package and is optional for those who wish to participate. The cost, description, and particulars will be announced on November 1, 2012. Those electing to take the tour to historic Salzburg will have this cost added to their final payment. Those choosing not to take the trip to Salzburg will have a free day in Vienna.
Day 8 - Friday
s Breakfast
s Morning free
Lunch on own
s Fifth Tour: Afternoon visit to the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts) of Vienna, with a guided tour of the Collection of Historic Instruments:
Ø Fifth Tour: Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts)
The newly constructed museum building in the Vienna Ringstraße opened in 1891. The architects Gottfried von Semper (1803-1879) and Karl Hasenauer (1833-1894) designed the building in the style of the Italian Renaissance, establishing a link with special significance for the arts and sciences in the spirit of historicism.
Picture Gallery: The Picture Gallery of the Kunsthistorisches Museum developed from the art collections of the House of Hapsburg. Today it is one of the largest and most important of its kind. The foundation and main emphasis of the collection lies in the masters of the 16th and 17th centuries: 16th century Venetian painting (Titian, Veronese, and Tintoretto), 17th -century Flemish painting (Peter Paul Rubens, Sir Anthony Van Dyck), early Dutch painting (Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden) and German Renaissance painting (Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach the Elder). Among the other highlights in the Picture Gallery are its holdings of pictures by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, which are unique worldwide, as well as masterpieces by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Raphael, Caravaggio, Velázquez, and other important Italian Baroque painters.
The Collection of Historic Instruments: Admire the instruments on which such musicians as Beethoven and Chopin once entertained the imperial family. The exhibited string, wind and keyboard instruments were not only treasured for their beautiful sound but also for their looks: the highly ornate instruments – especially the collection from the Renaissance era – mirror the splendour of the Hapsburg Empire. One acoustic highlight is the only original recording of the Johann Strauss Orchestra.
s Complimentary ticket to a concert in the Konzerthaus or Musikverein. Concert and location to be announced December 1, 2012.
Day 9 - Saturday
s Breakfast
s Morning and afternoon free for shopping, exploring, and leisure
s Second Performance at Minoriten Church
s Post-Concert Gala Reception: This final gathering be a full dinner at the historic Salm Bräu:
Ø Following your final performance in Vienna, everyone will go to the Salm Bräu for a gala end-of-residency party which includes full dinner. This unique facility has a 450+ year history and encompasses its own brewery, distillery and restaurant. (The Salm Bräu is a five-minute walk from the Hotel Imperial Riding School.) Its signature beers are brewed according to old recipes, and paired with delicious home style Viennese cuisine.
Day 10 - Sunday, March 31 (Easter) or Sunday, April 7
s Depart by coach for airport to return home.
All tours subject to change without notice
Total cost is €1299 Euros (or at an approximate exchange rate of 1.25 = $1,623) per person, based on double occupancy. This includes events, accommodations, transfers, & all tips, gratuity, and VAT taxes described in the day to day itinerary and specifically itemized on the “inclusions” page. This price does not include airfare to Vienna. Single supplement occupancy is € 422 Euros additional. Note that single rooms are limited. Triple rooms are occasionally available and the cost per person is the same as double room occupancy, €1299 Euros per person.
At the time of the FIRST DEPOSIT, the exchange rate for your ensemble will become fixed and firm, and the dollar amount computed based on the exchange rate for that day. For example: € 1299 Euros at an exchange rate of $1.25 USD is $1,623 USD. At that time the dollar amount for this program will remain unchanged, regardless of whether the dollar weakens or strengthens for the remainder of your deposits.
Spouses, friends, and families are welcome to be part of the residency. The package described here applies to them as well.
Deposit deadlines:
¨ $300 per person on or before September 1, 2012 (final cost in dollars at this deposit is fixed based on €1299 Euros converted to the US Dollar on that day).
¨ $250 per person on or before November 1, 2012.
¨ $300 per person on or before December 15, 2012.
¨ Balance due on or before February 15, 2013.
ALL CHECKS ARE PAYABLE TO: MIDAMERICA PRODUCTIONS INTERNATIONAL, INC. Please forward your payment (one check per group) along with the registration form (one form per group) to:
Ms. Joyce Howard-Brazel
Vice President, Director of Account Operations
MIDAM INTERNATIONAL, INC.
132 West 36th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10018
Note:
1 FREE LAND Package (€1299 Euros) on 30 paying land packages (#31 is free); another is FREE at 60 paid land packages.
All deposits and payments are non-refundable and non-transferable to the group’s unpaid balance, should an individual cancel their participation. Cancellation insurance, therefore, is recommended.
Please visit www.travelexinsurance.com or call 1-800-228-9792 to inquire about trip cancellation insurance.
If MidAmerica Productions cancels, all monies will be immediately and completely refunded.
Airfares to Vienna are the responsibility of the participating ensembles & Individuals.
If you are a US citizen, a valid passport is required but no visa is required.
If you are NOT a US citizen, please check with your embassy regarding entry requirements to Austria.
Land Package Inclusions (for each residency package):
Performance/artistic administration:
1. Two public performances with orchestra and soloists.
2. Distinguished guest conductors (Timothy Sharp conducts Mozart’s REQUIEM and Earl Rivers conducts Beethoven’s MASS IN C)
3. Orchestra da Peterkirche Wien (Orchestra of St. Peter) for concerts.
4. Four world-class European soloists.
5. Professional accompanists and language coaches.
6. Audience management of concerts in cooperation with Columbus Welcome Management.
7. National and International press coverage.
8. Internet posting and updating.
9. Concert photograph sent to each director by May 1, 2013.
10. Complimentary concert DVD sent to each director of their concert (pending approval of the Vienna musicians union).
11. Publicity, management, and audience development of your two concerts in Vienna.
12. Complimentary concert poster given to each participant at the conclusion of the tour.
Lodging/Ground transportation/board:
13. Nine (9) nights in Vienna, double occupancy at the Imperial Riding School Renaissance Vienna Hotel of the Marriott Corporation, http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/viese-imperial-riding-school-renaissance-vienna-hotel/. Single occupancy is €422 Euros additional (when singles are available). Triples are in limited supply, and the cost per person is still €1299 Euros per person (or at an exchange rate of $1.25 = $1,623).
14. Package includes all local taxes, gratuities (15%) Value Added Tax of 18%.
15. MidAmerica Productions and Columbus Welcome Management personnel on site in hotels during your residency.
16. Refreshment upon arrival at the hotel on March 22/March 29.
17. MidAmerica manages all travel details during the tour on your behalf with Vienna's Columbus Welcome Management, a company whose expertise is in concert music travel for incoming ensembles.
18. Nine (9) breakfasts.
19. Gala celebration dinner at Salm Bräu after the last concert.
20. Bus transfers (approximately 24), to all tours, rehearsals, and concerts; as needed. Airport transfers will be available on March 22/March 29, upon arrival and March 31/April 7, for departure.
21. Escorts on busses from all locations.
22. English-speaking guides.
23. One free land package based on 30 full-paying package people.
24. Assistance with purchasing international flight tickets to and from Vienna when requested.
Sightseeing:
25. First Tour: General City Tour and Schönbrunn Palace (see description in itinerary – all entrance fees, guide, and bus included).
26. Second Tour: House of Music (see description in itinerary – all entrance fees, guide, and bus included).
27. Third Tour: Walking Tour including homes of Mozart and Beethoven, and St. Stephen’s Cathedral (see description in itinerary – all entrance fees, guide, and bus included).
28. Fourth Tour: Graves of Famous Composers (see description in itinerary – guide and bus included).
29. Fifth Tour: Kunsthistorisches Museum, aka Museum of Fine Arts and Collection of Historic Instruments (see description in itinerary – all entrance fees, guide, and bus included).
30. Optional Tour: full-day excursion to the city of Salzburg. Tour on Day 7 is not part of the package but will be announced in early December. It is billed separately for those who wish to participate.
31. Complimentary ticket to a concert in the Konzerthaus or Musikverein on March 29/April 5. Concert and location to be announced by December 1, 2012.
1. Your round-trip air fare to Vienna.
2. All lunches and dinners (except the finale celebration dinner after the last concert).
3. Purchase of your choral music.
4. Optional one-day tour to Salzburg, which is billed on your last payment for those who choose to go.
Ms. Betsy J. Stein
Tour Coordinator
MidAmerica Productions, Inc.
132 West 36th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10018-6903
Email: bjstein@midamerica-music.com
Office #: 212-239-0205 – ext. 293
Direct office #: 212-736-1617
Cell #: 917-232-1389
Fax #: 212-563-5587
