Firebird Fine Arts
www.firebird-tours.com
PROPOSED ITINERARY FOR
LEHIGH UNIVERSITY CHOIR
PERFORMANCE TOUR
May 19 - 29, 2015
May 19 Depart Newark on Delta Airlines flight 140 at 6.20 PM, flying via
Amsterdam to Milan. (first group of 40 persons) The second group departs
Newark on Swiss Airlines flight LX 19 at 9.55 PM, flying via Zurich to Milan.
May 20 (Wed.) MILAN - PADUA
Arrival in Milan Airport at 1.10 PM (first group), and 1.20 PM (second group)
We board buses and depart for Padua, a three-hour drive away. Make a
lunch stop on Lake Garda.
Arrival in Padua, check into the Hotel Casa del Pelegrino
www.casadelpellegrino.com. The hotel is located on the square of the
Basilica di Sant’ Antonio of which construction was begun in 1234, dedicated
to St. Anthony, a beloved saint who was canonized only a year after his
death. Dinner and time for a stroll.
May 21 (Thurs.) PADUA
Buffet breakfast
10.00 Enjoy a walking tour to become more acquainted with Padua, home to
the world’s second oldest university, founded in 1222. Some of the more
famous alums include the likes of Dante (1265-1321), Petrarch (1304-74) and
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642).
12.30 Lunch in the medieval pizzeria “Eremitani”.
14.00 We take special delight in the discovery of Giotto’s frescos in the
Scrovegni chapel. It is among the best-known and best-preserved works
in all of Italy.
16.00 Free time
18.00 Walk together to the Santa Caterina Church for a special
presentation by Professor Marina Malavasi from the Pollini
Conservatory of Music in Padua and her students:
“THE WORLD OF ITALIAN MUSIC” with interpretations by musicians
from the conservatory.
Dinner afterwards on your own.
May 22 (Friday) - PADUA – DAY TRIP TO VERONA - CONCERT
Buffet breakfast. This morning we drive to venerable city of Verona.
10.00 Like all of the Italian cities in this area, it is best explored on foot, which
we will do together with fine local guides. Verona grew to power and
prosperity in the Roman Empire, and continued to flourish under the rule of
barbarian kings. It reached its cultural and artistic peak in the 13 th and 14th
centuries under the della Scala dynasty. Verona has become famous for the
setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet here, has developed a special
reputation as a romantic city.
Another highlight is the world-famous Arena di Verona, famous for its
spectacular open-air opera productions.
12.00 Lunch on your own
14.00 Rehearsal at concert site. Proposed: San Fermo Maggiore
Church or Santa Anastasia Basilica
Free time
17.00 Light supper
19.00 CONCERT
Return to Padua
May 23 (Sat.) PADUA – FREE TIME – CONCERT
Buffet breakfast.
Free time for strolling and shopping.
Lunch on your own.
14.00 Rehearsal
Friends of the choir are welcome to visit the home of Galileo
or to explore the Jewish neighborhoods of the Old Town with a
guide, if desired.
16.00 Meeting with members of the Iris Ensemble, our host choir for the
Padua concert, students at the University of Padua.
18.00 Enjoy Salad and light main course in our hotel restaurant.
19.30 We walk to our nearby concert site for
20.45 CONCERT in the
S_c_u_o_l_a_ _d_e_l_l_a_ _C_a_r_i_t_à
The School of Charity is a jewel located in one of the oldest streets of
Padua, Via San Francesco. The history of the school was from the outset
linked to that of a brotherhood and a hospital, that of St. Francis: the great
room is decorated with a precious cycle of frescoes representing 12 episodes
in the Life of the Virgin. The frescoes, begun in 1579 by Dario Varotari, are
especially admired today in their original splendor thanks to a recent
restoration, which took place in 2007
After concert dessert celebration with the Iris singers.
May 24 (Sun.) PADUA - DAY IN VENICE - CONCERT
After breakfast we will depart for the short trip to Venice (approx. ½ hour).
It’s called ‘La Serenissima’ in Italian, meaning “the most serene”, a
reference to the wisdom, majesty and the power of this city that was for
centuries the powerhouse of trade between Europe and the Orient.
Spend the day soaking up the beauty of this majestic city. After a short
orientation tour in the morning, you will have lunch on your own. Some of the
main sights include the Basilica di San Marco, Palazzo Ducale, Gallerie
dell’Academia, Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, and of course the canals.
14.00 Rehearsal
17.30 CONCERT (site to be determined, first choice is Santa Maria
Gloriosa dei Frari, where Monteverdi is buried)
Return to Padua for dinner on your own and overnight.
May 25 (Mon.) PADUA –CREMONA– ALBA
Breakfast buffet.
Depart for Alba with a stop in Cremona for lunch.
Cremona centres on the cathedral square, with the finely proportioned
Romanesque cathedral (consecrated 1190). The adjoining Torrazzo is
reputedly the highest bell tower in Italy (120 meters) Cremona is the
birthplace of Claudio Monteverdi in 1567 and noted for its musical history
and traditions, Cremona is famous for the violins and violas made there since
the 16th–18th centuries by the Amati family and their pupils, the Guarneri and
Antonio Stradivari. A state-of-the-art museum, opened just a year ago, now
provides an inspiring insight into the art and tradition of violin making, also
breathtaking examples of the instruments produced here.
It is also a fine place to get lunch on your own!
Late afternoon continue our journey with a two-hour drive to Alba.
The city of Alba is located in the northern Piedmont region of Italy, which is
surrounded on three sides by the Alps. Its history dates back to pre-Roman
times and here are architectural landmarks of Roman, Romanesque, Gothic
and Baroque eras. Alba is famous for its white truffle, peach and wine
production, also Ferrero candies.
Most importantly for us: It is the stage for the dynamic and internationally
influenced Alba Music Festival, which attracts more than 10,000 people
each year and has been called “the little Spoleto of Piemonte”
“The Festival stages concerts in the most prestigious places in Alba, including
majestic castles and intimate churches that are the heart of the region’s
uniqueness.”
Check into our hotel for four nights.
Enjoy a performance of the Alba Music Festival.
May 26 (Tues.) ALBA – DAY EXCURSION TO TURIN -- CONCERT
Turin, the awe-inspiring capital of the Piedmont region, is only an hour away.
The urban area has 1.7 million inhabitants.
The city has a rich culture and history, and is known for its numerous art
galleries, restaurants, churches, palaces, opera houses, piazzas, parks,
gardens, theatres and museums.
Here are some of Italy's best universities, colleges, academies, including the
six-century-old University of Turin.
The city used to be a major European political force, was Italy's first capital
city in 1861 and since the 16th century, home to the House of Savoy, Italy's
royal family. It is currently one of Italy's main cultural and industrial centers
and is also home to Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo.
Enjoy a two-hour walking tour of the historic center of Turin, then have time
for strolling and lunch on your own.
We meet for rehearsal in one of Turin’s beautiful concert sites.
During this rehearsal we suggest that the friends of the choir
enjoy a visit to one or two of Turin’s historic Grand Cafes. To
quote the “Best of Italy” magazine:
“Best of all, you could go on a café crawl to compare drinks
and atmospheres. After all, Piedmont (this region) is home to
eight of Italy’s best cafés, as chosen by Italy’s gastronomic
bible Il Gambero Rosso. Here is a delicious site to browse and
enjoy!
http://slowitaly.yourguidetoitaly.com/2012/02/best-historiccafes-of-turin/
A light supper and time to relax before the concert.
20.00 CONCERT
Return to our hotel in Alba.
May 27 (Wed.) ALBA – BAROLO WINE VILLAGES
The city of Alba is nestled among vineyard-covered hills, crowned by villages
where medieval, renaissance and baroque castles and churches wait to be
discovered.
Begin with a guided tour in La Morra, one of these villages. Visit a
vinegard, a wine museum and a castle. You are then free to explore, hike
and sample the local fare with lunch on your own. This is the region where the
renowned Barolo wines are produced. Return to Alba in the late afternoon.
Enjoy dinner and a performance of the Alba Music Festival.
May 28 (Thurs.) ALBA – FINAL FESTIVE CONCERT
This morning explore the city both above ground, as well as
Roman ruins below, with local guides.
After lunch on your own, time to relax before rehearsal.
During the choir rehearsal, friends of the choir are invited to
visit the Archeological Museum, meet with a local artist or
visit the Ferrero Chocolate Factory (This company has its
headquarters and was founded here in the 1940’s.)
Shopping for last-minute gifts and fashions is also good in
Alba!
Light supper.
CONCERT, which is included in the Alba Music Festival.
Concert site is the gothic San Domenico Church.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbvkXf5zv58
May 29 (Fri.) ALBA – MILAN MALPENSA AIRPORT – NEWARK
Early departure for Milan Airport and the return flight to Newark.