Barcelona & Valencia
Day 1: Barcelona—fly at c. 12.15 pm from London Heathrow to Barcelona—walk through the Barri Gòtic, a marvellously well-preserved mediaeval quarter where some of the finest eating establishments of the city are still to be found—introduction to Catalan wines before dinner—first of two nights in Barcelona.
Day 2: Barcelona—lecture on tonight’s performance—visit the Palau de la Música Catalana, the highly ornate modernista concert hall by Domènech i Montaner (subject to confirmation)—free afternoon: we recommend the Picasso Museum or the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (Romanesque, Gothic and modern collections)—early dinner—
8.00 pm opera at Gran Teatre del Liceu: Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Mozart): Christof Loy (director), Herbert Murauer (set & costume design), Olaf Winter (lighting), Ivor Bolton (conductor), Diana Damrau (Constanze), Olga Peretyatko (Blondchen), Christoph Strehl (Belmonte), Norbert Ernst (Pedrillo), Christoph Quest (Bassa Selim), Franz-Josef Selig (Osmin)—overnight Barcelona.
Day 3: Barcelona, Valencia—morning walk through the Boquería, the Art Nouveau market with amazing displays, end with an aperitivo—some free time—2.30 pm train from Barcelona to Valencia (duration: 3 hours)—settle into the hotel before a walk through the historic centre—dinner accompanied by a selection of Valencian wines—first of three nights in Valencia.
Day 4: Valencia—lecture on tonight’s two performances—walk a route through the city, accompanied by the lecturers—great examples of secular 15th-century Gothic include the Generalitat and the Silk Exchange—the cathedral, a mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque—end at the National Ceramics Museum, housed in an exuberantly Churrigueresque palace, with collections which range from Moorish lustre ware to Picasso—free afternoon, suggestions include IVAM (Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno) or the home and studio of the Benlliure family of Impressionist painters—early dinner—
8.00 pm opera at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía: La Vida Breve (Manuel de Falla): Lorin Maazel (conductor), Giancarlo Del Monaco (stage director), Cristina Gallardo-Domâs (Salud), Jorge de León (Paco), Sandra Fernández (Carmela)—Cavalleria Rusticana (Pietro Mascagni), Lorin Maazel, Giancarlo Del Monaco, Anna Smirnova (Santuzza), Jorge de León/Aleksandrs Antonenko (Turiddu), Gevork Hakobyan (Alfio)—overnight Valencia.
Day 5: Valencia—morning lecture—walk to the Fine Arts Museum, one of the best in Spain, with works by Valencian, Spanish and Flemish masters—free afternoon to see more of Calatrava’s Art and Science Park including an immense arboretum and a soaring edifice that houses the science museum or David Chipperfield’s building ‘Veles e Vents’ for the America’s Cup—early dinner—
8.00 pm opera at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía: La Traviata (G. Verdi): Lorin Maazel (conductor), Henning Brockhaus (stage director), cast to be confirmed—overnight Valencia.
Day 6: Valencia, Barcelona—leisurely start for the 11.00 am train to Barcelona—by coach to Barcelona Airport—the flight to Heathrow arrives c. 7.00 pm.