Bergamo and the Donizetti Festival
From 11/21/2024
to 11/24/2024
From: € 1.090,00
A journey into the art of Bergamo and the music of its famous composer: Gaetano Donizetti
Bergamo, a city full of history which preserves in the "counterpoint" between upper and lower part, authentic jewels ranging from the Middle Ages to the present day passing through the Renaissance. The most Venetian of the Lombard cities honors its great composer, Gaetano Donizetti, with a festival dedicated to him.
The fulcrum of our musical journey is the Donizetti Opera Festival, in the splendid setting of the Teatro Donizetti we will see Don Pasquale, one of the few highly successful comic operas that has never stopped being performed since 1843; and Roberto Devereux: the last stage of the noir saga that the Composer dedicated to the Tudor dynasty over the years.
We continue the visit with the famous Pinacoteca Accademia Carrara, admiring the masterpieces of Italian art from the Gothic and Renaissance with works by Raffaello, Mantegna and Botticelli, continuing the figurative tradition between Lombardy and Veneto, until the nineteenth century. We will continue the visit in the footsteps of Lorenzo Lotto in the churches of the Lower City.
Bergamo: the city with an ancient but also modern heart, birthplace of the great composer Gaetano Donizetti and home to the Festival dedicated to him. An unmissable journey into art and music.
Block notes:
- A city to discover - The Upper Town, surrounded by the Venetian walls and declared a world heritage site by UNESCO; the Lower City with the Carrara Academy and the masterpieces of Lorenzo Lotto in the Churches of Santo Spirito and San Bartolomeo
- The Teatro Donizetti - The Donizetti Theatre, inaugurated in 1784 with the typical structure of Italian horseshoe theaters in neoclassical style with frescoes celebrating theater and music
- The Operas - Don Pasquale with his lively humour, Roberto Devereux appreciated for his musical richness and dramatic depth
Day 1 - Thursday November 21st 2024 – Arrival in Bergamo
Independent arrival at Milan central station.
2.30pm: Transfer by bus from Milan station to Bergamo.
Accommodation in reserved rooms at l’Hotel Excelsior San Marco 4* www.hotelsanmarco.com
Hotel Excelsior San Marco is located in the central area of Bergamo, on an elegant square with a garden, away from traffic but very close to the most exclusive streets of the city. The hotel is a few steps from the charming funicular that leads to the historic Upper Town within the medieval walls. The rooms are equipped with all comforts: LCD TV with Sky Vision Gold, minibar, private bathroom with hairdryer and slippers. “Non-smoking” hotel.
Welcome dinner in the hotel's panoramic restaurant. Overnight stay.
Day 2 - Friday November 22nd 2024 – Bergamo Alta (Upper part)
Breakfast in the hotel.
Morning: The day will be dedicated to discovering Bergamo Alta, the ancient heart of the city.
The Città Alta lends itself perfectly to a walking itinerary, to slowly discover all the jewels it contains. The best way to reach it from Bergamo Bassa is to board the funicular, built in 1887, which in a few minutes will take us to Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe, and offers a spectacular view of the modern city and the plain.
We will take a guided walk through a network of streets overlooked by ancient buildings. Its beating heart is Piazza Vecchia, where you can admire the Palazzo della Ragione, the Campanone, the Palazzo del Podestà and the Libreria Angelo Mai (external only).
We will reach Piazza Duomo to visit the Cappella Colleoni, the first Renaissance building in the city, commissioned by Bartolomeo Colleoni as a funerary chapel (1472-'76).
Free lunch.
Afternoon: Following of the visit to the Città Alta: the most important religious buildings of the city overlook Piazza Duomo, authentic masterpieces of art: the Duomo, dedicated to St. Alexander; the Battistero, with sculptures and reliefs by Giovanni da Campione (14th century); the splendid Romanesque Basilica of S. Maria Maggiore (12th century), the main historical-artistic building of the city, renewed in its internal decoration between the 16th and 17th centuries and enriched by the famous inlaid choir from the first half of the 16th century.
In the evening, transfer on foot to the Teatro Donizetti.
8.00pm: TEATRO DONIZETTI – DONIZETTI OPERA FESTIVAL
DON PASQUALE
Buffo drama in three acts by Giovanni Ruffini
Music by Gaetano Donizetti
Conductor Iván López Reynoso
Direction Amélie Niermeyer
CAST:
Don Pasquale Roberto de Candia
Ernesto Javier Camarena e con gli Allievi della Bottega Donizetti
Donizetti Opera Orchestra
Choir of the Teatro alla Scala Academy - Choir Master Salvo Sgrò
New production by the Donizetti Theater Foundation - Staging by the Opéra de Dijon.
Free dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3 - Saturday November 23rd 2024 - Bergamo Bassa (Lower part)
Morning: Transfer by bus to the Accademia Carrara.
Founded in 1796 by Giacomo Carrara, the Accademia Carrara is considered the museum of Italian collecting. Its collections are based entirely on bequests from enlightened patrons who wanted to increase its heritage by making it available to the city and the community. This is an important exhibition that can be divided into three sections: one dedicated to Italian art between Gothic and Renaissance, with a focus on works from the fifteenth century in the Po Valley and Veneto, with works by Pisanello, Mantegna and Bellini, and on contemporary Tuscan production where the paintings of Raffaello and Botticelli stand out. A second dedicated to the figurative tradition between Lombardy and the Venetian dominions of the Mainland, between 400 and 600, in particular in the Bergamo context where Lotto, Moroni, Baschenis and Fra Galgario worked; and the last section dedicated to the nineteenth century with a focus on the events and protagonists of the Accademia Carrara School of painting.
At the end of the visit, return to the hotel by bus.
Free lunch.
Afternoon: We will continue the visit on foot to the Città Bassa in the footsteps of Lorenzo Lotto: la Chiesa dei Santi Bartolomeo e Stefano, where the imposing Martinengo Altarpiece is preserved, the largest painting Lotto ever made and the one with which he managed to conquer the favor of local clients (1516). The Chiesa di Santo Spirito, Renaissance and with an altarpiece from 1521: the Madonna con il Bambino in trono circondate da santi is characterized by the bright colors typical of the master's painting which tell the story of the artist's evolution during his stay in Bergamo .
Return to the hotel.
In the evening, transfer on foot to the Donizetti Theatre.
8.00pm: TEATRO DONIZETTI – DONIZETTI OPERA FESTIVAL
ROBERTO DEVEREUX
Lyrical tragedy in three acts by Salvadore Cammarano
Music by Gaetano Donizetti
Conductor Riccardo Frizza
Direction Stephen Langridge
CAST
Elisabetta Jessica Pratt
Duca di Nottingham Simone Piazzola
Sara Raffaella Lupinacci
Roberto Devereux John Osborn
Lord Cecil David Astorga e con gli Allievi della Bottega Donizetti
Donizetti Opera Orchestra
Choir of the Teatro alla Scala Academy - Choir Master Salvo Sgrò
New staging by the Donizetti Theater Foundation in co-production with the Teatro Sociale of Rovigo.
Free dinner and overnight stay.
Teatro Donizetti
The Teatro Donizetti, originally called Teatro Riccardi after its builder, was inaugurated in 1791 in Bergamo. This historic building, initially featuring a plastered façade and a small portico, surprised citizens with its size and for having been built in an era of temporary wooden theaters. After a fire in 1797, it was rebuilt and reopened in 1800. The hall, which retains the 1786 design, measures 360 m2 and has a capacity of 1686 seats, distributed between armchairs and boxes in three rows. In 1897, to celebrate the centenary of Gaetano Donizetti, the theater was renamed in honor of the famous composer from Bergamo and underwent major renovations. Further expansion works began in 1958 and the renovated theater resumed its activities in 1964. In 1982 the "Donizetti and his time" Festival was launched, dedicated to the composer, and in 1992, on the occasion of the festival, the new Reduced, space for meetings, concerts and events.
Day 4 - Sunday 24th 2024 – Bergamo and departure
Breakfast in the hotel and check-out of the rooms.
9.00 am: Meeting with the guide and ascent by funicular to Bergamo Alta for the visit to Palazzo Moroni. A seventeenth-century palace that preserves decorated, furnished interiors and a rich art collection, as well as an Italian garden and a vast vegetable garden that make up an evocative historical park in the heart of the Città Alta. Since 1646 the Moroni family has owned and lived in this palace, exceptionally preserved in its original layout. The large and varied Moroni Collection is preserved here, where, in addition to works by Bernardino Luini, Cesare Tallone, the famous portraits of Gian Gerolamo Grumelli (The Knight in Pink) and Isotta Brembati stand out, executed by the painter Giovanni Battista Moroni di Albino.
At the end of the visit, return to the hotel (always by funicular).
Free time for lunch.
2.00 pm: Departure by bus and transfer to Milan Central station (about an hour's journey).
Individual greetings and departures.
INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION FEES (minimum 15 people)
In double room 1.090,00 euro
Supplement for double room for single use 230,00 euro
THE PRICE INCLUDES:
- 3 nights at Hotel Excelsior San Marco 4* with breakfast included
- Bus transfer from Milan Central Station / Bergamo return
- Tour Leader for the entire duration of the trip
- The visits indicated in the program by the art historian
- Entrance tickets to visiting places
- Welcome dinner on November 21st, drinks included
- Ticket for the funicular
- Parterre seats for the Opera Don Pasquale on November 22nd and for the opera Roberto Devereux on November 23rd
- Receiving earphones during visits
- Medical and baggage insurance
THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Tourist tax to be paid on site
- Travel to/from Milan
- Meals not indicated
- Tips, extras and anything not expressly indicated under "The price includes"
- The organizer reserves the right to cancel the trip, NO LATER than 30 days before departure, if the minimum number of participants has not been reached. In this case, the amount paid would be refunded in full.
- The order of the visits can be changed for operational needs without however changing the contents
HOW TO BOOK:
The reservation becomes effective upon receipt of:
1. completed and signed booking form
2. deposit required by bank transfer
ADVANCE PAYMENT:
Upon booking, a deposit of Euro 400.00 and any insurance premium for the "trip cancellation" policy are required. Cancellation insurance can only be taken out when registering for the trip.
BALANCE:
BALANCE: 30 days before departure (by October 21st 2024)
CANCELLATION
In the event of CANCELLATION by the customer, the following penalties will be applied, in addition to the insurance fee:
- 20% of the participation fee for cancellations by August 13, 2024
- 30% of the participation fee for cancellations by August 23, 2024
- 40% of the participation fee for cancellations by 22 September 2024
- 50% of the participation fee for cancellations by 7 October 2024
- 75% of the participation fee for cancellations by October 22, 2024
- 80% of the participation fee for cancellations by November 7, 2024
- from 8 November 2024 no refund in case of cancellation
Medical Baggage Policy included in the package
ADDITIONAL INSURANCE POLICIES
It is possible to sign up for the "Trip Cancellation" policy at the same time as booking the trip (regulations will be sent upon request)
Silver MBA insurance and the amount per share in a double room and/or double room for single use is:
- €21.00 per person up to 74 years of age in a double room
- €40.00 per person aged 75 and over
Day 1 - Thursday November 21st 2024 – Arrival in Bergamo
Independent arrival at Milan central station.
2.30pm: Transfer by bus from Milan station to Bergamo.
Accommodation in reserved rooms at l’Hotel Excelsior San Marco 4* www.hotelsanmarco.com
Hotel Excelsior San Marco is located in the central area of Bergamo, on an elegant square with a garden, away from traffic but very close to the most exclusive streets of the city. The hotel is a few steps from the charming funicular that leads to the historic Upper Town within the medieval walls. The rooms are equipped with all comforts: LCD TV with Sky Vision Gold, minibar, private bathroom with hairdryer and slippers. “Non-smoking” hotel.
Welcome dinner in the hotel's panoramic restaurant. Overnight stay.
Day 2 - Friday November 22nd 2024 – Bergamo Alta (Upper part)
Breakfast in the hotel.
Morning: The day will be dedicated to discovering Bergamo Alta, the ancient heart of the city.
The Città Alta lends itself perfectly to a walking itinerary, to slowly discover all the jewels it contains. The best way to reach it from Bergamo Bassa is to board the funicular, built in 1887, which in a few minutes will take us to Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe, and offers a spectacular view of the modern city and the plain.
We will take a guided walk through a network of streets overlooked by ancient buildings. Its beating heart is Piazza Vecchia, where you can admire the Palazzo della Ragione, the Campanone, the Palazzo del Podestà and the Libreria Angelo Mai (external only).
We will reach Piazza Duomo to visit the Cappella Colleoni, the first Renaissance building in the city, commissioned by Bartolomeo Colleoni as a funerary chapel (1472-'76).
Free lunch.
Afternoon: Following of the visit to the Città Alta: the most important religious buildings of the city overlook Piazza Duomo, authentic masterpieces of art: the Duomo, dedicated to St. Alexander; the Battistero, with sculptures and reliefs by Giovanni da Campione (14th century); the splendid Romanesque Basilica of S. Maria Maggiore (12th century), the main historical-artistic building of the city, renewed in its internal decoration between the 16th and 17th centuries and enriched by the famous inlaid choir from the first half of the 16th century.
In the evening, transfer on foot to the Teatro Donizetti.
8.00pm: TEATRO DONIZETTI – DONIZETTI OPERA FESTIVAL
DON PASQUALE
Buffo drama in three acts by Giovanni Ruffini
Music by Gaetano Donizetti
Conductor Iván López Reynoso
Direction Amélie Niermeyer
CAST:
Don Pasquale Roberto de Candia
Ernesto Javier Camarena e con gli Allievi della Bottega Donizetti
Donizetti Opera Orchestra
Choir of the Teatro alla Scala Academy - Choir Master Salvo Sgrò
New production by the Donizetti Theater Foundation - Staging by the Opéra de Dijon.
Free dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3 - Saturday November 23rd 2024 - Bergamo Bassa (Lower part)
Morning: Transfer by bus to the Accademia Carrara.
Founded in 1796 by Giacomo Carrara, the Accademia Carrara is considered the museum of Italian collecting. Its collections are based entirely on bequests from enlightened patrons who wanted to increase its heritage by making it available to the city and the community. This is an important exhibition that can be divided into three sections: one dedicated to Italian art between Gothic and Renaissance, with a focus on works from the fifteenth century in the Po Valley and Veneto, with works by Pisanello, Mantegna and Bellini, and on contemporary Tuscan production where the paintings of Raffaello and Botticelli stand out. A second dedicated to the figurative tradition between Lombardy and the Venetian dominions of the Mainland, between 400 and 600, in particular in the Bergamo context where Lotto, Moroni, Baschenis and Fra Galgario worked; and the last section dedicated to the nineteenth century with a focus on the events and protagonists of the Accademia Carrara School of painting.
At the end of the visit, return to the hotel by bus.
Free lunch.
Afternoon: We will continue the visit on foot to the Città Bassa in the footsteps of Lorenzo Lotto: la Chiesa dei Santi Bartolomeo e Stefano, where the imposing Martinengo Altarpiece is preserved, the largest painting Lotto ever made and the one with which he managed to conquer the favor of local clients (1516). The Chiesa di Santo Spirito, Renaissance and with an altarpiece from 1521: the Madonna con il Bambino in trono circondate da santi is characterized by the bright colors typical of the master's painting which tell the story of the artist's evolution during his stay in Bergamo .
Return to the hotel.
In the evening, transfer on foot to the Donizetti Theatre.
8.00pm: TEATRO DONIZETTI – DONIZETTI OPERA FESTIVAL
ROBERTO DEVEREUX
Lyrical tragedy in three acts by Salvadore Cammarano
Music by Gaetano Donizetti
Conductor Riccardo Frizza
Direction Stephen Langridge
CAST
Elisabetta Jessica Pratt
Duca di Nottingham Simone Piazzola
Sara Raffaella Lupinacci
Roberto Devereux John Osborn
Lord Cecil David Astorga e con gli Allievi della Bottega Donizetti
Donizetti Opera Orchestra
Choir of the Teatro alla Scala Academy - Choir Master Salvo Sgrò
New staging by the Donizetti Theater Foundation in co-production with the Teatro Sociale of Rovigo.
Free dinner and overnight stay.
Teatro Donizetti
The Teatro Donizetti, originally called Teatro Riccardi after its builder, was inaugurated in 1791 in Bergamo. This historic building, initially featuring a plastered façade and a small portico, surprised citizens with its size and for having been built in an era of temporary wooden theaters. After a fire in 1797, it was rebuilt and reopened in 1800. The hall, which retains the 1786 design, measures 360 m2 and has a capacity of 1686 seats, distributed between armchairs and boxes in three rows. In 1897, to celebrate the centenary of Gaetano Donizetti, the theater was renamed in honor of the famous composer from Bergamo and underwent major renovations. Further expansion works began in 1958 and the renovated theater resumed its activities in 1964. In 1982 the "Donizetti and his time" Festival was launched, dedicated to the composer, and in 1992, on the occasion of the festival, the new Reduced, space for meetings, concerts and events.
Day 4 - Sunday 24th 2024 – Bergamo and departure
Breakfast in the hotel and check-out of the rooms.
9.00 am: Meeting with the guide and ascent by funicular to Bergamo Alta for the visit to Palazzo Moroni. A seventeenth-century palace that preserves decorated, furnished interiors and a rich art collection, as well as an Italian garden and a vast vegetable garden that make up an evocative historical park in the heart of the Città Alta. Since 1646 the Moroni family has owned and lived in this palace, exceptionally preserved in its original layout. The large and varied Moroni Collection is preserved here, where, in addition to works by Bernardino Luini, Cesare Tallone, the famous portraits of Gian Gerolamo Grumelli (The Knight in Pink) and Isotta Brembati stand out, executed by the painter Giovanni Battista Moroni di Albino.
At the end of the visit, return to the hotel (always by funicular).
Free time for lunch.
2.00 pm: Departure by bus and transfer to Milan Central station (about an hour's journey).
Individual greetings and departures.
INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION FEES (minimum 15 people)
In double room 1.090,00 euro
Supplement for double room for single use 230,00 euro
THE PRICE INCLUDES:
- 3 nights at Hotel Excelsior San Marco 4* with breakfast included
- Bus transfer from Milan Central Station / Bergamo return
- Tour Leader for the entire duration of the trip
- The visits indicated in the program by the art historian
- Entrance tickets to visiting places
- Welcome dinner on November 21st, drinks included
- Ticket for the funicular
- Parterre seats for the Opera Don Pasquale on November 22nd and for the opera Roberto Devereux on November 23rd
- Receiving earphones during visits
- Medical and baggage insurance
THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Tourist tax to be paid on site
- Travel to/from Milan
- Meals not indicated
- Tips, extras and anything not expressly indicated under "The price includes"
- The organizer reserves the right to cancel the trip, NO LATER than 30 days before departure, if the minimum number of participants has not been reached. In this case, the amount paid would be refunded in full.
- The order of the visits can be changed for operational needs without however changing the contents
HOW TO BOOK:
The reservation becomes effective upon receipt of:
1. completed and signed booking form
2. deposit required by bank transfer
ADVANCE PAYMENT:
Upon booking, a deposit of Euro 400.00 and any insurance premium for the "trip cancellation" policy are required. Cancellation insurance can only be taken out when registering for the trip.
BALANCE:
BALANCE: 30 days before departure (by October 21st 2024)
CANCELLATION
In the event of CANCELLATION by the customer, the following penalties will be applied, in addition to the insurance fee:
- 20% of the participation fee for cancellations by August 13, 2024
- 30% of the participation fee for cancellations by August 23, 2024
- 40% of the participation fee for cancellations by 22 September 2024
- 50% of the participation fee for cancellations by 7 October 2024
- 75% of the participation fee for cancellations by October 22, 2024
- 80% of the participation fee for cancellations by November 7, 2024
- from 8 November 2024 no refund in case of cancellation
Medical Baggage Policy included in the package
ADDITIONAL INSURANCE POLICIES
It is possible to sign up for the "Trip Cancellation" policy at the same time as booking the trip (regulations will be sent upon request)
Silver MBA insurance and the amount per share in a double room and/or double room for single use is:
- €21.00 per person up to 74 years of age in a double room
- €40.00 per person aged 75 and over
Book now
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