This November, a new production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle by the controversial Spanish director Calixto Bieito will take place, bringing together an exceptional cast, along with the Paris Opera Orchestra and Chorus, under the baton of Music Director Philippe Jordan.
Martina Serafin, Iain Paterson, Eva-Maria Westbroek, Jonas Kaufmann, Gerhard Siegel, Ain Anger, Dame Sarah Connolly and Ekaterina Gubanova are just a few of the outstanding singers bringing Wagner’s epic to life on the stage of the Opera Bastille.
Arriving on the Eurostar at the Gare du Nord on the early afternoon on Sunday 29 November, the group will transfer to the fpur-star Hôtel Westminster, located on the famous Rue de la Paix.
The hotel was named after the Duke of Westminster who resided in this sumptuous property in the 19th century, and which is considered by many to be the Crown Jewel of authentic, historical Paris hotels. A welcome dinner and drinks will be served in the hotel that evening.
After spending the first full day exploring the famous sites of France’s capital city, the group will head by coach to the Opéra Bastille for the performance of Das Rheingold.
Other musical events include early evening performances of Die Walküre and Siegfried, and a matinée performance of the final opera of the cycle, Götterdämmerung.
There will also be a guided tour of the Palais Garnier, which was built by the young French architect Charles Garnier, to learn about major performances and events that have taken place there since its inauguration in 1875 – with a special mention of Eric, the opera house’s famous phantom!
The group will also visit the Cité de la Musique – a little-known museum which houses an impressive collection of instruments from different eras, including Chopin’s piano – and take a coach tour of Paris based around the virtuoso pianist.
The holiday (29 November – 7 December 2020) costs from £2,895 pp (two sharing a room) which includes rail travel, station transfers, activities/sightseeing as per the itinerary, eight nights’ B&B (plus three lunches and one dinner), category two ticket for each included performance, opera synopses, restaurant guide and city notes.
For further information call 020 8799 8350 or visit www.travelforthearts.com. Cover image: Opera national de Paris. Opera Bastille. ©Patrick Tourneboeuf/Tendance Floue/OnP
