Classical music lovers, an easy group to target through orchestra and chamber music organization lists, can choose among three cruises on Peter Deilmann’s vessels in 2009. In addition to hearing an array of classical performances onboard, passengers can also purchase excursion packages that include five shore excursions and concert performances ashore for $257 per person.
An April 25, the 106-passenger Dresden sails from Hamburg to Dresden, with performances in Dresden’s Semper Opera House, with headliner Sophie Koch performing chansons from Hector Berlioz, Henri Duparc and Richard Strauss. Guests also can enjoy a behind-the-scene tour of the Semper Opera house situated on the banks of the Elbe River.
The itinerary will delve deep into the rich culture and history of the destinations visited, with optional city tours providing a comprehensive look at the well-preserved medieval city of Tangermunde with its Gothic brick-built Old Town; Magdeburg, home to the tallest church building in eastern Germany; Meissen, renowned for its quality porcelain; and Wittenberg, where an optional excursion travels in the footsteps of Protestant reformer Martin Luther. Guests will also visit Prague, and its ancient, massive Hradcany Castle. Pricing begins at $1,625 per person, based on double occupancy.
The other music cruises are, rather appropriately, on the 100-passenger Mozart, sailing on April 26 and Oct. 4, roundtrip from Munich (Passau). Five classical musicians will serenade guests enroute with pieces from the Baroque era, sonatas from the classical era and harp music by French Impressionist composers.
The cruise includes live musical performances in Budapest and Vienna, a tour of the Theatre of Vienna, where Mozart’s Magic Flute was first performed; the Stephansdom Cathedral, where Mozart was married; and Figaro House, where Mozart wrote The Marriage of Figaro.
Other stops on the river include Durnstein, which has kept its historic character and is regarded by many as the most romantic place in the Wachau Austrian valley; Melk, which is dominated by one of the most splendid monastic houses in the country, the Benedictine Abbey; the picturesque little town of Grein, with it commanding Greinburg Castle; and Bratislava, where guests will take in the city’s charming Old Town and its Mirbach Palace, an architectural treasure. Fares range from $2,000 per person, based on double occupancy.
www.deilmann-cruises.com/theme
