DAY 1

Thurs

Oct 31

TRAVEL DAY

Arrive in Budapest. Check into the beautiful Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace, Budapest

Evening -– Welcome Cocktail Reception. Meet the singers and their coaches.

DAY 2

Fri

Nov 1

OPERA-TUNITY KNOCKS: BUDAPEST

Morning -Budapest offers an unmatched combination of culture and tradition. Your city tour visits both the Buda (hilly) and the Pest (flat) sides of the river. You’ll see Heroes’ Square and Castle Hill, home to the Fisherman’s Bastion and Mattias Church. As an alternative, you can hike up to Castle Hill for breathtaking views of the city below.

Lunch on your own

Afternoon - Opera Program 1: Opening the Treasure Chest—Exploring the Score

We will be working with four superb opera singers on well-known arias and duets.  Our program begins with an in-depth exploration of each score: what did the composers intend?  We take apart the scores to explore their immense riches.   

Evening – Opera at the Budapest Opera House. (Subject to programing for 2024.)(B)

DAY 3

Sat

Nov 2

DISCOVERING BUDAPEST'S CULTURAL TREASURES: OPERA & LISzt MUSEUM

Enter a world of grandeur and musical history a your knowledgeable local guide leads you through the exquisitely designed Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest. From its grandiose neo-Renaissance façade to its dramatic marble staircases to its immaculate ceiling frescoes, this building has played host to countless operas and ballets for more than a century and its beauty will leave you speechless. Take your moment in the spotlight on stage, with the possibility of witnessing actual performers in action. Following your visit to the opera, venture to number thirty-five Vorosmarty Street where the Franz Liszt Memorial Museum is located. Franz Liszt was a renowned 19th-century Hungarian musician and composer whose works spanned more than six decades – and he lived on the first floor of this building from 1811-1886. Learn more about his life and the music that made him famous.  A visit to the Great Market Hall, lunch on your own, before embarking your beautiful AMA Waterways ship, the AmaViola. (B, D)

DAY 4

Sun

Nov 3

EXPERIENCE BUDAPEST'S JEWISH HERITAGE

Morning - Our Jewish heritage tour visits the museum at beautiful Dohány Synagogue, as well as the Tree of Life Holocaust memorial and the Temple of Heroes, dedicated to Jewish Hungarian soldiers who fought during WWI.

Afternoon

Opera Program 2: Bringing the Space to Life

Every aria or duet takes place in a specific “where”— whether it’s the ramparts of a castle, in a sacred chapel, on at the bottom of the Rhine River. In this session we work on how the singers bring the environment to life through the music, words, their imagination, and their acting skill. (B, L, D)

DAY 5

Mon

Nov 4

BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA

Host to the crowning ceremonies of 11 Hungarian kings and queens between 1536 and 1830, Bratislava certainly has earned the title “Coronation City of Kings,” as you’ll discover during your walking tour. Plus, enjoy a surprise musical performance as part of this included excursion. Or join a special “Tastes of Slovakia” tour. For a more active adventure, hike up to Bratislava Castle, offering magnificent views of the city or enjoy a guided bike tour, pausing to take photos with some of the celebrated statues in Old Town. In the afternoon, take in the breathtaking scenery along the Danube River from your balcony or while up on the Sun Deck – you may even catch a glimpse of the gleaming Bratislava Castle as you leave the city. (B, L, D)

DAY 6

Tues

Nov 5

MELK, AUSTRIA

Morning - Sail through Austria’s beautiful Wachau Valley to Melk and explore the city known for its magnificent Benedictine Abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Europe’s largest and most revered monasteries. Within these walls you will find frescoes painted by Johann Michael Rottmayr and Paul Troger, as well as a famed collection of musical manuscripts. You will also be treated to a beautiful live choral performance in Melk’s community hall. If you prefer a more active adventure, hike up to the Melk Abbey and then visit this magnificent Baroque monastery or join a guided bike tour to Melk.

Afternoon - Enjoy an afternoon scenic cruise.

Opera Program 3: The Intensity of Character and Relationship

How do singers embody their characters?  What are each character’s personality traits? What’s their backstory?  How do their characters inform their singing?  Marvel at how the singers create sparks of passion when singing together. (B,L,D)

DAY 7

Wed

Nov 6

LINZ- SALZBURG, AUSTRIA

Arrive in Linz. We will have for a full-day excursion to Salzburg where you’ll tour the historic center, lovely Mirabell Gardens, Residenz Square and the Old Market. This day will be all about the life of Mozart. You will visit the museum at the famed yellow building known as Mozart Birth House and residence where the legendary composer was born in 1756 and lived until 1773.

Lunch on your own.

Afternoon -Free time to explore Salzburg at your leisure. We are working on confirming a very special afternoon surprise. Stay tuned for that. (B,D)

DAY 8

Thurs

Nov 7

LINZ – VIENNA, AUSTRIA

Morning- Sail from Linz to the grand capital of Vienna on a morning scenic cruise.

Lunch on board

Afternoon -Once there, the “City of Waltzes” offers a wealth of gems and your city tour showcases its regal splendors, including the majestic Opera House and the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs. Conclude your tour in Vienna’s historic city center and visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral, or discover Vienna by bike. Alternatively, visit a traditional café to experience a true Vienna specialty with its very own national holiday and a unique history to match: the rich chocolate sachertorte – and savor this treat with a piping hot Viennese coffee.

In the evening

Opera Program 4: The Performance!

Dim the house lights, raise the curtain! We put it all together for an exciting night of making it all work and sparkle!  To be followed by what will undoubtedly be a lively Q&A with the singers and coaches. 

DAY 9

Fri

Nov 8

VIENNA

Morning Explore the city of music while following in the footsteps of world-renowned composers, such as Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, from their past residences to museums to grand monuments. Tour the famous Vienna Opera House. Take a look behind the scenes of the world's largest repertory operation and discover much that otherwise remains hidden from the evening opera-goer during a guided tour of the Vienna State Opera. Learn a lot of interesting facts about the history of the house, its architecture and the opera business. From the foyer, you will walk up the grand staircase through the state rooms (Tea Salon, Marble Hall, Schwindfoyer, Gustav Mahler Hall) to the auditorium (with a view of the stage). If you opt for the post cruise excursion. you will be treated to an Opera performed in this amazing space. (Subject to 2024 Opera schedule) (B,L,D)

DAY 10

Sat

Nov 9

VIENNA - DISEMBARKATION

Bid farewell to Vienna and prepare for your flight home. (B) Or choose the optional extension for 1 night in Vienna to attend a performance at the Vienna Opera House.

POST CRUISE EXTRA NIGHT Subject to Opera House performance schedule (TBD)