Imagine a place designed to satisfy your craving for opera—the music, the luminaries, the glamor, and the emotion. Now you can experience that place on Opera Odyssey, a cruise where the soothing rhythms of the Baltic Sea meet the passionate emotions of the vocal arts.
Join American soprano Christine Brewer, pianist Craig Rutenberg, and OPERA NEWS Editor-in-Chief F. Paul Driscoll in a program of recitals, lectures, and social events on Holland America’s m.s. Veendam, sailing roundtrip Copenhagen June 23–July 3, 2007. Mr. Driscoll’s lectures on Scandinavian divas and essential Russian singers will add a dimension to your knowledge of opera. Feed your “opera soul” with two exclusive on-board recitals (in an intimate performance venue) by Miss Brewer: a classical one, featuring Wagner, Strauss, and Marx lieder; and a glorious cabaret recital of works of Harold Arlen, Ira Gershwin, and Cole Porter. On two exclusive land-based adventures, you’ll catch the essence of St. Petersburg with a private tour of the Hermitage, a luncheon, and a Mariinsky Theatre recital by members of its “Academy of Young Singers.” In Helsinki, you’ll tour the city, have a luncheon of regional specialties, and reflect on the voices of the Sibelius Academy’s artists.
What could be better than savoring the Baltic’s Midnight Sun, getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the opera realm, in the company of kindred spirits? Take a journey with The Metropolitan Opera Guild and Geek Cruises.
Our Program at a Glance
Saturday, June 23
(7pm)
Bon Voyage Cocktail Party
Pick up our latest Program Guide, allow our illustrious staff to introduce themselves to you, and meet your fellow Opera Odyssey attendees. Open bar and hot d’oeuvres served!
Sunday, June 24
(1:30pm–3pm)
Ten Essential Scandinavian Divas
Speaker: F. Paul Driscoll
We will take a look at ten of opera’s brightest “Northern Stars,” from Jenny Lind, the nineteenth century’s first super-diva, to Wagnerian immortals Kirsten Flagstad and Birgit Nilsson and twenty-first-century dazzler Karita Mattila.
Sunday, June 24
(3pm–4pm)
Private Tea with Champagne
Hosted by: F. Paul Driscoll
Interview and Q&A with Christine Brewer
Moderator: F. Paul Driscoll
Monday, June 25
(5:30pm–7pm)
Classical Recital
Christine Brewer and Craig Rutenberg
Is lieder relevant in the twenty-first century? Miss Brewer will offer clues in an exclusive recital as she takes you on a tour of lieder. Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder convey the soul’s longing to find its true home. Miss Brewer’s Strauss lieder selections hint at the place of introspection in life, and her nuanced interpretation of Marx lieder will allude to the subtle pleasures and haunting emotions of life fully lived. In the Seven Early Songs of Berg we’ll hear of solitude and fulfillment. Let Miss Brewer help you experience lieder as a twenty-first century touchstone.
Tuesday, June 26
(8:30am–1pm & 4:30pm–10pm)
Hermitage Museum and Evening Performance
Ready for St. Petersburg to enthrall you? Your St. Petersburg shore experience comes at an ideal time, coinciding with the climax of the Mariinsky Theatre’s renowned Stars of the White Nights Festival, under the aegis of Valery Gergiev, the director and creative genius of the Kirov Orchestra, Opera, and Ballet.
The day begins with an insider’s privileged early access to the fabled State Hermitage Museum and a tour of its highlights, guided by senior art historians. Enjoy a festive luncheon and a private recital by soloists from the Mariinsky’s internationally-recognized “Academy of Young Singers,” performing selections from the company’s repertoire of Russian opera. We’ll share a unique experience as we absorb the performance of young artists destined for renown, presented in the setting where their in-depth and intense studies take place.
Subject to the Mariinsky Theatre’s programming, the evening will feature an optional opera, music, or dance performance in one of St. Petersburg’s lovely theaters. Performance details will be announced in spring 2007.
Wednesday, June 27
(5:45pm)
Maytime: Pre-Movie Presentation
Speaker: F. Paul Driscoll
After exploring the cultural abundance of St. Petersburg, settle in for a night of classic cinema, as F. Paul Driscoll gives you a brief introduction to Maytime, starring Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. This classic film has all the twists and turns of a great opera, a love triangle, jealousy and more — not to mention that the leading characters are two young opera singers.
Wednesday, June 27
(6pm–7:45pm)
Maytime: Movie Showing
Thursday, June 28
(8:15am–4pm)
National Opera House in Toolo
Luncheon and Recital
Your day in Finland’s beautiful capital begins with a coach tour of the city escorted by a music specialist. We’ll view the spectacular National Opera House in Toolo, the vibrant cultural center of Helsinki, then visit the noted Sibelius Academy, home of many international competition winners. At midday, we’ll nourish body and soul with a luncheon in one of Helsinki’s characteristic restaurants (think Russian cuisine with a wild North Country flair) and a private recital. The Day’s Complete Program
Friday, June 29
(6:30pm–7:30pm)
Private Cocktail Party
Hosted by: The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Saturday, June 30
(1:30pm–3pm)
Ten Essential Russian Singers
Speaker: F. Paul Driscoll
F. Paul Driscoll will set the scene for your exploration of St. Petersburg’s cultural riches with a multi-media lecture that celebrates Russian singers — both divas and divos. The presentation begins with Feodor Chaliapin, the charismatic bass who first thrilled audiences in Tsarist Russia, and continues with a discussion of Soviet-era stars such as Pavel Lisitsian, Ivan Kozlovsky, and Zara Dolukhanova as well as today’s brilliant Russian exports Olga Borodina, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and Anna Netrebko.
Saturday, June 30
(3pm–4pm)
Private Party
With Christine Brewer
Saturday, June 30
(4pm)
Meeting Venus: Pre-Movie Presentation
Speaker: F. Paul Driscoll
During his introduction, F. Paul Driscoll will lead you through the inner workings of this satirical and witty commentary on the state of opera in the “modern” united Europe. Emmy Award-winning actress and Oscar nominee Glenn Close stars as a temperamental diva in this 1991 film. Viewers will also enjoy hearing the voices of opera stars Kiri Te Kanawa, Waltraud Meier, Kim Begley, Håkan Hagegård and René Kollo in excerpts from Wagner’s Tannhäuser, the opera central to the film’s plot.
Saturday, June 30
(4:15pm–6pm)
Meeting Venus: Movie Showing
Sunday, July 1
(5:30pm–7pm)
Cabaret Recital
Christine Brewer and Craig Rutenberg
Ever wonder where a diva draws her “diva-ness” from? Discover one of our diva’s sources, as she immerses herself in the glamorous world of cabaret. Miss Brewer will treat us to a glimpse of her heart, soul, and roots as she defines Harold Arlen’s “St. Louis Woman” in an exclusive performance. We’ll witness Miss Brewer embodying Cole Porter’s style, energy, and wit and hear her color and enliven Ira Gershwin’s smart wordplay. Join us as a diva lets her inner resources come out and play — Cabaret!