On this page you'll find:
1. Introduction
2. The Concerts
3. Accommodation and Meals
4. Day by Day Tour Description
5. Cost
Umbria Concerts – a
Musical House Party,
27th June to 3rd July 2010
A tour designed for the discerning traveller who wishes to explore
the musical life and beautiful countryside of Umbria in the heart
of Italy. Enjoy the unique atmosphere of an exclusive house party
at a private villa, situated halfway between Florence and Rome. Immerse
yourself in classical music at open-air concerts. Sample gourmet food
accompanied by fine wines of the area, served in beautiful, panoramic
surroundings.
Besides the concerts, there will be an opportunity to get to know
this lovely part of Italy, rich in history and culture. During trips
to Assisi, Orvieto, Spoletto, and Gubbio guests will get acquainted
with the best in late medieval and Renaissance art.
It is not just “food for the soul”, however, there will
be long, leisurely meals and good wines taken on Casa Fontana’s
panoramic terazzo., accompanied by lively conversation. In addition
to excellent cuisine, guests can enjoy all the amenities of Casa Fontana:
a large, secluded pool and an extensive olive grove offering long
walks with breathtaking views
About the Concerts
The programme centres around four of the Trasimeno festival Classical
Concerts, organised by Angela Hewitt. The distinguished musician is
the founder and artistic director of the Festival. She is generally
regarded as one of the foremost Bach pianists and her recordings have
received high critical acclaim. (Angela
Hewitt website ).
:
“Trasimeno Music Festival - Magione, Italy."
Reviewed by John Slavin. "A summer festival
is a celebration of the senses, leisure and privilege. The Trasimeno
Festival begun by the pianist Angela Hewitt has these elements in
abundance."
Accommodation:
Your accommodation is a private apartment in an Umbrian villa.. Casa
Fontana (www.casafontana.net ) is a recently converted farmhouse,
set in five acres of terraced hillside with a secluded pool,
a large olive
grove offering panoramic views over valleys and mountains.
Each comfortable apartment
is subtly individual in style. They all have lounge / kitchen, double
bedroom, shower room with WC, outside patio and dining area. Your
apartment is equipped with cooker, fridge and dishwasher..
Meals
Your apartment contains breakfast provisions The main meal is in
the evenings (except for lunch on one occasion), taken on the spacious
loggia with wonderful views - sunsets are magnificent!.
Sourced from fresh local ingredients, meals consist of several courses,
such as:
Pesto Dip with Garlic Wedges
Insalata di Pesca e Prosciutto
(Peach and Parma Ham Salad with freshly baked focaccia )
Conchiglie Ripieno con Basilico e Ricotta al
Sugo di Pomodori
(Shell pasta with basil and cheese filling baked with a fresh tomato
sauce)
Petti di Pollo con Carcioffi
(Pan fried chicken breasts with artichokes in a cream and white wine
sauce)
Verdura Mista al Forno
(Root vegetables drizzled with olive oil and baked in the oven)
Pannatone and Apricot Pudding
Wines:
Sparkling: Prosecco del Veneto
White: Grechetto della Cantina Goretti
Red: Nero d’Avola
Tour Details:
.Sunday 27 th June: Arrival and Concert
- Arrival at Rome airport
- Transfer to Casa Fontana
- Orientation and programme outline over pre-concert dinner
- Opening concert in the courtyard of a medieval castle high above
the lake. Heavenly music under the heavens!
Castle
of the kights of Mata, Magione
Angela Hewitt, piano and Pieter Wispelwey, cello
An evening of Bach suites for solo cello and solo piano, ending with
the Gamba Sonata in Gminor, BWV 1029.
Monday 28th June Orvieto, a Jewel in a Renaissance
Landscape and Concert
- A late start, an opportunity for a lie- in or a swim or both
- Excursion to Orvieto, an artistic treasure trove of a town on a
high plateau, dominating a landscape of vineyard and olive groves
dotted by cypresses. Visit to one of the wonders of Renaissance Italy,
Orvieto Cathedral.. View Signorelli’s great fresco cycle depicting
the Last Judgement, said to be Michelangelo’s inspiration for
the Sistine Chapel. Many take the view that that the master was at
least an equal to the pupil!
.
Lunch* at one of Orvieto’s many leafy garden restaurants.
Taste the famous Orvieto Classico, the delicious white wine of the
area. Shop for quality gifts.
- Early dinner at the Casa, followed by a chamber music performance
in the romantic surroundings of a medieval palace
Castel of the Knights of Malta - Magione
The Cremona Quartett
Angela Hewitt, piano
Puccini: Crisantemi
Borodin: String Quartet No2 in D major
Franck: Piano Quintet in F minor
Tuesday 29th June Assisi, a A Feast of Magnificent Art and
Concert
- Early departure for Assisi to visit the Basilica di San Francesco,
the burial place of St. Francis. The upper and lower churches are
a late medieval masterwork with the famous Giotto frescoes depicting
the life of the saint.
- Enjoy wonderful panoramic scenery and call at of snow capped mountains
and verdant valleys
- Dinner at the Casa, followed by a wonderful Schubert evening
Castel of the Knights of Malta - Magione
The Cremona Quartett
Pieter Wispelwey, cello
Schubert evening
Quartet in D minor, D.810 (“Death and the Maiden”)
String Quintet in C, D.956
Wednesday 30th June Perugia, a Crucible of History and Art,
and Concert
- Visit not-to-be-missed Castiglione del Lago market. The whole of
this small, medieval town, occupying the promontory on Lake Trasimeno,
becomes a maze of stalls on Wednesdays. Not just fruit and vegetables
- you can buy everything from salami to handbags!
- Back to the Casa for a relaxing poolside lunch
- On to Perugia, a sprawling maze of Roman remains, medieval alleys
and Renaissance squares, honeycombed by Etruscan catacombs. Besides
being a lively provincial capital with a noted university, a world
famous chocolate industry and host to one of the greatest jazz festivals
in Europe, Perugia is the repository of some of the finest achievements
of Renaissance art and architecture. Paintings and frescoes by such
famous artists as Perugino, Raphael, Piero della Francesca and Pinturicchio
adorn its many churches and palaces. We shall have an opportunity
to see some of them before the concert which takes place at the magnificient
Church of San Pietro:
Chiesa
di San Pietro, Perugia
Orchestra da Camera di Mantova
Hannu Lintu, conductor
Angela Hewitt, piano
Overture die Geschoepfe des Prometeus Op. 43
Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36
Thursday 1st July Hidden Treasures of Umbria
and Music Talk
- Departure for picturesque Spoleto. That much quoted phrase, a ‘hidden
gem’, could not be more appropriately used than in the case
of Spoleto. It is set in a dramatic landscape over a deep gorge. Though
not well known outside Umbria, there is much to see here, from an
ancient Roman Amphitheatre to the dramatic castle of Rocca Albornoziana.
Spoleto Cathedral is the main monument of the city, a wonderful example
of Romanesque architecture, though a “modern” porch and
belfry were added in the 15th and 16th c. respectively.
- On the way home we shall visit Montefalco, see the superb Gozzoli
frescoes and sample the famous local Sangiovese wine.
- We are hosting dinner at Il Principato, a restaurant which gives
“slow food” its proper meaning: a long gourmet meal of
six or seven courses selected by the chef and based on fresh, seasonal
ingredients
Friday 2nd July Umbria’s Riviera and Gala Dinner
and Concert
- Off for a relaxing day at Lago Trasimeno, the fourth largest lake
in Italy. The lake was the scene of Hannibal defeating the Romans
in April 217 BC.
- A leisurely boat trip over placid waters takes us to one of its
three islands, Isola Maggiore, It has a charming fishing village known
for its lace and association with St Francis. Most of the buildings,
including the ruins of a monastery, date from the 1300s.
- Lunch* at one of the island’s many excellent waterside restaurants
- Another gentle boat trip to visit Pasignano, the “Trasimeno
Riviera”. This little spa town hugs the western shore. The high
slopes behind it are the typical local landscape of vines and olives,
with grand villas and ancient castles overlooking the green waters
of Lago Trasimeno. Coffee* by the lake will complete the trip.
- Gala Dinner: not only to say farewell after an action-packed and
entertaining week, but also to celebrate Independence Day. A temporary
fusion of Italian and American cuisines!
- Farewell dinner before the closing concert
Castle of the Knights of Malta, Magione
Iwona Sobotka, soprano,
Angela Hewitt, piano
Pieter Wispelwey, cello
A Chopin recital including a selection of his songs, the Sonata for
cello and piano and solo piano works
Saturday 3th July
- A farewell visit to the nearby hilltop town of Panicale
- Musical Brunch
Transfer to Rome Airport
* = not included in tour price
Cost per person £997
Includes:
- All transport in Italy, including airport transfers
- Accommodation in a comfortably furnished apartment.
Towels, linen, hair dryer, iron, ironing board, coffee, tea making
equipment, crockery, glasses, dish washer, fridge and ice box are
provided.
- Use of pool
- All entrance tickets to concerts and museums
- Meals:
o Half - board comprising continental breakfast (every day except
arrival day), an evening meal with wine every day except on Thursday
when dinner is taken at a restaurant..
o Meals at the Casa consist of at least four courses (sometimes more!)
according to Italian custom.1.Antipasto (cold starter) 2. Pasta 3.Carne
(meat and vegetable) 4.Dolce (dessert)
o Appropriate wines
o Your fridge will contain the ingredients for a continental breakfast.
In addition you will receive freshly baked rolls every morning, together
with that evening’s menu so that you can choose lunch accordingly.
o Other refreshments are available on request, at retail prices
Not included:
# Flight to and from Rome
# All refreshments taken outside Casa Fontana, such as meals at restaurants,
coffee stops etc.
NB: We shall be happy to advise guests who wish to extend their stay
in Italy and travel onto other destination and to help with arrangements.
Travellers should have their own personal
insurance, which is their individual responsibility.
For full details contact:
g.cockbill(@)btinternet.com
tel. +39 075 832 093
See you at Casa Fontana! |