The Vancouver Opera Guild invites you to join its spring tour to New York featuring four productions at the Metropolitan Opera with excellent seating in the Grand Tier Balance section.
Accommodation at the Watson Hotel on West 57th Street is just a short walk from Lincoln Center.It is located in a quiet residential area of Manhattan with several family-run restaurants serving breakfast, lunch and dinner in the immediate vicinity.

Der Fliegende Holländer by Richard Wagner
The great bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel returns to the Met for the first time since 2012, in the title role of the cursed sea captain doomed to sail the open ocean for eternity.Patrick Furrer conducts a new production by Franҫois Girard, whose visionary 2013 take on Parsifal set the recent Met standard for Wagner stagings.With sweeping sets by John Macfarlane, Girard’s new production turns the Met stage into a rich, layered tableau reminiscent of a vast oil painting.The gifted German soprano Anja Kampe, in her Met debut, is the devoted Senta, whose selfless love is what the Dutchman seeks, with bass Franz-Josef Selig as her father, Daland, and tenor Sergey Skorokhodov as her deserted former lover, Erik.

Tosca!Werther by Jules Massenet
Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Massenet’s tragedy, a perfect vehicle for outstanding tenors, starring Piotr Beczala, who certainly fits the bill.The magnificent mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato is Charlotte, the object of Werther’s misguided affections, alongside soprano Aida Garifullina as Sophie and baritone Etienne Dupuis as Albert, in Sir Richard Eyre’s arresting production.

La Cenerentola by Gioachino Rossini
Rossini’s effervescent take on the Cinderella story returns, with rising star mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught in the title role and tenor sensation Javier Camarena as her Prince Charming.James Gaffigan conducts the lively action, which also features bass-baritone Maurizio Muraro as the bumbling Don Magnifico, bass-baritone Christian Van Horn as the benevolent Alidoro, and baritone Davide Luciano as the wily servant Dandini.

Tosca by Giacomo Puccini
Soprano Anna Netrebko, whom the New York Times hailed as “magnificent” when she made her role debut as Tosca in 2018, returns as Puccini’s explosive diva, back by popular demand.Tenor Najmiddin Mavlyanov is the idealistic painter Cavaradossi, and baritone George Gagnidze completes the opera’s fatal love triangle as the sinister Scarpia.Bertrand de Billy conducts Sir David McVicar’s stunning production.

TOUR INCLUDES
  • Return airfare Vancouver to New York
  • Airport transfers in New York
  • 6 nights accommodation at the Watson Hotel (formerly Holiday Inn Midtown), baggage handling and hotel tax
  • Welcome reception
  • Four opera tickets (Grand Tier Balance)
  • Vancouver Opera Guild Tour Director
  • $150 donation to the Vancouver Opera Guild ($200 for non-members)

TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE

  • Airport taxes and GST of approx. $145
  • Meals in New York and other items of a personal nature

TOUR SCHEDULE

Mon. Mar. 23:Vancouver - New York
Morning departure via Air Canada non-stop to New York’s Newark Airport. On arrival transfer to the Watson Hotel (formerly Holiday Inn Midtown) on West 57th Street between 9th and 10th Avenues, just a short walk from Lincoln Center.

Tue. Mar 24:New York
Welcome reception late this afternoon
7:30 p.m. performance of Der Fliegende Holländer.

Wed. Mar. 25: New York
7:30 p.m. performance of La Cenerentola.

Thu. Mar. 26:New York
7:30 p.m. performance of Tosca.

Fri. Mar. 27:New York
Free day.

Sat. Mar. 28:New York
1:00 p.m. performance of Werther.

Sun. Mar. 29:New York – Vancouver
Morning at leisure.Afternoon transfer to Newark Airport for an evening non-stop flight with Air Canada to Vancouver.

TOUR COST
Guild Members:Cdn. $2,935 per person based on sharing twin accommodation.
Non-Guild Members:Cdn. $2,985 per person based on sharing twin accommodation.
Single supplement:Cdn. $990

RESERVATIONS
A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required at time of booking with balance due by January 15.For bookings made after January 15, full payment is required at time of booking.

CANCELLATIONS
The deposit of $500 is non-refundable from date paid.For cancellations received after January 15, any refund is subject to the amount actually recovered from the suppliers.

TRAVEL INSURANCE
We strongly recommend that tour members purchase trip cancellation/interruption insurance to protect themselves against money loss in the event of cancellation due to personal or family illness.We also offer comprehensive insurance which includes trip cancellation/interruption plus excess hospital/medical benefits, baggage and travel accident.Some exclusions for pre-existing conditions do apply.Insurance premiums are age banded.Please ask for an insurance quote at time of booking.

OPERA TICKETS
Seating at the Met is requested in the Grand Tier Balance section for the four opera performances.Great Expeditions is not responsible for last minute changes in the opera program nor to the performers.

DOCUMENTATION
A valid passport is required.
For further information, please contact:
Elisabeth Dawson 604-922-8008 or
Genny MacLean (Great Expeditions) 604-738-5535
PRICES

Prices quoted in this brochure are in Canadian dollars based on a full tour, and airfares and foreign exchange rates in effect at time of printing (April 2019).We reserve the right to adjust the tour cost if there are exceptional price changes beyond our control.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
This paragraph defines our responsibility with respect to all our tours.Please read it carefully.Payment of deposit represents an acceptance by purchaser of the following terms and conditions.Great Expeditions (its owners, outfitters, agents and employees) gives notice that all arrangements for accommodation, transportation and/or all related travel services, have been made by Great Expeditions only as agent, upon the express condition that Great Expeditions shall not be liable for any injury, damage, delay, mishap, inconvenience or irregularity occasioned through the default of any company or individual engaged in providing the arranged accommodation.Great Expeditions cannot be responsible for negligent conduct or financial irresponsibility of these suppliers, since they maintain no control over them.Such passenger conveyance, hotel accommodation, etc. is subject to the laws of the state or country where provided.In addition, Great Expeditions assumes no liability resulting directly or indirectly from any of the following causes:acts of God, detention, annoyance, weather, quarantines, strikes, civil disturbance, theft, government regulations, etc. over which it has no control.Great Expeditions reserves the right to substitute hotels and leaders and to alter the itinerary when deemed necessary or advisable.The right is also reserved to cancel any trip prior to departure upon the refund of all payments received, which shall release Great Expeditions from any further liability.Great Expeditions reserves the right to decline to accept or retain any person or member of any tour should such person's actions or general deportment impede the operation of the tour or the rights or welfare or enjoyment of other members of the tour, and it is agreed a refund of the amount recovered from suppliers of unused land services is the limit of Great Expeditions' responsibility.

CARRIER'S RESPONSIBILITY
No carrier shall have or incur any responsibility or liability to any passenger or for property accompanying passengers, except for its liability as a common carrier.In particular, Great Expeditions advises the customer that any air carrier's liability may be limited by its tariffs, conditions of carriage and international conventions and agreements.

B.C. Reg. 2622