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DAYS
6
TOUR CODE
MODR-27
COST
£3450
DAYS
6
TOUR CODE
MODR-27
COST
£3450
We are delighted to be returning to the cultural city of Dresden, Germany’s ‘jewel box’, for a fantastic line-up of performances, from Fidelio and The Magic Flute at the Semperoper to renowned pianist Daniil Trifonov at the Kulturpalast.
Overview
A city with a long and distinguished musical heritage, Dresden has been home to many famous composers including Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, Carl Maria von Weber, Robert Schumann, Richard Wagner, Richard Strauss and Sergei Rachmaninoff.
The Semper Opera House is perhaps the most famous of its kind in Germany. Largely destroyed in 1945, the magnificent building was carefully reconstructed, and in 1985 the home of the Saxony State Opera opened its doors to the public once again to play a leading role in this most musical of cities.
Our opening performance is a production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. The composer’s final operatic work is both a playful, surreal product of the Enlightenment and a perennially enjoyable celebration of love, humanity and the journey towards truth, containing some of the most iconic themes in classical music.
“At a time of revolution, terror and war, Ludwig van Beethoven wrote his opera about a woman who, disguised as a man, tries to rescue her husband from illegal incarceration in a secret prison”
– Dresden Semperoper
In the 200th anniversary year of the death of Beethoven, it is fitting that our second performance is this great composer’s only opera, Fidelio. Relating the disguised Leonore’s courageous attempt to rescue her wrongfully imprisoned husband, the opera is a celebration of marital fidelity and an exploration of social hierarchy, gender roles and the tyranny of power. With music ranging from heart-rending lyricism to explosive symphonic writing, Fidelio's themes remain ever relevant, revealing as much about present-day concerns as they do about the turbulent times in which the work was written.
“Trifonov has a rare combination of monstrous technique and lustrous tone. The characteristic Trifonov effect is a rapid, glistening flurry of notes that hardly seems to involve the mechanical action of hammers and strings”
– The New Yorker
One of this century’s most celebrated classical musicians, pianist Daniil Trifonov has been awarded not only a Grammy and Gramophone’s Classical Music Artist of the Year Award but also top prizes at a wide array of international competitions. Lauded by critics, fellow musicians and audiences alike, Trifonov’s famously masterful technique, lyricism and near-limitless dynamism will bring to life contrasting works by Handel, Stravinsky, Schubert, Garcia, Villa-Lobos, Landestoy, Ginastera and Camargo Guarnieri.
“There are unbelievable treasures of all kinds in this beautiful place”, wrote Goethe of Dresden, where the magnificent Baroque dome of the re-consecrated Frauenkirche, in which Bach and Wagner once performed, vies with Augustus the Strong’s Zwinger Palace as the city’s dominant landmark. Complementing the musical performances, we will enjoy visits to Dresden’s Historic Green Vault and the refurbished Old Masters Picture Gallery. The latter is home to works by Raphael (notably his Sistine Madonna), Botticelli, Velázquez, Dürer, Vermeer and Rembrandt.
We will also make a brand new excursion to the university town of Freiberg, which evolved courtesy of its now UNESCO-recognised silver-mining industry. The town’s famous Cathedral of St Mary houses an impeccably-preserved organ by master builder Gottfried Silbermann, completed in around 1714 and a wonderful ‘time capsule’ capable of producing the Baroque sound Bach and others would have known.
“I'm delighted and excited to be leading this tour to Dresden, which will see us visit two world-class concert venues, and to experience the architectural splendours of this most interesting and historically important city. In the year of the 200th anniversary of the death of Beethoven, we will take in his only work for the stage, the always-stirring Fidelio, in the magnificent surroundings of the Semperoper. Complementing this will be another operatic masterpiece of the classical era, Mozart’s ever-popular The Magic Flute. With the opportunity to hear one of the world’s greatest pianists, Daniil Trifonov, in the Palace of Culture, this tour promises to be one of the musical and cultural highlights of my year!”
– Tour Director Paul Jackson
Tour Director
Paul Jackson
Experienced Tour Director Paul Jackson has been Head of Music and Performing Arts and Director of Music and Performance at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge; he is also a prolific conductor and musician.
Tour Director Paul Jackson, MA, PhD, is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and was, for over twenty years, Head of Music and Performing Arts and Director of Music and Performance at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Paul has also enjoyed an extensive career as a conductor of choirs, orchestras and opera, and as a solo and chamber music pianist, performing in the UK, Europe and America. Equally at home in music from the 19th century to the present day, Paul is an enthusiastic supporter of young and aspiring composers, and has commissioned and performed many new works for a variety of musical forces. He has published widely on the music of the Australian composer Percy Grainger, and is President of the Percy Grainger Society, New York.
– ACE customer who travelled to Germany with Paul Jackson in 2026
Our Accommodation
We will stay throughout at the five-star Hyperion Dresden am Schloss, one of our highest rated hotels, bursting with character and elegance while maintaining high levels of comfort and service. The hotel is based in the old town, a short walk from the Semperoper and only five minutes from the Kulturpalast, where our performances take place. Key historical sites, including the Zwinger Palace and Frauenkirche, are also an easy stroll away.
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart London Heathrow 1115 on British Airways, arriving Berlin Brandenburg Airport 1415. Transfer to Dresden for five nights at the Hyperion Dresden am Schloss. Welcome and introduction to the tour.
Day 2
Morning walking tour of Dresden including the Zwinger Palace, Semperoper, Dresden Castle, Taschenberg Palace and the Frauenkirche (exteriors). Afternoon guided tour of the Old Masters Picture Gallery (works by Raphael, Botticelli, Velázquez, Dürer, Vermeer and Rembrandt). Evening lecture: Introduction to Beethoven’s Fidelio.
Day 3
Morning excursion to Meissen for a visit to the modern Meissen factory (demonstration of the manufacturing process) followed by a visit to the exhibition of wares and the factory shop. Early evening lecture: Introduction to Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Evening performance at Semperoper Dresden: Mozart The Magic Flute.
Day 4
Excursion to the university town of Freiberg: walking tour followed by a guided visit to the Cathedral of St Mary, home to a monumental organ built by Silbermann. Evening performance at Semperoper Dresden: Beethoven Fidelio.
Day 5
Morning lecture: An introduction to tonight’s concert. Morning visit to the Historic Green Vault (one of the largest treasure chambers in Europe) and afternoon visit to the Frauenkirche (famous sculpture by Anish Kapoor in the lower church). Evening performance at the Kulturpalast (Konzertsaal) featuring Daniil Trifonov (piano): Handel Suite No 5 in E, HWV 430 ‘The Harmonious Blacksmith’; Stravinsky Piano Sonata; Schubert Fantasy in C ‘Wanderer Fantasy’; Garcia ‘Sambumbia’ Dominican Rhapsody; Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasileiras No 4 ‘Valsa da Dor’; Landestoy The Waltz of Santo Domingo, Estudia en Zamba; Ginastera Milonga; Camargo Guarnieri Dansa Negra; Trifonov Tango.
Day 6
Transfer to Berlin Brandenburg for 1500 departure, arriving Heathrow 1605.
Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements, including aspects of the musical programme, may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time.
Frequently Asked Questions
To read our full list of frequently asked questions please visit our general FAQs here.
What is the maximum group size of this tour?
What is the deposit cost for this tour?
What tour staff will be on this tour?
Am I fit enough to travel on this tour?
Fitness Requirements
The majority of ACE Cultural Tours are active in nature. To make the most of our time in a destination and provide excellent value for money, they are busy – there are often several visits included each day. As such, our tours require a certain minimum level of physical and mental fitness, mobility and stamina.
Many visits will involve navigating several steps, uneven ground, steep ascents and descents, and could involve embarking and disembarking aircraft, coaches, trains and cruise vessels. Plenty of walking, punctuated by lengthy periods of standing, is the norm. Some tours may involve long coach journeys.
It is essential that all customers are sufficiently fit and able enough to fully participate. Furthermore, every tour comprises a group of guests. We cannot allow the entire group to be negatively impacted by one participant, either holding up the pace we reasonably need to maintain or disproportionately requiring the attention and support of the tour staff.
We carefully consider the intensity, fitness and other requirements of each itinerary and describe them on the tour pages of our brochures and website. Please study these descriptions closely. When you call to book, we will reiterate those requirements and ask you to confirm that all group members are indeed fit enough and otherwise able to meet the criteria. It is your responsibility to answer fully and honestly. If it transpires that you are not able to keep pace with the tour and/or it reasonably appears you are negatively impacting (or are reasonably likely to negatively impact) the enjoyment of the rest of the group (including their ability to complete all scheduled visits), we may ask you to sit out certain days/visits, take a taxi at your own expense (if available in the location), or even, if we consider there is no other reasonable alternative, ask you to leave the tour and make your own way home.
A reasonable level of fitness is required for this tour. The itinerary will include extensive walking around central Dresden, including sometimes over uneven ground and cobbles that can be challenging if wet. Travellers should also be comfortable navigating busy streets, and walking and standing in galleries and museums. Please consult our minimum fitness requirements, contained in ACE’s Booking Terms & Conditions, before booking your place.
As a minimum, participants should be able to successfully complete the following self- assessment tests:
- Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace and without needing to take a break to rest
- Climb at least two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace
- Stand unaided for at least 30 minutes
- Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute
- Carry or otherwise move your own luggage
Please ensure you have read and understand our full fitness requirements as described in our terms and conditions.
Practicalities
The Magic Flute and Fidelio will be performed in German with German and English surtitles.
UK Government Travel Advice
For additional travel information from the UK government please consult the following pages.
Flight Information
For customers who wish to make their own travel arrangements, ACE is pleased to be able to offer a flight reduction of £215.
Cost Details
Music & Opera in Dresden: Mozart & Beethoven
April 7 - 12, 2027
Included: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, performances as described (category one), five breakfasts, three lunches, one evening snack (day 5), two dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.
Not Included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £315.
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