SARASOTA

With Stiffelio, Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci, The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro, Apprentice Artists Concert and the sarasota Orchestra.

Lunch cruise, superb tours/cuisine/wine, the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg. Art Ovation Hotel.

Our favourite winter opera festival always has an excellent and varied programme, and it's just a wonderful, warm (in every way) and unpretentious opera experience. What Maestro Victor DeRenzi and Executive Director Richard Russell and their team have done here is truly remarkable. We can't wait to get back to Sarasota.

The 2025 Sarasota Opera season features Verdi’s Stiffelio, Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, Rossini's The Barber of Seville, and the double bill of Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. We will also include the always-popular noontime Apprentice Concert and a performance by the Sarasota Orchestra. We'll embark on a daytrip to St. Petersburg to visit the Dalí Museum, home to one of the most acclaimed collections of a single modern artist in the world, with over 2,000 works representing every moment and medium of Salvador Dalí’s creative life. The Dalí is recognized internationally by the Michelin Guide with a three-star rating, has been deemed “one of the top buildings to see in your lifetime” by AOL Travel News, and was named one of the 10 most interesting museums in the world by Architectural Digest. As always, we include superb meals at some of Sarasota’s finest restaurants, tours at the Ringling Museum and Selby Botanical Gardens, and we enjoy deluxe rooms at the Art Ovation Hotel, walking distance from the Opera House.

Click here to register.

ITINERARY

MONDAY, MARCH 17

19.00 Once settled in our rooms, we gather in the hotel lobby and walk to nearby Café Amici for a Welcome Dinner.

TUESDAY, MARCH 18

11.15 Following breakfast (included each day), we make the short walk to board the Marina Jack for a sightseeing lunch cruise around Lido and Bird Keys and Sarasota Bay.

13.00 Afterward, the afternoon is at leisure.

19.00 Gather and depart for our first performance of the festival, Verdi’s Stiffelio. A Protestant minister returns from a mission abroad to be confronted by his wife’s infidelity. Stiffelio faces his wife’s transgression, battling his all-too human emotions with his religious faith. Written just before Rigoletto, this long-neglected, emotionally charged work is now recognized as one of Verdi's important operas.

22.30 Gather in front of the opera house, walk back to the hotel.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19

09.45 Depart by coach to the Ringling Ca`d’Zan Mansion and Museum of Art, with a strong and varied collection.

13.30 Lunch is included at Duval's, then back to the hotel by 15.30.

19.00 Walk to Sarasota Opera for Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci. 19.30 curtain. Two operas, two betrayed husbands, two tragic ends. In Cavalleria rusticana, the calm of a Sicilian Easter morning is broken by a betrayed lover who sets off a chain of events culminating in violent tragedy. In true theatrical tradition, Pagliacci’s clown tries to go on with the show, but his real-life humiliation and despair lead to a grim climax. The violent passions and raw emotions of these two works changed the direction of Italian opera forever.

22.30 Walk back to the hotel following the performance.

THURSDAY, MARCH 20

09.45 Depart by coach for St. Petersburg and the Dalí Museum. 13.30 Lunch is included at Birch & Vine, then back to the hotel by 16.00.18.45 Coach transfer to the Neel Performing Arts Center at the State College of Florida for a concert (TBA; 19.30 start) by the Sarasota Orchestra.

21.30 Return transfer following the performance.

FRIDAY, MARCH 21

10.15 Walk to the Opera House for a special backstage tour. 11.45 Take our seats for an hour-long concert featuring Sarasota Opera’s Apprentice and Studio artists. Noon start.

13.00 Afterward, Sarasota Opera’s Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Victor DeRenzi and Managing Director Richard Russell will join our group in the courtyard to discuss all things related to Sarasota Opera.

17.00 Walk to Element for dinner. Superb cuisine and ambiance. 19.15 Make our way to the Opera House for opening night of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. 19.30 curtain. Determined to win the heart of the beautiful Rosina, Count Almaviva enlists the help of Figaro, the barber of Seville, to steal her away from her guardian, Dr. Bartolo. Hilarious complications ensue to some of opera’s most delightful music. This is one of the most beloved comedic works in the operatic repertory.

22.30 Walk back to the hotel following the performance.

SATURDAY, MARCH 22

11.15 This morning we offer a guided tour of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Back to the hotel by 13.30

17.00 We enjoy a relaxed Farewell Dinner at perennial favourite, the Bijou Garden Café.

19.15 We then take our seats for the final performance of the tour—Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. Continuing the story of The Barber of Seville, Count Almaviva’s eye has now wandered and his current objective is Susanna, Figaro’s fiancée. The distressed couple, along with Rosina (now the Countess Almaviva) conspire to reveal the count’s lechery, despite the many obstacles thrown in their way. Mozart’s musical genius, along with Lorenzo DaPonte’s witty libretto make The Marriage of Figaro one of opera’s masterpieces.

SUNDAY, MARCH 23

Transfers (included) to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Details re-confirmed a few days prior.

TOUR INCLUDES

• Top Category seats for 4 operas and 2 additional performances

• 6 nights Deluxe accommodations at the Art Ovation Hotel

• Full breakfast daily, 2 lunches and 4 dinners 

• Private tours as listed

• Airport-hotel transfers 

• On-site Tour Direction

• Comprehensive Tour Guidebook

FLIGHTS

Flights are not included in tour pricing. Return flights should be booked to Sarasota (SRQ) for arrival on March 17, departure on March 23.

TRANSFERS

We provide airport/rail station—hotel transfers for arrivals and on departure, within within 3 days of the start/end of our tour from the cities listed above. We also provide transfers for group meals and performances that are beyond a 10 minute walk.

MOBILITY

There is minimal walking with some stairs and cobblestones during the guided tours. As for all of our tours, we are happy to accommodate you regardless of your mobility level. Please make clear your mobility concerns at the time of registration. We provide transfers for group meals and performances that are beyond a 10 minute walk.

INSURANCE

We strongly recommend that all tour members purchase cancellation insurance upon registration. We can assist you with this, though you are welcome to purchase a policy at your own discretion. For more information about our travel insurance, click here.