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CAU > Seminars and Study Tours > In the Footsteps of Mozart: A Musical Journey to Vienna and Prague

In the Footsteps of Mozart: A Musical Journey to Vienna and Prague

May 15-25, 2009

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Overview

Join us as we follow in Mozart's footsteps, from the wine cellars, apartments, and theaters of his chosen home, Vienna, to the manor houses and castles of his favorite city, Prague. We'll spend three and a half days in each of these enchanting cities, with an overnight between in Cesky Krumlov, a small, beautifully preserved medieval town in the Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, whose castle contains one of the few remaining eighteenth-century theaters. In both Vienna and Prague, we will visit some of Mozart's homes and hangouts as well as the art, architecture, and institutions that surrounded him in the late eighteenth century. We will hear his music played in internationally recognized venues by world-class musicians, including, if possible, a concerted mass in one of the churches. For all of our musical explorations and outings, we will benefit from the expertise of study leader Neal Zaslaw, who accompanies us into the heart of Mozart country. Neal is the Herbert Gussman Professor of Music at Cornell, known internationally as an authority on Mozart and on campus as a marvelous teacher.

Itinerary

In Vienna, we will stay at the Astoria Hotel, just a few steps from the Vienna State Opera and within walking distance of most major sites.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Vienna was the unchallenged center of the musical world, the birthplace or residence of Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Mahler, Schöberg, and, of course, the Strauss family. We will walk through Old Town Vienna, the Innere Stadt, and take in many of the city's renowned sights, from the Rathaus to the Burgtheater and a variety of palaces and their gardens, including the Schönbrunn and the fabulous Hofburg Palace, with its lovely chapel. We will visit the Museum of Fine Arts to explore its impressive musical instrument collection. We'll stop at one of Mozart's houses and one occupied by Beethoven, who lived in Vienna for thirty-five years in as many as sixty different houses. And we'll enjoy wiener schnitzel, sauerkraut, dumplings, strudel, and pastries while we quaff local wines. We will undertake many of these outings together, but you will have some time as well to explore this magical city and to dine on your own.

The same is true of our stay in Prague, the "Hundred-Spired City," whose beautifully preserved Gothic, baroque, and neo-classical churches and palaces make it one of the great cities of Europe. We will stay at the new four-star Mercure Old Town Hotel in the historic town center of Prague, close to the National Museum, Charles Bridge, and Prague Castle, the largest ancient castle in the world, started in the ninth century and built on the steeply sloping hill above the river. We will also visit the Villa Bertramka Museum and the Jewish Quarter, whose seven synagogues and Old Jewish Cemetery, with its twelve layers of gravestones, are the remnants of the old Jewish settlement. And as we hear more fabulous music in Mozart's favorite city, our appreciation will be deepened by Neal's formal lectures and lively, informal discussions. From the moment we set foot in Vienna until our departure from Prague, we will experience a feast for the senses in cities that simply do not disappoint.

Program Cost and Travel Arrangements

The program fee of $7,153 (per person, double occupancy) includes accommodations, many meals, ground transportation, all taxes, gratuities, entrance fees, and tickets to performances, emergency medical-evacuation insurance, management services, and the full educational program. The supplement for single occupancy is $925.

Program Notes

This is not a physically rigorous trip, but you should feel comfortable walking a reasonable distance, sometimes over cobblestones and/or uneven ground.

Map

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