The University of Georgia Chamber Choir, of Athens Georgia, will travel with Incantato Tours on a performance tour of Portugal and Spain in May of 2011. The choir, under the direction of Dr. Mitos Andaya, traveled to Italy in 2009. During the 11-day Incantato Performance Tour, the singers performed in the Ultrapadum Festival, St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, the Duomo of Florence, and St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
Buon giorno a tutti!! Hi, I'm Ember a new member of the Incantato Team and I have traveled extensively throughout Italy and am very excited to share some interesting facts and places to see with you.
I found a link on youtube so you can see some footage of the Abbey of Pavia. There is some lovely music in the background as well. The church of the Abbey of Pavia was begun in Italian Gothic style in 1396 under the Duke of Milan, Gian Galeazzo Visconti. The rest of the Abbey is dominated by the Rennaissance style. A large portion of it was destroyed in WWII but was restored shortly thereafter.
As part of your city tour, you will be visiting La Scala and the museum, click here for information.
Italy has so many wonderful places to see. Each town has a lot of history and culture to offer. It's best when you have an idea of what you want to visit. Here is the official link for San Gimignano, so you can have idea of where you want to go during your free time.
I've never been to Montecatini Terme which is known as a spa town. Here is a link to check that out. It looks REALLY cool!
There is so much information out there about all the places you will be visiting. There is more to come on this blog soon! A presto!!
Dear Singers of the UGA Chamber Choir, dear friends and family of the traveling group. It was a great pleasure meeting you all and having a chance to present the tour as well as answer any immediate questions you had. Please continue to stay in touch and make good use of this blog as a tool to exchange ideas and information. We look forward to hearing from you and will add more information soon. Arriverderci Sandra from Incantato Tours
Hello All! Below is your confirmed flight itinerary!
UGA to Europe:
Lufthansa (LH 445) is departing Tuesday, May 26 at 6:00pm from Atlanta, Georgia (ATL) and arriving in Frankfurt, Germany (FRA) 8:55am. Change planes: 12:25pm (LH 3886) departs from Frankfurt and arrives in Milan (MXP)on Wednesday, May 27 at 1:35pm.
UGA to USA:
Lufthansa (LH 3853) is departing Friday, June 5 at 6:45 am from Rome, Italy (FCO) and arriving in Frankfurt (FRA) at 8:45am. Change planes: 12:10pm (LH444) departs from Frankfurt and arrives in Atlanta (ATL) on Friday, June 5 at 4:10pm.
Incantato Tours recommends that travelers arrive at the airport 2 hours prior to departure.
St. Mark's Basilica majestically symbolizes the lagoon and enshrines the history of Venice. It was originally built in 828 to house the Evangelist Mark, whose body Venetian merchants stole from his tomb in Alexandria, Egypt, because Muslims were going to desecrate the church where it was laid to rest. The basilica had to be reconstructed after a fire in 976. Doge Domenico Contarini decided to rebuild the church on the same Greek cross plan as the previous one. In 1096, it was consecrated, but the decorative work continued until the beginning of the 19th century. The present church is modeled on the 6th century Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople with an equal-sided cross, surmounted by five symmetrically placed monumental domes. The light is thus directed towards the centre of the basilica, leaving the side aisles in comparative shadow. The west wing was later enlarged by adding a surrounding narthex. The marble columns and slabs, the mosaics and carvings, the paintings and statuary, the gold and jeweled icons and the countless other treasures in the building reflect many centuries of Venetian dominance over the eastern Mediterranean. The basilica is situated front and center of the magnificent Piazza San Marco, the highlight for every tourist visiting Venice.
Opening Hours: Daily 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Address: Piazza San Marco, Venice -- Phone: (+39) 0415224064
Saturday, May 30 Ultrapadum Festival Concert - we recommend the Teatro di Stradella, but you may prefer signing in one of the many fabulous churches
Sunday, May 31 St. Mark's Basilica, Venice - featured guest choir for High Mass at 6:45 pm.
Monday, June 1 Duomo, Florence - - featured guest choir for High Mass (pending final confirmation) at 6 pm. Santa Maria dei Ricci, Florence - Concert (possibly as exchange performance with local choir) at 8:30 pm.
Thursday, June 4 St. Peter's Basilica, Rome - featured guest choir for High Mass at 5 pm
Below is a listing with links to your confirmed tour hotels. They are a mix of 3 and 4 star properties in mostly central locations. Please note that the accommodations for Rome are yet to be selected based on your choice of city or countryside location. Alessandria: Home-stays - for guests/family we can offer rooms at: Hotel Europa Salice Terme: Hotel Saulus Venice-Mestre: Hotel Albatros Montecatini Terme: Hotel Francia & Quirinale Rome or Rome region: TBD
The 33 members of the 2009 UGA Chamber Choir Italy Performance Tour are heading to Tuscany today. First stop after leaving La Serenissima will be the spa town of Montecatini Terme (very much beloved by composer Verdi), followed by an in-depth visit of nearby Lucca. A special Tuscan dinner awaits the group in nearby Montecarlo.
It's easy to get a passport and you need it for traveling with UGA choir to Europe in the spring of 2009. Here are a couple websites you can visit to get information to apply for your passport such as the US State Department . You may also go to your local post office and fill out an application there. Remember to send Incantato a copy of you passport.
Good Luck!!! This is the beginning of a wonderful journey you will experience this year!
Incantato is a boutique performance tour operator. Every tour is custom designed to match the choir’s expectations – especially when it comes to the performances and musical experiences. We know that for many singers this tour to Europe may be a once in a life time opportunity and we do everything we can to make sure it is unforgettable. Essential artistic experiences are our trademark and we are known for our in-depth knowledge of Europe, professional concert management and marketing, highly skilled team members, attention to detail and flexibility. We take the time to get to know our clients so that our dedicated team members in the US as well as in Europe can make sure that every participant gets the most out of the journey. In addition, we create a tour blog that allows those remaining in the US to follow the choir virtually.
Please find below a few endorsements we are proud to share with you today. I encourage you to speak with your colleagues and their students who have experienced what sets Incantato apart.
"As a director I loved the personal touch Incantato was able to provide and the attention they gave to even the smallest details. Incantato worked with us to suit our tour of Central Europe to our ensemble’s needs and objectives. The result was a brilliant tour that featured amazing performance venues, excellent guides, and unique cultural experiences that the students and I will remember for a lifetime."
Dr. Graeme Langager - Director of Choral Activities, University of Arkansas
"Canticum Novum, The tour choir of Central Church in Phoenix just completed its most successful tour in 35 years of contertizing abroad, solely due to the excellent management of Incantato. Their attention to every detail, response to every request, superb International Staff, and excellence in concert management are singularly distinctive. Theirs is a professional concert management group who are also excellent providers of travel services. That is a distinctive difference. Travel agents are for travel; Incantato provides concert management in stunning venues, and the organizational minutia supporting these artistic events in addition to fine tuned travel experiences filled with special amenities. If music making in superb acoustical spaces to wonderfully receptive audiences is your priority, Incantato is the professional tour group for your ensemble." Donald E. Morse, Music Director
“Having recently returned from a successful tour of Ireland, I can say without a doubt that this was my finest tour experience. I have used several different tours companies in my years of performance tours, and none have matched the attention to detail, the thoughtful planning, excellent venues & marketing, meal & hotels, and overall management by Incantato. Their pricing was excellent, and when the US currency dropped, they did not raise any of our cost. I would recommend this company to anyone planning a tour, whether they are a large professional ensemble, or a small church choir.”
Nathan J. Kreitzer, Director of Choral Activities, Santa Barbara City College
"Our tour was so much more than a music festival. It was a complete cultural enrichment including great performance venues, hotels, restaurants, local tour guides, as well as connections with other choirs and instrumentalists. An added bonus for us was an introduction to an Italian composer who presently will be joining us in NC for 3 concerts featuring some of his choral music. So the cultural exchange continues. Bravo, Incantato!" Dr. Sue Klausmeyer, Chapel Hill Community Chorus, Chapel Hill, SC
“When we travel to Europe again, it will be with Incantato. I have been more than impressed with their professionalism and attention to detail. We sang in great and unforgettable venues, had excellent marketing and audiences. I highly recommend Incantato.“ Howard Cheung, San Marino Chamber Choir, CA
Please note that Incantato is a women-owned and operated business. We are a registered seller of travel and comply with state regulation. In accordance, all client funds are placed in secured trust accounts and your group earns the interest on the deposits. We only work with fully licensed, insured and bonded partners. In addition, Incantato covers your tour with a $3 million dollar tour operator insurance policy.
We encourage every participant to obtain travel insurance and have negotiated special low rates for coverage starting at $20 for a comprehensive post-departure policy.
Your tour price includes a convenient confirmed schedule and ticket cost of $1035 quoted to us by Lufthansa. This is the actual group ticket price as Incantato has a 100% transparency policy when it comes to airfare. Lufthansa estimates Taxes/Fuel/Fees at $400, but is hoping for a lower final surcharge.
For a detailed itinerary and pricing, please see your tour brochure.
Final remarks about pricing
As you know, some cost elements of a tour remain the same (coach fee, tour manager & driver salaries, fuel, permits etc) , but when shared among a certain number of participants, a lower overall pricing per person can be achieved. It is our experience that especially with college groups, the original interest is usually smaller than the ideal size for the better or best rates. Yet, and we see it every year, once the singers start talking about their upcoming trip, family and friends start to join and sometimes even members of the community. This is especially true when the tour is as unique as the journey we propose for your group.
Please write down other questions you may have when reviewing your tour itinerary as we are glad to answer them. We are also open to adjust the tour further to meet your expectations and work within your budget.
We thank you for the opportunity to propose a performance tour to Italy for the University of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music.
With warm regards,
Sandra Weinacht – CEO Incantato Tours
“The trip was everything I hoped for and more. Everything promised was delivered. I realize that this tour gave you a number of challenges due to the low number of participants, but you always seemed to find a way to make things happen. I appreciate the positive ‘Can Do’ attitude. You showed what a tour company can do when it really cares about the quality of the performing venues and comfort and satisfaction of its clients.”
Bruce Koliha, BelCanto Choir, Performance Tour to Central Europe 2010
“Once again, thanks to you and all the Incantato team for the great tour you arranged for CIC this summer. I truly feel that Incantato delivered a lot for our money on this trip. All of the hotels were nice ones with good locations. What a great idea to give us a night in Vienna near the Prater! And the concert venues were varied and all beautiful. The dinner cruise on our last night was magical and we enjoyed the food, the company, and the views. Thanks for making this a part of our tour. You are so skillful in finding the unique, off the beaten path, towns and villages. These are some of the best memories.”
Sue Klausmeyer, Carolina International Chorale, Performance Tour to Central Europe Summer 2010
"Dear Incantato-Team, the Choir of the Sound and I want to thank you for all you did to make our tour to Northern Italy so incredible. I’ve worked with many other tour companies, but this trip exceeded even my most optimistic expectations. The singers will remember their time in Italy the rest of their lives. To have had the opportunity to perform in those amazing cathedrals with large appreciative audiences was truly memorable. In reflecting on our trip this year, I realized that past tours that I had considered successful fell short when compared to the trip that you put together for us. Incantato provided a consistently high level of organization and personal attention both during the planning stages and on the trip. Other exceptional aspects of the tour were: - The right amount and high quality of the performances. Our concerts and masses were wonderful. - Outstanding tour managers that were a wonderful combination of knowledgeable, flexible, personable and fun! - Beautiful posters and flyers as well as superb advertising of the concerts that resulted in large audiences - Excellent pacing of the tour—thanks for anticipating when we would need some time to recover - The included activities were interesting and created a change of pace for the singers - Great meals, consistently. My vegetarians were very pleased also. - The choir manager and I are very appreciative of your personal attention to our questions during the planning stages of the trip. - Terrific bus drivers who made us feel safe and who enjoyed the group It was a pleasure to work with everyone at your organization and I would be happy to share my experience with Incantato with other potential clients." Judy Filibeck, Director "Choir of the Sound", Seattle, WA
"Having recently returned from a successful tour of Ireland, I can say without a doubt that this was my finest tour experience. I have used several different tours companies in my years of performance tours, and none have matched the attention to detail, the thoughtful planning, excellent venues & marketing, meal & hotels, and overall management by Incantato Tours. Their pricing was excellent, and when the US currency dropped, they did not raise any of our cost. I would recommend this company to anyone planning a tour, whether they are a large professional ensemble, or a small church choir."
Nathan J. Kreitzer - Director of Choral Activities Santa Barbara City College, CA
"It was a true pleasure working with Sandra and Incantato on our Italy Tour 2008. She is very detail oriented and surpassed many of our expectations. I would recommend Incantato to anyone planning a concert or performance tour." Rick Christophersen, Director Conservatory of Music at ChapmanUniversity, Orange, CA
“My sincerest and deepest thanks to you and all your staff for making this tour for the Quire of Voyces our very best yet! Your attention to every detail, special offerings each day, fine accommodations and outstanding tour guides all made for a very gratifying experience for all of us.” Susan Kuehn, Quire of Voyces Performance Tour to Italy, June 2010
“I’ve worked with many other tour companies, but our Incantato Tour exceeded even my most optimistic expectations. The singers will remember their time in Italy the rest of their lives. To have had the opportunity to perform in those amazing cathedrals with large appreciative audiences was truly memorable.“ Judy Filibeck, Choir of the Sound, Seattle, WA
"I have only wonderful things to say about Incantato Tours! The UGA Chamber Choir traveled to Italy in 2009. From the marvelous concert venues to the excellently managed tour, this was really a dream trip. The highly professional and expert Incantato tour manager who was with us throughout the entire trip, the fantastic bus drivers, and the knowledgeable city tour guides all helped to make the tour run exceptionally smoothly. Probably most important was that this entire trip was really a specialty tour designed especially for this particular choral group. Incantato Tours made it possible for us to sing in some very remarkable places, including the Sistine Chapel. Planning a tour takes incredible dedication and Incantato Tours would definitely be my choice again!" Dr. Martha Thomas, UGA School of Music, Athens, GA
“We had the wonderful opportunity to go to Spain, sing in great venues, experience an amazing culture, and eat great food. There is always a special element of magic that happens with Incantato Tours.” Andrew Crane, Director of Choral and Vocal Activities, California State University, San Bernardino;Performance Tour to Spain, June 2010
“Incantato Tours has created the most musically satisfying tour we have ever taken. For the singers touring is about the music in the wonderful cathedrals and the exchanges with the local kids. A toast to Incantato for fulfilling your dream, and for making so many people so happy - now and in the future.” Arlene Jacobs, SCS Touring Choir, Akron, OH
“Incantanto facilitated maximum educational, religious, and just plain fun experiences among youth and adults alike.” Ed Bettendorf, Western ReserveAcademy, Performance Tour to Italy March 2010
"There are at least four essential ingredients for a successful and rewarding concert tour for young people and their sponsors —appropriate concert settings, advance publicity, opportunities for learning abut the areas visited (including exchanges with the local youth), and good logistical planning. The recent tour of the Akron, OhioSummit Children's Touring Choir through Germany, the CzechRepublic and Austria was successful indeed. The venues were most impressive and beautiful. The publicity produced large responsive and appreciative crowds as well as mayor’s receptions with recital opportunities at city halls. The knowledgeable tour guides and the visits with local youth and choirs provided an experience for the choir members that will not be soon forgotten. The schedule for travel, meals, concerts and touring were planed and flexible enough to accommodate for unexpected delays without loss of any scheduled tour, exchange or concert. Finally, a "shadow tour" of parents and sponsors was also a success and allowed those who wished to do so to attend every reception, recital and concert while being guided on a separate tour, well planned and executed. As one who worked with Sandra Weinacht and her staff at Incantato I can assure you it would not have been such a success without their planning and execution of our tour. They are to be commended and I would highly recommend Incantato Tours to anyone considering a group tour, especially a performance tour. C.A. Ridge Jr., A Summit Choral Society Sponsor
“Incantato Tours impresses me because their clients come first. Their advantage lies in the selection of venues, impressive itineraries and the ability to tend to details.” Dr. Gary L. Unruh, Professor Emeritus, CSU Fresno
“I can't speak highly enough about Incantato Tours. They were with us every step of the way, tailoring a tour that was perfect for our wants, needs and budget. I would recommend Incantato to anyone serious about a choir tour, especially if you want a tour that provides wonderful indelible memories of the best that a tour can be.” Stan DeWitt, Minister of Music, Grace First Presbyterian Church, Long Beach, CA; Performance Tour to Ireland, April 2010
"Of the eight international tours I've taken as both singer and conductor, last summer's CSULB tour to Naples, Rome, Florence and the Amalfi Coast with Incantato was the best organized and the most fun. Our tour manger and guides were professional, wonderful teachers, and our venues were beautiful. We saw stunning posters for our events everywhere we walked. The marketing for our concerts was incredible! Our audiences were huge and exuberant, and Incantato made all the pieces fell into place beautifully. Thank you Incantato Tours for the personal attention, for the flexibility that allowed us to chose exactly where we wanted to go and what we wanted to see. We're already planning for 2010." Dr. Jonathan Talberg - Director of Choral, Vocal, and Opera Studies, Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, California State University, Long Beach
"Canticum Novum, The tour choir of Central Church in Phoenix just completed its most successful tour in 35 years of contertizing abroad, solely due to the excellent management of Incantato. Their attention to every detail, response to every request, superb International Staff, and excellence in concert management are singularly distinctive. Theirs is a professional concert management group who are also excellent providers of travel services. That is a distinctive difference. Travel agents are for travel; Incantato provides concert management in stunning venues, and the organizational minutia supporting these artistic events in addition to fine tuned travel experiences filled with special amenities. If music making in superb acoustical spaces to wonderfully receptive audiences is your priority, Incantato is the professional tour group for your ensemble." Donald. E. Morse, Central United MethodistChurch, Phoenix, AZ
"The San Marino Chamber Singers have been very fortunate to travel several times already with the director of Incantato Tours, Ms. Sandra Weinacht. She was our personal tour and concert manager when we traveled to Italy in 2005 and then designed, organized and oversaw our tour to Central Europe in 2007. It was another huge success. Aside from selecting and working with prime venues only, Ms. Weinacht's staff also put in great time and effort in promoting our concerts through beautiful designed and professionally printed concert posters and cards. Incantato's marketing of our performances became highly visible to the public and contributed to the success of every concert. I have been more than impressed with their professionalism and highly recommend Incantato Tours to everyone. They definitely cater to each choir member's personal needs and watch every detail. The hotels were carefully selected, the meals were beyond our expectation. If there were ever any problems, they were dealt with beautifully and professionally on the spot. We were very impressed with how well the whole tour was executed. The next time we go back to Europe, it will be with Incantato Tours." Howard Cheung, San Marino Chamber Choir, CA
"Well, you did it. I don't know how, but you did it! You accepted the challenge, and performed a small miracle. My hat is off to you and Ted for creating what is, for me, the most musically satisfying tour we have taken. All of the kids who have been on the three tours (Italy, China,and Europe) agreed, hands down, that this was the best ever. For them it's about the music in the wonderful cathedrals and the exchanges with the local kids. In festival-type situations they are not really "up close and personal" with other kids - they're mostly rehearsing. At any rate, a toast to Incantato, to you and Ted for fulfilling your dream, and for making so many people so happy - now and in the future. Thank you!" Arlene Jacobs, Artistic Director, Summit Children’s Touring Choir and Co-Founder of the Summit Choral Society (SCS)
"Incantato stresses the small town experience as well as the traditional larger cities, but it wasn't until I looked out on the valley and town of Salice Terme spread out below us as we enjoyed a wonderful home-cooked Italian meal that I truly understood or appreciated that element. At that moment, "Italy" became much more than a series of famous cities to check off my list; it became a real world, a place of rolling hills as well as marble cathedrals, time-honored traditions and modern technology. A true mix of culture and heritage unknown and unappreciated by those in the United States --- until you arrive! The experience we had of singing in the Sistine Chapel is absolutely indescribable, yet I must try. It's been almost three months since the last note of Gregorio Allegri's Miserere echoed off Botticelli's walls and Michelangelo's awesome ceiling, but to the choir it is still as vivid a memory as if we sang there last night. I can't thank Sandra and the Incantato Team enough for arranging such a poignant moment" David Okun, student at UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music, Athens, GA
About Incantato Tours
Incantato Tours and Concerts
ESSENTIAL ARTISTIC EXPERIENCES Incantato is a boutique tour operator. As an innovative and creative organization, Incantato is dedicated to a new approach towards overseas group travel. At Incantato Tours, we custom-design every itinerary, because no two groups are alike and every traveler deserves to get excellent value. Performance Tours are our specialty. These journeys bring together people that have a lot in common, but come from various backgrounds, travelers with diverse interests and needs. We have and take the time to carefully listen to our clients, get to know the travelers and organization that brought them together for this very special journey to make sure it will be the experience of a lifetime thanks to perfectly matched destinations, spectacular performance venues, remarkable sights, perfectly matched hotels and meals, expert guides etc. We create day by day schedules that work for you and allow for essential artistic experiences both as a group and as individuals. For more information and to request a custom proposal for your group, please contact Incantato via email to info@incantatotours.com
