2013 Bellarmine University Performance Tour Route

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Weimar, Germany: A city of culture

Weimar, Germany, is best known for its cultural heritage. Located in the federal state of Thuringia southwest of Leipzig, Weimar dates back as far as the year 889. The city previously served as the capital of the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar. Weimar is historically recognized as the locaton of the signing of Germany’s first democratic constitution following World War I, lending its name to the Weimar Republic period of German politics (1918 – 1933). The city was also the focal point of the German Enlightenment and the home of Goethe and Schiller, the prime authors of the literary genre of Weimar Classicism. Additionally, Weimar is the birthplace of the Bauhaus fine arts movement, founded in 1919 by artists Walter Gropius, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Oskar Schlemmer, and Lyonel Feininger. Weimar is home to Germany’s most important musical and theatrical venue, the Deutsche National Theater and Staatskapelle Weimar. The twin institution, consisting of the German National Theater and the symphony orchestra Staatskapelle Weimar, operates a total of six stages throughout the city, hosting touring orchestras and theater companies from throughout the world. Throughout the years, many of Weimar’s historical landmarks have become designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Weimar was even selected by the European Council of Ministers in 1999 as the European Capital of Culture.

Johann Sebastian Bach up close in the Bachhaus in Eisenach - Germany

The Bachhaus in Eisenach (Bachhaus Eisenach) is the oldest museum devoted to the composer Johann Sebastian Bach, who was born and baptized in Eisenach and lived in the city until he was 10 years old. Today, Eisenach is home to the Bachhaus, which is the world's leading museum about the great composer and his works. It is located in a 550 year old half-timbered house on the Frauenplan that was purchased by the Neue Bachgesellschaft (New Bach Society) in 1906 and reopened as a museum in 1907. It contains original documents by Bach and provides a specialist library for researchers. In the summer, visitors to the museum can also visit a small Baroque garden behind the house. A modern wing, called the Penkues Building (after the architectural firm that designed it) opened in 2007. The exhibits will lead you through the life in Bach's time, musical instruments from the Bach era, the composer's works, and a few surprises (such as the step-by-step forensic reconstruction of Bach's head), or a movie that shows a rehearsal of the Thomaskirche Boys Choir in Leipzig, which Bach directed from 1723 to 1750.

As a bonus, you'll be treated to a mini-concert of Bach's music on a clavichord, a harpsichord and an organ during your visit to the museum. If you have time, you can sit in a "bubble chair" and listen to recorded music with headphones.

The Bachhaus also has a shop that sells recordings, books and posters. The "Café Kantate" will provide snacks and drinks after you've had your fill of history.

Hours. The Bachhaus Eisenach is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, except for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

Concert Venues: Thomaskirche, Leipzig

The great Thomaskirche is one of the main highlights of Leipzig, a town many refer to as the “City of Music.” Thomaskirche houses many renowned musicians, including the Boys Choir, as well as the final resting place of the grand composer Johann Sebastian Bach. Today people come from all over the world to the Church of St. Thomas to experience church services, unique performances from the Boys Choir and the Gewandhaus Orchestra, as well as intricate organ concerts.

Thomaskirche once served as a critical pawn during the Christian Reformation, as Martin Luther often preached in the 12^th century church. In 1355 the original Romanesque chancel was remodeled in a Gothic scheme, coinciding with the congregation’s split from the Roman Catholic Church.

Johann Sebastian Bach served as the choir director at Thomaskirche from 1723 until his death in 1750. A statue of Bach standing outside the church’s entrance was dedicated in the composer’s memory in 1908. Although renovations in the mid-1800s resulted in the removal of all Baroque equipment, a commemorative Bach organ, in the style of the original used by Bach, was installed in the sanctuary in 2000. The older romantic organ also remains, but is considered “unsuitable” for playing Bach’s music and is only used when appropriate.

The roof’s unusual 63 degree angle and sanctuary’s intricately designed vaulted ceilings result in unbelievable acoustics and highly complimentary reverberation.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Ettersburg Palace - possible concert venue

Ettersburg Palace, made up of the three-winged Old Palace (1706-12), with an adjoining church to the East and fronted to the South by the main building (the New Palace: built in 1722 and renovated from 1728-40), was used as a Summer residence by Duchess Anna Amalia from 1776 to 1780. The baroque palace is surrounded by an English style landscape park. Two parterres and the six-hectare countryside park supplement the palace complex, which was also used as a hunting lodge by the Weimar dukes. In the mid 19th century, Duke Carl Alexander had the outside areas redesigned and extended by the Weimar court gardener Eduard Petzold. One of the existing avenues of an historic hunting "etoile" leading directly to the palace was converted into a long forest meadow by Prince Hermann Pueckler von Muskau together with Petzold, his student. Members of the Duchess Anna Amalia's literary and musical set - which included Wieland, Goethe, Herder amongst others - would meet up here in the Summer months. There were even performances by Goethe's amateur dramatic group: the "Weimarer Liebhabertheater". 

Next stop Vienna - here are some fun facts about Austria's capital city

• Vienna is situated on the Danube River and is the largest city and the capital of Austria. Not only that, Vienna is also the Federal province of Austria.
• It has the 3rd highest quality of living in European Union. People from Vienna are called Viennese.
• The major religion of the people is Christianity. The major language spoken in Vienna is German. Surprisingly the voting age in Austria is only 16 years old.
• Vienna is the only Austrian city-state in Austria, which is a federal republic.
• Vienna is divided into 23 districts. The city center in Vienna is a World Heritage Site.
• Vienna is known worldwide as the city of music and is home to great music hall with excellent acoustics.
• Vienna is the last great capital of the Nineteenth Century Ball.
• The Museumsquartier, which is one of the largest cultural complexes in the world, is present In Vienna.
• World famous classical composers, including Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, Schubert, and Brahms, have all lived and performed in Vienna.
• Vienna is home to the setting of Graham Greene's novel ‘The Third Man’ that is an actual city casting melancholy and telling the story of the Cold War.
• Vienna is considered as a city of cultural heritage. It has been home to various great artists Gustav Klimt, Sigmund Freud, Arthur Schnitzler
• Tiergarten Schönbrunn, which is world’s oldest zoological garden,  was founded in 1752,
• The largest emerald of the world, which is of a whopping 2860 caret, is displayed in the Imperial Treasury in Vienna.
• The highest waterfall in Europe is in Kriml Falls, which is close by Vienna. The water falls 1,250 feet.
• One of its only kind and one of the oldest Giant Wheel is there in Vienna, which is probably its one of the most familiar attractions. It is situated in a large wooded amusement park called as Prater. It has 15 Gondolas, which offers a scenic view of Vienna.
• Europe’s second largest cemetery is situated in Vienna, which is called as Zentralfriedhof, it has a total size of 2.5 square kilometers/one square miles.
• Zentralfriedhof also has over 2.5 million tombs, which is almost double than the city’s live population. It also has tombs of some of the most famous personalities of the world such as Beethoven, Brahms, Gluck, Schubert, Schoenberg, and Strauss.

Concert venue - Stephansdom, Vienna, Austria

Incantato Concert Venue: Stephansdom, Vienna

Saint Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, reigns as the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schoenberg. The cathedral’s present Romanesque and Gothic façade was commissioned by Rudolf IV and stands atop the ruins of two earlier churches. The church is located in the heart of Vienna within the Stephansplatz district. It is not only considered the most important religious structure in the capital city, but the cathedral’s multi-colored tile roofing also makes it the most recognizable. Saint Stephen’s Cathedral boasts a very important organ tradition. The sanctuary’s first organ was installed in 1334 but was unfortunately destroyed during a fire in 1945. Michael Kauffmann constructed a large electric organ in its place in 1960 which includes 125 voices, four manuals, and over 9,000 pipes, all financed by public donation. In 1991 the current choir organ was built by the Austrian firm Rieger. The new mechanical organ is comprised a more modest 56 voices and four manuals.A prominent Vienna landmark, Saint Stephen’s Cathedral is featured in many media productions including films, video games, and television shows. These include the 1949 Orson Welles film “The Third Man,” and the 2004 video game “Burnout 3.” An image of the cathedral is also depicted on the Austrian 10 cent Euro coin as well as the packaging of the popular Manner-Schnitten wafer treat. In 2008, Broadway star Sarah Brightman performed a promotional concert in Saint Stephen’s Cathedral which was recorded for television broadcast and released later in DVD form. 

Welcome to Passau!

Passau on the blue Danube, the green Inn and the black Ilz

Passau in the southeast of Germany is located at the Austrian border. Situated at the confluence of the rivers Danube, Inn and Ilz, Passau is worldwide known as "The Three Rivers City".The earliest evidence of human settlement dates back to the Neolithic. Passau was part of the Roman Empire for more than 400 years. It became an Episcopal seat in the year 739 AD. Passau was an independent prince bishopric for over 600 years. Finally in 1803 Passau was annexed into Bavaria. The setting of the Old Town, created by Italian baroque masters in the 17th century, shows soaring towers, picturesque places, enchanting promenades and romantic lanes.In the heart of Passau on the Old Town’s highest point rises St. Steven’s Cathedral, in which the world’s largest cathedral organ sounds. Sitting high above the rivers, the majestic fortress "Veste Oberhaus" on the Danube’s side and the Pilgrimage Church "Mariahilf" on the Inn’s side frame the city outstandingly beauty.Passau with its unique charm and its atmosphere is one of the most beautiful and spectacular German cities on the Danube.

In the year 2012 Passau is going to celebrate its 350th anniversary as a baroque town built in Italian baroque style. Year-round will be numerous events like concerts in the Cathedral, festivals, symposia, lectures, music performances, guided tours, etc. based on the theme “Baroque“. The ultimate highlight of the “Year of Baroque“ will be the “Baroque Festival“ in Passau´s city centre from the 31st of August to the 2nd of September, 2012.
Further information you will find in www.barockstadt-passau.de.

Fun Facts About Munich

• The Bavarian city is called "Minga" in the Bavarian slang.
• Its native name, "München", is derived from the German word "Mönche", meaning "Monks".
• The park called "Englischer Garten", close to the city centre, is larger than Central Park in New York.
• Best known for the largest beergarden in the town is the former royal "Hirschgarten", founded in 1780 for deer which still live there.
• On October 16, 2009, the International Olympic Committee has listed Munich as one of the three Applicant Cities for 2018 Winter Olympic Games, with Annecy (France), and Pyeongchang (South Korea). If chosen, Munich will be the first city to host both the Summer (1972) and Winter Olympic Games.
• The "Deutsches Museum" or "German Museum", located on an island in the River Isar, is one of the oldest and largest science museums in the world.
• Munich has played host to many prominent composers including Orlando di Lasso, W.A. Mozart, Carl Maria von Weber, Richard Wagner, Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Max Reger and Carl Orff. With the music festival "Biennale", the city still contributes to modern music theatre.
• In 2010 the famous beer festival "Oktoberfest" celebrated its 200 year anniversary.
• The "Weißwürste" (white sausages) are a Munich speciality. Traditionally eaten only before 12:00 noon - a tradition dating to a time before refrigerators - these morsels are often served with sweet mustard and pretzels.
• For its urban population of 2.6 million people, Munich and its closest suburbs have one of the most comprehensive and punctual systems in the world. The Munich Tramway is the oldest existing public transportation system in the city, which has been in operation since 1876.