Update: November 2025

Music & Opera in 2026

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e price includes nearly everything, not only the major ingredients such as hotel, transport and the costs of the lecturer and manager but also tips and drinks with meals. e price published is the price you pay.

‘ e variety and quality of the music was terri c. It was the best musical week of my life.’

‘Superb overall. Introduced me to some new music and composers. Daily talks by Katy were outstanding – she is friendly and amusing as well as informative.’

‘Sublime performances, excellent concert venues, & very comprehensive programme booklet.’

‘ e music was pure delight from start to nish. I always enjoy the fact that the music festivals introduce me to music I would not have otherwise thought of listening to.’

Martin Randall Travel Ltd

10 Barley Mow Passage, London W4 4PH

Tel +44 (0)20 8742 3355 info@martinrandall.co.uk

From North America: Tel 1 800 988 6168 (toll-free) usa@martinrandall.com ATOL 3622 | ABTOT 5468 | AITO 5085

Early Music in Yorkshire

Period performances in historic venues

6–11 May 2026 (mm 945)

6 days • Speaker: Professor John Bryan

Eight private performances on period instruments, in the rich historic centre of York and magni cent surrounding countryside.

e Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (with Lucy Crowe and So a Kirwan-Baez), Tallis Scholars, Consone Quartet, Rose Consort, Liz Kenny, Nicholas Mulroy, English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble, Justin Taylor and ApotropaÏK all perform.

Concerts exclusively for our audience in landmarks such as Castle Howard and York Minster, as well as a private stately home, medieval halls, a frescoed church and others.

Music predominantly from the Renaissance and Baroque eras, with a few excursions both earlier and later (medieval, 19th century) as we explore how to de ne ‘early’ music.

Choose from three very comfortable, well-run hotels in the centre of York.

Talks on the music by Professor John Bryan.

Iti nerary

Day 1: Arrival in York for a drinks reception and a talk on tonight’s concert. e Tallis Scholars perform Taverner, Tallis and Tye, the three giants of early Tudor church music, in the majestic York Minster.

Day 2: A morning talk precedes Justin Taylor’s harpsichord recital (‘Bach & Italy’) at York’s Mansion House, an impressive Palladian design dating from 1725–33. Dinner is included before the evening concert at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall. Built in the 14th century for meetings and trading, is the largest of its kind in the country, and still retains its timbered grandeur. Tonight’s

programme explores the rst great body of European music to rework existing songs, dating to the early 1500s, with the Rose Consort of Viols and mezzo soprano Elisabeth Paul.

Day 3: Depart for Hovingham Hall, a charming stately home on the edge of the North York Moors, still inhabited by the Worsley family. e Consone Quartet performs works by Haydn, Mozart and Schubert on period instruments. Our candelit evening concert is held at the Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate, where Elizabeth Kenny (lute) and Nicholas Mulroy (tenor) present music by Renaissance composer and lutanist John Dowland.

Day 4: St Peter & St Paul in Pickering is the venue for our Saturday morning concert. Dating to the 12th century, the church is most renowned for its remarkable 15th-century wall paintings. A medieval programme evoking a rich mosaic of female gures as inspiration is performed by the ApotropaÏK ensemble. Later there is the option of attending public Evensong at York Minster with e Choir of York Minster, with music tailored especially to t with our festival programme.

Day 5: ere is a talk on the music before a latemorning concert at the 14th-century Hospitium, a two-storey listed building set within the beautiful Museum Gardens, where the English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble perform music by Italians who made the Tudor courts their home. In the early a ernoon we travel to Castle Howard for our nal concert, inspired by the rivalry between Handel and Giovanni Bonocini, with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment performing alongside Lucy Crowe and So a Kirwan-Baez. Return to York for a gala dinner in the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall.

Day 6: Depart from York.

Image: York Minster, © Cody Marti n.

‘I was greatly impressed with the amazing quality of the musicians and the breadth of what was covered.’

Early Music in Yorkshire

Meet the musicians

Rose Consort

Viol consort that performs regularly at York Early Music Festival and major London venues.

Elisabeth Paul

Mezzo soprano; has performed in several BBC Proms under conductors including Sir Simon Rattle and Daniel Barenboim.

Consone Quartet

The first period-instrument string quartet to become BBC New Generation Artists.

Elizabeth Kenny

One of Europe’s leading lute players. In over 20 years of touring, she has collaborated with many top period instrument groups.

Nicholas Mulroy

Tenor; has performed at the Sydney Opera House and Royal Albert Hall, and regularly at Wigmore Hall and various festivals.

ApotropaïK

French ensemble who bring a vibrant, youthful perspective to medieval music.

The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble

A virtuoso period instrument group, predominantly wind.

The Tallis Scholars

Founded in 1973 by Peter Phillips, they have established themselves as the leading exponents of Renaissance sacred music.

Justin Taylor

Rising star harpsichordist, won First Prize at the International Musica Antiqua Competition in Bruges.

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

One of the leading period instrument orchestras in the world.

Post-festival tours

Yorkshire Houses & Gardens

Parks & gardens, architecture & decoration, art & furniture

11–17 May 2026 (mm 953)

7 days • Speaker: Christopher Garibaldi

The finest country houses and gardens in Yorkshire, the county with the greatest number and widest range of these in England.

All aspects of the country house are studied – architecture, furniture, decoration, works of art; gardens and parks; historical context and daily life; conservation and custodianship.

Many of the houses have excellent gardens and are set in classic landscaped parks.

Special arrangements and out-of-hours visits.

Walking Hadrian’s Wall

Roman civilisation at the edge of an empire

Illustration: Castle Howard, engraving from Colen Cambell’s ‘Vitruvius Britannicus’, 1720s.

11–17 May 2026 (mm 954)

7 days • Speaker: Dr Matthew Symonds

The archaeology and history of the largest Roman construction in northern Europe.

As the most spectacular stretches are accessible only on foot, this is by necessity a walking tour.

Passes through some of the most wild and magnificent scenery in England as well as including all the major Roman sites and relevant museums.

Illustration: Hadrian’s Wall near Housesteads, wood engraving 1888.

‘Katy Hamilton was outstanding. Her lectures were of exceptional quality and the depth of her musical knowledge of the subject matter was superb.’

The Rhine Piano Festival

A celebration of the piano along Europe’s artery for cultural exchange

22–29 June 2026 (mm 100)

8 days • Speaker: Dr Katy Hamilton

Seven private recitals by some of the nest pianists of their generation.

A further two concerts explore the piano’s role both in chamber music and song.

Repertoire from Bach’s extraordinary keyboard works to the dazzling virtuosity of Liszt and Rachmanino , via Schubert and Schumann’s Romantic expressiveness and much more.

Intimate halls within the resplendent palaces at Mannheim, Bruchsal and Namedy, the Beethovenhaus in Bonn and the Felix Meritis Hall in Amsterdam.

Accommodation throughout on a rst-class river cruiser, which sails from Amsterdam to Basel.

Iti nerary

Day 1: Amsterdam. Board the ship, MS Amadeus Riva, from 4.00pm. An early dinner precedes a recital of Chopin, Rachmanino and others with Chopin International Piano Competition winner Eric Lu at the Felix Meritis Concert Hall. Sail from Amsterdam to Wesel in the late evening.

Day 2: Schloss Lembeck. Leave the Netherlands and enter Germany, sailing along the charming Lower Rhine in the morning. Mooring at Wesel, drive to Schloss Lembeck near Dorsten for a mixed treasure chest of a programme with Alexandra Dariescu. We return to the ship in the evening and sail overnight from Wesel to Bonn.

Day 3: Bonn. Moor in Bonn just a er breakfast for a morning song recital at the iconic Beethoven Haus with Julius Drake accompanying mezzosoprano Emily Sierra. We return to the ship for lunch, or stay on in Bonn for some free time.

Dinner is served on the ship before the evening recital of Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven’s nal piano sonatas with Elisabeth Leonskaja. Sail overnight from Bonn to Andernach.

Day 4: Burg Namedy. Located near Andernach on the Rhine River, Burg Namedy is a historic moated castle with origins dating back to the 14th century. It is our venue for a mixed programme including Liszt, Mendelssohn and Beethoven’s Appassionata sonata with Mariam Batsashvili. e a ernoon and evening are spent sailing through the Middle Rhine, the most dramatically picturesque stretch of the river.

Day 5: Mannheim, Schloss Bruchsal. Arrive at Mannheim for a morning recital of Bach with Jonathan Ferrucci. Sail over lunchtime from Mannheim to Speyer for a late-a ernoon recital at Schloss Bruchsal with recent Leeds International Piano Competition winner Jaeden Izik-Dzurko. e works, including Schumann’s Fantasie, demonstrate how varied Romanticism and virtuosity can be in di erent hands or at di erent times. Sail overnight.

Day 6: Sankt Peter. A talk on the music takes place during morning sailing, before mooring at Breisach just a er lunch. Drive to Sankt Peter im Schwarzwald, where our concert with the Amatis Trio takes place, which explores the developing role of the piano within the piano trio. Sail overnight from Breisach to Basel.

Day 7: Basel. Straddling the Rhine at the uppermost point for shipping, the Swiss city abuts the borders of France and Germany. Our grand nale includes works such as Ravel’s Valses nobles et sentimentales with Nelson Goerner, one of the world’s greatest classical pianists.

Day 8: Basel. Depart the ship in the morning.

Image: Our cruiser on the festi val, Amadeus Riva © Irinel Cirlanaru.

The Rhine Piano Festival

Meet the musicians

Eric Lu

Winner of the 2025 International Chopin Piano Competition and BBC New Generation Artist 2019–22.

Julius Drake

Professor of Collaborative Piano at the Guildhall School of Music and curator of a song recital series at Middle Temple Hall.

Elisabeth Leonskaja

Among the most celebrated pianists of our times.

Jonathan Ferrucci

The Italian-Australian pianist has performed across Europe, Australia and the US in venues such as Wigmore Hall.

Amatis Trio

Founded in Amsterdam in 2014, now based in Salzburg and recognised as BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists.

Creator of The Nutcracker and I, a trailblazing pianist who has performed with major orchestras.

Emily Sierra

Cuban-American mezzo-soprano, part of the Ensemble of the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich.

Georgian pianist; has been both an Echo Rising Star and BBC New Generation Artist. Alexandra Dariescu

Mariam Batsashvili

Jaeden Izik-Dzurko

Winner of the 2024 Leeds International Piano Competition and celebrated for his technical command.

Nelson Goerner

One of the world’s greatest classical pianists, regularly performing with orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw.

Accommodation

MS Amadeus Riva

Launched in 2023, the MS Amadeus Riva is one of the newest and most comfortable cruisers on the waterways of Europe.

All cabins are reasonably spacious by the standards of river cruisers, with windows to the outside and facilities such as adjustable air-conditioning, telephone, TV and safe. Bathrooms have showers only.

Pre-festival tour

Cabins on the top decks (Mozart and Strauss) are the most desirable, with floor-to-ceiling windows which drop down to open. Cabins on the lowest (Haydn) deck have smaller windows which don’t open.

The public areas include the lounge and bar, a library area and a restaurant that can seat everyone at a single sitting.

Art in the Netherlands

A spectrum of the finest works

See page 19 for cabin and deck plans

16–22 June 2026 (mm 990) 7 days • Speaker: Desmond Shawe-Taylor

A study of Dutch art in some of the finest museums of the Netherlands.

Features the great masters Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh as well as other major figures.

Also architecture and design from medieval to modern, and several highly picturesque historic town centres.

Illustration: ‘The Five Syndics’, wood engraving c. 1880 after Rembrandt.

Music Along the Danube

15–22 August 2026 (mm 135)

8 days • Speaker: Dr Paul Max Edlin

A voyage through Habsburg heartland via Europe’s sublime waterway of Klosterneuburg Abbey with Kristian Bezuidenhout on fortepiano. Return to the ship for dinner.

Eight private concerts in appropriate historic buildings, world-class artists, illuminating talks.

Haydn symphonies in the Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt, where he worked for most of his life; Mozart string quartets in Grein, in Austria’s oldest working theatre (1791).

Imogen Cooper, Kristian Bezuidenhout, Carolyn Sampson and Joseph Middleton all appear.

Accommodation throughout on a rst-class river cruiser, which sails from Passau to Bratislava and back, through some of the most enchanting riverine landscape in Europe.

Daily talks by music expert Dr Paul Max Edlin.

Iti nerary

Day 1: Passau. Fly from London Heathrow or Manchester or make your way to Passau independently. e Bavarian city of Passau is crammed with historic buildings, dominated by the great Baroque cathedral, one of the most important episcopal seats in Central Europe. e ship sails at 6.30pm and a reception is followed by dinner.

Day 2: Grein, Dürnstein. Moor at Grein, a charming little town between the Danube and the hills with a 16th-century Schloss rising to one side. A morning talk is followed by a concert of Haydn and Mozart with the Butter Quartet in Austria’s oldest working theatre. Sail on to Dürnstein. We have an evening concert at the magni cent Dürnstein Abbey with the Vienna Chamber Choir before returning to the ship for dinner.

Day 3: Klosterneuburg. Sail until lunchtime, with a talk on the music mid-morning before a Mozart recital in the handsome Augustinussaal

Day 4: Schloss Eckartsau, Bratislava. e ship moors in the little town of Hainburg where Haydn went to school. We take a short drive to Schloss Eckartsau, an enchanting former hunting lodge, for a Schubert recital with Carolyn Sampson and Joseph Middleton. We then sail downstream to Bratislava for a concert of Czech piano trios, including Dvořák’s Dumky , by the Smetana Trio.

Day 5: Eisenstadt. We sail upstream throughout the morning and moor near Vienna before travelling to Eisenstadt. It is dominated by a vast 17th-century mansion, the principal seat of the Esterházy family. Many of Haydn’s works were rst performed here. Our a ernoon concert of Haydn symphonies takes place in the great hall, the Haydnsaal, with the Haydn Philharmonie.

Day 6: Vienna. Principal seat of the Habsburgs for over 600 years, Vienna remains one of the world’s greatest centres for the arts, and has no rivals for its dominant place in the history of music. e morning is free before an a ernoon recital of Schubert Impromptus with renowned pianist Imogen Cooper. Sail upstream from Vienna to Linz.

Day 7: Linz. e historic capital of Upper Austria, Linz is a picturesque maze of streets, alleys and historic buildings. ere is some free time before an a ernoon concert including Beethoven’s Septet at the Palais Kaufmännischer Verein with Wigmore Soloists and Michael Collins. We then sail upstream overnight to Passau, enjoying a reception and dinner against a backdrop of river and wooded hills receding into the dusk.

Day 8: Passau. e ship moors at Passau and coaches leave for Munich city centre and the airport between 8.30 and 9.30am.

Image: Our cruiser on the festi val, Amadeus Imperial © Marcell Mizik.

‘ e tour was brilliantly organised. Every detail of every day was planned to perfection, and carried out exactly as planned.’

Music Along

the Danube

Meet the musicians

Butter Quartet

Featured in several festivals, such as the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam (2024).

Kristian Bezuidenhout

One of the most versatile and exciting musicians of our time, as a keyboard player and conductor.

Vienna Chamber Choir

A trend-setting international ensemble for the modern interpretation of choral music.

Michael Grohotolsky

Lecturer in conducting and the direction of vocal and instrumental ensembles at the University for Music and the Performing Arts in Vienna.

Carolyn Sampson

Renowned English soprano who recently celebrated the release of her 100th album as a featured solo artist.

Joseph Middleton

Internationally acclaimed pianist specialising in the art of song accompaniment and chamber music.

Smetana Trio

Founded in 1934 by Josef Páleníček, The Smetana Trio are one of the foremost Czech ensembles.

Haydn Philharmonie

Founded in 1987 from members of the Vienna Philharmonic and major Hungarian orchestras.

Imogen Cooper

Performed at the BBC Proms and with all the major British orchestras, one of the leading pianists of our time.

Wigmore Soloists

A new chamber ensemble comprising a roster of outstanding musicians, created with Wigmore Hall’s Director, John Gilhooly.

Michael Collins

Highly regarded soloist and conductor, and Artistic Director in Residence of the London Mozart Players.

Accommodation

MS Amadeus Imperial

The MS Amadeus Imperial was launched in 2020, and is and one of the most comfortable river cruisers in Europe.

All cabins are reasonably spacious by the standards of river cruisers with windows to the outside and facilities such as adjustable air-conditioning, telephone, TV and safe. Bathrooms have showers only.

Pre-festival tour

Cabins on the top decks (Mozart and Strauss) are the most desirable, with floor-to-ceiling windows which drop down to open. Cabins on the lowest (Haydn) deck have smaller windows which do not open.

The public areas include the lounge and bar, a library area and a restaurant which can seat everyone at a single sitting.

Baroque & Rococo

In Southern Germany

5–13 August 2026 (mm 127) 9 days • Speaker: Tom Abbott

Some of the most uplifting and spectacular buildings in Europe.

Glorious countryside, unspoilt towns, charming villages, all well maintained.

Led by Tom Abbott, a specialist in architectural history from the Baroque to the 20th century.

Illustration: ‘Rocaille’ cartouche, engraving c.1750.

‘Exceptional! One of the best MRT adventures I have had.’

Music Along the Rhine

Outstanding music, beautiful countryside and historic towns

31 August–7 September 2026 (mm 144)

8 days • Speaker: Dr Katy Hamilton

Seven private concerts in beautiful historic buildings, carefully chosen for their architectural appeal or resonance with the music performed.

Two of Europe’s nest Baroque ensembles perform: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and Vox Luminis.

e Dudok and Leonkoro quartets, Orchestra of the 18th Century and Sollazzo Ensemble all appear.

Travel seamlessly through four countries, with time to explore towns and cities along the way –Basel, Freiburg, Speyer, Bonn, Cologne, Utrecht and Amsterdam.

Accommodation throughout on a rst-class river cruiser, which sails from Basel to Amsterdam.

Daily talks by music expert Dr Katy Hamilton.

Iti nerary

Day 1: Basel. Join one of our festival ights to Basel or Zurich and board the ship any time from 4.00pm onwards. ere is an early dinner before the concert of late Mendelssohn and Beethoven with the Leonkoro Quartet in the Martinskirche. Dating to the 12th century, the Martinskirche underwent a thorough restoration in the 1850s, which included the addition of a semicircular stage for choral concerts, marking its transformation into Basel’s oldest concert venue.

Day 2: Breisach, Freiburg im Breisgau. Wake to the scenic delights of the Upper Rhine before mooring at Breisach am Rhein. e rst of the daily talks takes place on board. Today’s concert venue is at the Historisches Kau aus, the Merchant’s Hall, with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra (chamber version). Return to the ship for dinner. Sail overnight to Speyer.

Day 3: Speyer. Sail throughout the morning. Moor just a er midday in Speyer. e little city is dominated by the largest Romanesque cathedral in Germany, burial place of the Salian emperors. ere is some free time here before an evening concert of early Bach cantatas with Vox Luminis.

Day 4: Mannheim. Sail in the early morning from Speyer to Mannheim. In the mid-18th century the court orchestra was famous throughout Europe; Mozart called it an army of generals. e great Baroque Schloss, within walking distance of the ship and venue for a concert of Mozart and Schubert string quartets with the Dudok Quartet, is one of the largest in Europe. ere is time this a ernoon to explore nearby palaces, or have some free time in Heidelberg.

Day 5: Bonn. e morning is spent sailing through the dramatically picturesque Middle Rhine to Bonn. is evening’s recital includes the dazzling Kreutzer Sonata with Alina Ibragimova and Cédric Tiberghien, and takes place in the Kammermusiksaal (chamber music room) of the Beethovenhaus.

Day 6: Cologne. Sail from Bonn to Cologne in the morning. A late-morning concert by the Sollazzo Ensemble conjures the atmosphere of 15th-century Cologne in their performance at St Maria im Kapitol, the city’s grandest Romanesque church. Sail throughout the late a ernoon and evening.

Day 7: Utrecht, Amsterdam. Arrive in Utrecht where there is some free time in one of the best-preserved historic cities in the Netherlands. We then sail to Amsterdam for an a ernoon concert of Mozart and Beethoven with the superb Orchestra of the 18th Century in the magni cent Felix Meritis Hall.

Day 8: Amsterdam. Depart the ship in the morning.

Image: Speyer Cathedral, © Udo Tirolf.

Music Along the Rhine

Meet the musicians

Leonkoro Quartet

Received the Young Talent Award of the Concertgebouw Amsterdam in March 2024.

Vox Luminis

Multi-faceted ensemble, which brings vocal music to a wide audience with excellence as its guiding principle and touchstone.

Lionel Meunier

Widely regarded as one of the most dynamic artistic leaders in the fields of historical performance and choral music active today.

Dudok Quartet

String quartet performing on period instruments; a wide range of repertoire and committed to commissioning new works.

Alina Ibragimova

Renowned violinist; highlights of recent seasons have included concerts with the LPO and Budapest Festival Orchestra.

Cédric Tiberghien

The pianist has been applauded for his interesting programming and dynamic chamber music partnerships.

Sollazzo Ensemble

Brings together musicians with a keen interest in late medieval and early Renaissance music

Anna Danilevskaia

A fiddle and Renaissance viol player specialising in repertoires from the 14th to the 17th centuries.

Orchestra of the 18th Century

Prominent Dutch early music orchestra, known for its progressive, curious approach.

Accommodation

MS Amadeus Riva

‘ e accommodation on the boat was comfortable, and the food was excellent.’

Find more information on page 11

The Bach Journey

Meet the musicians

Mahan Esfahani

The first and only harpsichordist to be a BBC New Generation Artist and a BorlettiBuitoni prize winner.

Solomon’s Knot

The long-term Baroque Ensemble in Residence at Wigmore Hal, appearing at the BBC Proms, Snape Maltings, Bachfest Leipzig and more.

Spiritato

A period instrument ensemble with a love for little-known composers.

The Marian Consort

An award-winning British vocal ensemble that presents bold and thrilling performances of music from across the centuries.

Rory McCleery

An award-winning conductor & musicologist who is renowned for his compelling interpretations of a wide range of repertoire.

Dunedin Consort

One of the world’s leading Baroque ensembles, recognised for its vivid and insightful performances and recordings.

John Butt

Principal Artist with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and musical director of Dunedin Consort.

Martina Pohl

The director of church music in Sangerhausen and Kreiskantorin for the Eisleben-Sömmerda Church District.

Vox Luminis

Multi-faceted ensemble, which brings vocal music to a wide audience with excellence as its guiding principle and touchstone

Lionel Meunier

Widely regarded as one of the most dynamic and highly acclaimed artistic leaders in the fields of historical performance and choral music.

Discover the place

Thuringia

Less than a century elapsed between the first record of a Bach in Thuringia and the birth there of Johann Sebastian in 1685. By then the exceptional musical and procreative talents of the family had led to the prominence of several Bachs as professional musicians throughout the region.

Thuringia is – as it was in Bach’s time – a region of rolling hills, deciduous woodland, patchwork fields, compact red-roofed villages and proud little towns. Being then divided into some of the smallest city-states and princedoms of pre-unification Germany, and later only patchily affected by the ravages of industrialisation and war, its appearance remained little changed throughout the 20th century.

Pre-festival tour

These are the towns where Bach grew up and where he plied his trade, the locations of his quotidian concerns as well as the exercise of his genius. Merely to walk the same streets and sit in the same pews is to enlarge and illumine one’s understanding of Bach’s music. To hear his compositions not only in the locale but in the very buildings where they were first performed is an enriching and unique experience.

Organs of Bach’s Time

Silbermann & Baroque organs in Saxony & Thuringia

23–28 September 2026 (mm 181) 6 days • Speakers: James Johnstone & Dr Jarl Kremeier

Recitals on the finest Baroque organs to survive, some of them instruments that Bach and Handel knew.

The organs are located in towns and villages off the beaten track.

For a maximum of 27 participants, the format of this tour is a hybrid between our own-brand music festivals and our small group tours.

Illustration: Copper engraving c. 1730.

‘I had the holiday of a lifetime. Venice is a place I have longed to visit –the music, the art and the talks made the whole experience sublime.’

Monteverdi in Venice

His finest works, in glorious churches, great halls and palaces

12–17 November 2026 (mm 230)

6 days • Speaker: Professor John Bryan

Monteverdi’s nest works, in all their pioneering, expressive glory, in the most beautiful city on Earth – his home for half his creative life.

Six performances by some of the leading interpreters in the world: Academy of Ancient Music, I Fagiolini, Concerto Italiano and Odhecaton, with soloists including Anna Dennis, Ed Lyon, Matthew Long and Nicholas Mulroy.

ree of his most iconic larger works: operas ‘L’Orfeo’ and ‘L’incoronazione di Poppea’, and the deeply moving 1610 Vespers.

Concerts take place in private palaces, glorious churches and lavishly decorated scuole, where Tintoretto and Titian provide sublime backdrops.

Daily talks by leading early music expert Professor John Bryan.

Optional art historical and architectural walks and visits to explore the city.

Iti nerary

Day 1: A drinks reception and early dinner precede the rst concert. Acclaimed Italian specialists Odhecaton present the Missa In illo tempore, a Renaissance mass for six-part voices.

Day 2: A morning talk on the music is followed by the option of art historical or architectural walks and visits. e Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista was one of the greatest of the Venetian scuole – charitable, religious and social institutions which provided platforms for much of the city’s cultural life. Not generally open to the public, it is the venue for our rst opera, L’incoronazione di Poppea with the Academy of Ancient Music.

Day 3: Begin the day with a morning talk on the music, followed by a concert at Ateneo Veneto with the Academy of Ancient Music. In his Madrigali guerrieri, et amorosi of 1638 Monteverdi shows how far he had rede ned the madrigal concept, combining instrumental parts with voices and inventing a melodramatic style to represent erce emotions such as the heroism of battle, in particular in the revolutionary Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda. Our evening concert, by Concerto Italiano, takes place in the ballroom of the Conservatorio di Benedetto Marcello. Our second madrigal programme today traverses the complete span of his output, witnessing the changes in his approach from the pastoral pieces of his student days to the nal book.

Day 4: e daily talk on the music takes place in the morning before we visit the most magni cent of all confraternity premises, the Scuola Grande di San Rocco to hear Monteverdi’s seminal opera, L’Orfeo, performed by I Fagiolini – the rst ‘fable in music’ to reveal the emotional, lyrical, musical and dramatic capabilities of the genre.

Day 5: A morning talk on the music is followed by a free a ernoon before a gala dinner in the 14th-century, richly decorated Palazzo Zeno. Our evening concert takes place at the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, one of the most magni cent churches in Venice and Monteverdi’s nal resting place. We hear what is arguably the nest achievement of Venetian liturgical music, Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine of 1610, with I Fagiolini and the English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble. e work is emotionally charged, theatrical, yet deeply spiritual, and the perfect note on which to end.

Day 6: Depart from Venice with optional free time depending on your onward travel option.

Please note: both operas are concert performances.

Image: Venice, © Henrique Ferreira.

Monteverdi

in Venice

Meet the musicians

Academy of Ancient Music

A worldwide reputation for excellence in Baroque and Classical music.

Laurence

Cummings

One of Britain’s most exciting and versatile exponents of historical performance.

Anna Dennis

Her opera performances include roles in all three Monteverdi operas during John Eliot Gardiner’s world tour of the trilogy.

Ed Lyon

Has appeared in many of the world’s leading opera and concert venues including Glyndebourne Festival Opera.

Concerto Italiano

Presented the Monteverdi opera trilogy at La Scala in Milan and at the Opera Garnier (directed by Bob Wilson) between 2009 and 2016.

Rinaldo Alessandrini

Considered one of the world’s most authoritative interpreters of Monteverdi.

I Fagiolini

One of the leading historically informed vocal ensembles, celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026/2027.

Robert Hollingworth

Founded I Fagiolini in 1986 to share his love of vocal ensemble music.

The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble

Collaborates with leading vocal ensembles such as I Fagiolini & Tallis Scholars.

Odhecaton

Brings together some of the best Italian male voices specialised in the performance of Renaissance and Baroque vocal repertoire.

Paolo Da Col

Devotes his attention to the early polyphonic repertoire, constantly combining the demands of research and performance.

Pre & post-festival tours

Venice Revisited

See our website for full details on our pre & postfestival tours

From prison to palazzo: art and life in historic Venice

6–11 November 2026 (mm 229)

6 days • Speaker: Dr Susan Steer

A deeper exploration of Venice for the seasoned traveller; see treasures which are lesser-known, rarely accessible or simply off the beaten track.

Access to many is by special arrangement; some are still in private hands. Also an afterhours visit to the Basilica di San Marco.

Includes visits to the islands of Murano, San Lazzaro degli Armeni and Lazzarretto Nuovo.

Illustration: Venice, Campo San Giacomo and the Rialto Bridge, 18th-century engraving.

Early Music in Northern Italy

Museums and private collections, with recitals

19–23 November 2026 (mm 238)

5 days • Speaker: Prof Robert Adelson

A range of Italy’s finest collections of historic musical instruments, some in private properties and viewed only by special arrangement.

Based in Milan and Bologna, with free time to explore these historic cities, and excursions to Briosco and Cremona.

Recitals on period instruments and the opportunity to meet the collectors.

Illustration: Mid-18th-century copper engraving.

Opera in Vienna

Gassmann, Mozart, Donizetti, Puccini

10–15 March 2026 (mm 900)

6 days • Speaker: Dr John Allison

Four operas – L’opera seria (Gassmann), The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart), Don Pasquale (Donizetti) and Madame Butterfly (Puccini).

Productions of the highest quality at the Staatsoper, Volksoper and Musiktheater an der Wien.

Heritage hotel conveniently located near the Staatsoper.

Image: Wiener Staatsoper, Balcikboran/Shutterstock.com.

Music in Berlin

Art, architecture and music in the German capital

15–20 April 2026 (mm 921)

6 days • Speaker: Professor Jan Smaczny

Deutsche Oper Berlin: Suor Angelica / Gianni Schicchi (Puccini).

Staatsoper Unter den Linden: The Turn of the Screw (Britten) and Ariadne auf Naxos (R. Strauss).

Berlin Philharmonie: Works by Mieczysław Weinberg, John Williams and Sergei Prokofiev, conducted by Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, with Emanuel Ax (piano).

Walks, museum and gallery visits with a local guide.

Illustration: Berlin, Staatsoper, copper engraving c. 1750.

Prague Spring Festival

The International Music Festival amid Bohemia in bloom

12–18 May 2026 (mm 956)

7 days • Speaker: Dr Michael Downes

One of the most illustrious festivals in Europe.

A rich programme of orchestral and chamber concerts featuring world-class conductors & soloists – including Smetana’s Má vlast.

The full music programme, including details of performers, is announced in early November.

Talks on the music by Dr Michael Downes, Director of Music at the University of St Andrews.

Visits and walks led by Martina Hinks-Edwards with free time before performances.

The Schubertiade

Music and mountains in the Vorarlberg

22–27 August 2026 (mm 137)

7 days • Speaker: Richard Wigmore

Amid the superb mountain scenery of the Vorarlberg, the Schubertiade is among the most prestigious and enjoyable festivals in Europe.

Musicians of the highest calibre perform, including Malcolm Martineau, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Christiane Karg, Marc-André Hamelin and Andrè Schuen.

Excursion to the historic town of Bregenz, an optional hill walk on the Baumgartner Höhe , and time to relax among ravishing upland scenery.

Image: Vorarlberg, Austria, Dieter Kuhn/Shutterstock.com.

Chamber Music Breaks

Barbican Quartet

Haydn’s Sun Quartets with Schubert, Schumann, Britten & Mendelssohn

20–22 March 2026 (mm 940)

Speaker: Dr Katy Hamilton

Praised for their unique sound and character, the Barbican Quartet is known for their intensely personal and intelligent performances, exploring with fervour both the great string quartet repertoire and contemporary music. At the heart of their programme are Haydn’s gloriously energetic ‘Sun Quartets’, complemented by lyrical works by Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn and Britten.

Ensemble 360 & Elizabeth Watts

A Schubertiade

Image: Ensemble 360 © Matthew Johnson 17–20 April 2026 (mm 932)

Speaker: Richard Wigmore

Formed in 2005 by Music in the Round to continue the great legacy of the Lindsay Quartet, Ensemble 360 performs across the UK and abroad, boasting a glowing reputation for the outstanding quality of its performances. Elizabeth Watts, described as having ‘one of the most beautiful voices Britain has produced in a generation’, joins them for Schubert’s sublime and ever-fresh works.

William Howard & The Carducci String Quartet

Great Piano Quintets

20–22 November 2026 (mm 234)

Speaker: Musically illustrated talks by William Howard

William Howard, one of Britain’s leading pianists, founded the Schubert Ensemble in 1983 and performed with them for 35 years. He has appeared at major festivals and halls nationwide. The versatile and accomplished Carducci String Quartet, founded in 1997, joins him for programmes featuring four enduringly popular piano quintets including Schumann’s radiant Quintet.

Music & opera tours in 2026

January

24–29 String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam (MM 876) Leo Samama

26–1 Mozart in Salzburg (MM 879)

Richard Wigmore

February

23–28 Opera in Paris (MM 873)

Dr Michael Downes

28–8 e Ring at La Scala (MM 889)

Barry Millington & Dr R.T. Cobianchi

March

9–16 e Ring at La Scala (MM 895)

Barry Millington

10–15 Opera in Vienna (MM 900)

Dr John Allison

20–22 Barbican Quartet (MM 940)

Dr Katy Hamilton

April

9–13 Opera & Ballet in Copenhagen (MM 912)

Dr John Allison

15–20 Music in Berlin (MM 921)

Prof. Jan Smaczny

17–20 Ensemble 360 & Elizabeth Watts (MM 932)

Richard Wigmore

17–28 Baroque Music in the Bolivian Missions (MM 927) Dr Barbara Hoos de Jokisch

26–30 Hamburg: Opera & ‘Elphi’ (MM 904)

Dr John Allison

May

6–11 EARLY MUSIC IN YORKSHIRE (MM 945)

Prof. John Bryan

12–18 Prague Spring Festival (MM 956)

Dr Michael Downes

June

11–18 Leipzig Bach Festival – Cantatas special (MM 986) Prof. John Butt

16–22 Leipzig Bach Festival (MM 987)

Dr Ruth Tatlow

22–29 THE RHINE PIANO FESTIVAL (MM 100)

Dr Katy Hamilton

July

12–16 Savonlinna Opera (MM 112)

Simon Rees

19–25 Opera in Munich & Bregenz (MM 115)

Lofoten Music Festival

Dr Bruno Bower

Verona Opera

August

15–21 Walking the Danube (MM 134)

Richard Wigmore

15–22 MUSIC ALONG THE DANUBE (MM 135) Dr Paul Max Edlin

22–27 e Schubertiade (MM 137)

Richard Wigmore

31–7 MUSIC ALONG THE RHINE (MM 144) Dr Katy Hamilton e Lucerne Festival

September

9–14 Beethoven in Bonn (MM 174)

Prof. Barry Cooper

23–28 Organs of Bach’s Time (MM 181)

Dr Jarl Kremeier & James Johnstone

28–4 THE BACH JOURNEY (MM 186)

Prof. John Butt & Sir Nicholas Kenyon

October

Wexford Festival Opera

November

4–9 Music of the Czech Lands

12–17 MONTEVERDI IN VENICE (MM 230)

Prof. John Bryan

19–23 Early Music in Northern Italy (MM 238)

Prof. Robert Adelson

20–22 William Howard & the Carducci Quartet (MM 234) e Renaissance in Paris

Scan to view our full 2026 calendar

How to book

Either: on our website

Click ‘Book now’ on any tour page. Fill in your details, consent to the booking conditions, and pay the deposit (15% of the total booking price) or full balance if booking within 12 weeks of departure.

Or: by telephone or e-mail

Call or e-mail us to make a provisional booking, which we hold for up to 72 hours. Within that time, we require you to complete a booking form (we can provide this electronically or by post) and pay the deposit, or full balance if booking within 12 weeks of departure.

Confirming your booking

Once you have completed the above, we will send a formal con rmation. Your deposit is then nonrefundable except under the special circumstances mentioned in our booking conditions.

Booking conditions

It is important that you read these before committing to a booking. We will direct you to these when you book, but you can also nd them online: www.martinrandall.com/terms

Fitness

Ensure also that you have read ‘How strenuous’ in the ‘Practicalities’ section of the tour description –and that you have taken our tness tests, available at martinrandall.com/about under ‘Fitness’.

‘Exceptional programme, impeccable organisation.’

‘I appreciate the great care you put into creating itineraries that feed the mind and spirit.’

Martin Randall Travel Ltd

10 Barley Mow Passage, London W4 4PH Tel +44 (0)20 8742 3355 info@martinrandall.co.uk

From North America: Tel 1 800 988 6168 (toll-free) usa@martinrandall.com

ATOL 3622 | ABTOT 5468 | AITO 5085

‘A very good selection of music with several new discoveries, which is always interesting.’

www.martinrandall.com