Berlin welcomes the Bob Cole Conservatory Choir

Berlin is the capital city and one of 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. Geographically embedded in the European Plains, Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. Around one third of the city's territory is composed of forests, parks, gardens, rivers and lakes. First documented in the 13th century, Berlin was successively the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918), the German Empire (1871–1918), the Weimar Republic (1919–1933) and the Third Reich (1933–1945). During the 1920s, Berlin was the third largest municipality in the world. After World War II, the city was divided; East Berlin became the capital of East Germany while West Berlin became a de facto West German exclave, surrounded by the Berlin Wall (1961–1989). Following German reunification in 1990, the city regained its status as the capital of all Germany hosting 147 foreign embassies.
Berlin is a world city of culture, politics, media, and science. Its economy is primarily based on the service sector, encompassing a diverse range of creative industries, media corporations, congress and convention venues. Berlin serves as a continental hub for air and rail transport, and is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the EU. Significant industries include IT, pharmaceuticals, biomedical engineering, biotechnology, optoelectronics, traffic engineering, and renewable energy. The metropolis is home to renowned universities, research institutes, sporting events, orchestras, museums and personalities. The urban and historical legacy has made it a popular setting for international film productions. The city is recognized for its festivals, diverse architecture, nightlife, contemporary arts, public transportation networks and a high quality of living. Berlin has evolved into a global focal point for young individuals and artists attracted by a liberal lifestyle and modern zeitgeist.

Next CSULB stop is beautiful Berlin

Berlin is the capital and one of 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million people, Berlin is also Germany's largest city. Located in northeastern Germany, it is the center of the Berlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan Area, comprising 5 million people from over 190 nations. Geographically embedded in the European Plains, Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. Around one third of the city's territory is composed of forests, parks, gardens, rivers and lakes. First documented in the 13th century Berlin was successively, the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918), the German Empire (1871–1918), the Weimar Republic (1919–1933) and the Third Reich (1933–1945). During the 1920s, Berlin was the third largest municipality in the world. After World War II, the city was divided; East Berlin became the capital of East Germany while West Berlin became a de facto West German exclave, surrounded by the Berlin Wall (1961–1989). Following German reunification in 1990, the city regained its status as the capital of all Germany hosting 147 foreign embassies. Berlin is a major center of culture, politics, media, and science in Europe. Its economy is primarily based on the service sector, encompassing a diverse range of creative industries, media corporations, congress and convention venues. Berlin serves as a continental hub for air and rail transport, and is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the EU. The metropolis is home to world-renowned universities, research institutes, sporting events, orchestras, museums and personalities. Berlin has evolved into a global focal point for young individuals and artists attracted by a liberal lifestyle and modern zeitgeist.

Explore Magical Cesky Krumlov

Český Krumlov is a small city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, best known for the fine architecture and art of the historic old town and Český Krumlov Castle. Old Český Krumlov is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was given this status along with the historic Prague castle district. The city is named Český Krumlov ("Bohemian Krumlov") to differentiate it from Moravský Krumlov ("Moravian Krumlov") in the southeast of the country.
Construction of the town and castle began in the late 13th century at a ford in the Vltava River, which was important in trade routes in Bohemia. In 1302 the town and castle were owned by the House of Rosenberg. Emperor Rudolf II bought Krumlov in 1602 and gave it to his natural son Julius d’Austria. Emperor Ferdinand II gave Krumlov to the House of Eggenberg. From 1719 until 1945 the castle belonged to the House of Schwarzenberg. Most of the architecture of the old town and castle dates from the 14th through 17th centuries; the town's structures are mostly in Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles. The core of the old town is within a horseshoe bend of the river, with the old Latrán neighborhood and castle on the other side of the Vltava. The town was seat of Duchy of Krumlov. 8,662 inhabitants lived in Krumau an der Moldau in 1910, including 7,367 Germans and 1,295 Czechs. During the interwar era it was part of Czechoslovakia. Between 1938 and 1945 it was annexed by Nazi Germany as part of the so-called Sudetenland. The town's German-speaking population was expelled after liberation by the American Army during World War II and it was restored to Czechoslovakia. During the Communist era of Czechoslovakia, Krumlov fell into disrepair, but since the Velvet Revolution of 1989 much of the town's former beauty has been restored, and it is now a major holiday destination popular with tourists from Germany, Austria, and beyond. In August, 2002, the town suffered from damage in the great flood of the Vltava River.
Český Krumlov Castle is unusually large for a town of Krumlov's size; within the Czech Republic it is second in extent only to the Hradčany castle complex of Prague. Inside its grounds are a large garden, an extensive bridge over a deep gap in the rock upon which the castle is built and the castle itself, which in turn consist of many defined parts dating from different periods of time. Church of St. Vitus (Kostel Sv. Víta) is a Gothic church dating back to the 15th century with frescoes from the same period. Český Krumlov Castle preserves its Baroque theatre (completed 1766), complete with original stage machinery, scenery and props:, one of only a few such court theatres that still exist. Due to its age, the theatre is only used three times a year (only two are open to the public), when a Baroque opera is performed in simulated candlelight. The castle's last private owner was Adolph Schwarzenberg. It was here that he received President Edvard Beneš and gave him a large contribution for the defence of Czechoslovakia against the growing threat of Nazi Germany. His property was seized by the Gestapo in 1940 and then confiscated by the Czechoslovak government in 1945. Krumlov has a museum dedicated to the painter Egon Schiele, who lived in the town. Ten kilometers from Krumlov is one of Bohemia's oldest monasteries, Zlatá Koruna ("The Golden Crown"). About 30 km from Krumlov is the Hluboka Castle, established in the twelfth century and later remodelled in imitation of Windsor Castle. Krumlov is close to the Šumava National Park, the Czech Republic's largest national park. The Šumava mountains lie along the border with Austria and Germany and offer a range of natural habitats - peat bogs, Alpine meadows, old-growth forests, lakes, and rivers. The area is popular with walkers, cyclists, and canoeists on the Vltava. Cesky Krumlov is only a short distance from the man-made Lake Lipno, on which many people take boat trips to various small towns on the lake and also to the Dam, which is a Hydro-electic power plant. Český Krumlov is home to Pivovar Eggenberg brewery. It has also been used as filming locations for movies such as the 2006 films "The Illusionist" and "Hostel" as well as the 1970s German movie "Traumstadt".

CSULB Incantato Tour Day 5: Vienna here we come

While it is still rainy and kinda dark in Austria, the Bob Cole Conservatory from CSULB is having a marvelous time as they travel to Vienna today to spend the day touring this beautiful city, with Dr. Jonathan Talberg as their guide (per his request). They will see the Opera House, and visit the Mozart Museum well as Schubert's birth home. The group will then be able to spend time in the various parks and museums that Vienna has to offer.

Afterwards, they will travel to a winery near Goettweig for a special dinner that is being organized by Father Benjamin as a thank you for the outstanding concert last night! Money that was donated by the audience of the concert last night was presented to Dr. Jonathan Talberg and The Bob Cole Conservatory Choir, as sign of their appreciation! This money will be used to help fund the evening that was previously a free night.

Incantato Insider: Restaurant U Dvoch Levov

On June 1, the Bob Cole Conservatory Choir enjoys a special welcome dinner at the restaurant U Dvoch Levov in Bratislava. Here are some pictures of the restaurant, you can also visit the website (which is in Slovak):

Europe Performance Tour - Updated Itinerary

Day 1 - Monday, May 31
Departure at 7:10 pm from the US on an overnight flight (LH 451) to Frankfurt, then take Lufthansa LH 3538 to Vienna at 5:15 pm local time

Day 2 -Tuesday, June 1
Evening arrival in Vienna (6:35 pm), meet your Tour Manager Barbara at the airport. Then board your coach to Bratislava, check-in at your Incantato Tour Hotel City Bratislava and enjoy your welcome dinner.

Day 3 - Wednesday, June 2
See the highlights of Bratislava on a City Tour with a local guide. In the evening your first concert takes place at St. Martin's Cathedral (5 pm). Overnight stay at the Hotel City Bratislava.

Day 4 - Thursday, June 3
Explore Melk Abbey and see the museum and the church. Continue to Göttweig and enjoy a welcome dinner before your second formal concert at the Stiftskirche commences at 7.30 pm. Overnight stay at the Jugendhaus Göttweig.

Day 5 - Friday, June 4
Departure to Vienna, explore the city on a special guided tour by Dr. Talberg including Schubert House and Mozart Museum. Afterwards return to Göttweig via Dürnstein (stop for exploring and dinner on own). Overnights stay at the Jugendhaus Göttweig.

Day 6 - Saturday, June 5
Travel to magical Český Krumlov and explore the city during an afternoon at leisure. Enjoy a traditional dinner at Satlava Restaurant with dishes like the famous garlic soup. Overnight stay at The Old Inn or Hotel Ruze.

Day 7 - Sunday, June 6
Departure to Prague, see the citiy highlights like Prague Castle, Charles’ Bridge and the Old Town Square on a guided tour. Then prepare for your concert at Basilica Our Virgin Mary before Tyn which starts at 9 pm. Overnight stay at Hotel Luník.

Day 8 - Monday, June 7
Full day at leisure for sightseeing, shopping, and lunch under the guidance of your Tour Manager. Options today include a visit to the Jewish Quarter and Kafka’s birthplace with Dr. Talberg or a half-day excursion to nearby Terezin. At 7 pm your performance at Martinic Palace commences.

Day 9 - Tuesday, June 8
Travel to Usti nad Labem University for an exchange. Meet the University choirs: Young women’s choir, led by Dr. Vladimir Kuzelka, and Chorea Academia, led by Prof. Dr. Josef Riha and Prof. Dr. Jiri Holubec. A 15 minute performances of each choir will be followed by a get together. Then depart to Berlin via Dresden. Overnight stay at City Hotel Berlin.

Day 10 - Wednesday, June 9
See Berlin's highlights during a guided city tour, then prepare for final highlight concert at the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche (7 pm).

Day 11 - Thursday, June 10
Full day at leisure for individual sightseeing and shopping under the guidance of your tour
Manager. Optional excursion to nearby Potsdam. In the evening the Incantato farewell dinner will take place.

Day 12 - Friday, June 11
Return to the US or individual extensions - 7:55 AM Depart to Los Angeles via Frankfurt

The Bob Cole Conservatory Choir Updated Repertoire

Repertoire to be selected from the following:

I

Ave Maria (Anton Bruckner)
Libera Me (Lajos Bárdos)
Ave Verum Corpus (David N. Childs)
Sanctus (Craig Courtney)
Totus tuus (Henryk Gorecki)
Rhytmus (Ivan Hrušovský)
Tristes est anima mea (Johann Kuhnau)
Heilig (Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy)
In the Beginning (Rosephayne Powell)

II

Austrian, German, Moravian and Slovak Folk Songs

In stiller Nacht (Johannes Brahms)
Aus “Funf Gesange, Op 104” (Johannes Brahms):
- Im Herbst
- Nachtwache
- Verlorene Jugend
Lerchengesang (Arr. Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy)
Kde su Kravy Moje? (Arr. Wilhousky)

III

American Spirituals and Folk Songs

Bright Morning Star (Arr. Squatrito)
Elijah Rock and I Can Tell the World (Moses Hogan)
I hear a voice a Prayin’ (Houston Bright)
Lord, If I Got My Ticket (Stacey Gibbs)
Poor Man Lazarus (Jester Hairston)
Shenandoah (James Erb)

City Facts about Prague

Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Nicknames for Prague have included Praga mater urbium/Praha matka měst ("Prague – Mother of Cities") in Latin/Czech, Stověžatá Praha ("City of a Hundred Spires") in Czech or Zlaté město/Goldene Stadt ("Golden City") in Czech/German.
Situated on the Vltava River in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural and economic centre of the Czech state for more than 1100 years. For many decades during the Gothic and Renaissance eras, Prague was the permanent seat of two Holy Roman Emperors and thus was also the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Today, the city proper is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 1.9 million. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, making the city one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, receiving more than 4.1 million international visitors annually.
Prague is traditionally one of the cultural centres of Europe, hosting many cultural events. There are hundreds of concert halls, galleries, cinemas and music clubs in the city. Prague hosts Music Festivals including the Prague Spring International Music Festival, the Prague Autumn International Music Festival and the Prague International Organ Festival. Film festivals include the Febiofest, the One World and Echoes of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Prague also hosts the Prague Writers' Festival, the Summer Shakespeare Festival, the Prague Fringe Festival, the World Roma Festival as well as hundreds of Vernissages and fashion shows.

City Facts about Vienna

The Bob Cole Conservatory Choir is going to visit Vienna during the Performance Tour 2010. Incantato Tours discovered some interesting facts about the Austrian city:

Vienna is the capital of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.7 million (2.3 million within the metropolitan area, more than 25% of Austria's population), and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre. It is the 10th largest city by population in the European Union. Vienna is host to many major international organizations such as the United Nations and OPEC. Vienna lies in the east of Austria and is close to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Founded around 500 BC, Vienna was originally a Celtic settlement. In 2001, the city centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 2005 an Economist Intelligence Unit study of 127 world cities ranked it first equal with Vancouver for the quality of life. This assessment was mirrored by the Mercer Survey in 2009.
Art and culture have a long tradition in Vienna, including theater, opera, classical music and fine arts. The Burgtheater is considered one of the best theaters in the German-speaking world alongside its branch, the Akademietheater. The Volkstheater Wien and the Theater in der Josefstadt also enjoy good reputations. There is also a multitude of smaller theaters, in many cases devoted to less mainstream forms of performing arts, such as modern, experimental plays or cabaret.
Vienna is also home to a number of opera houses, including the Theater an der Wien, the Staatsoper and the Volksoper, the latter being devoted to the typical Viennese operetta. Classical concerts are performed at well known venues such as the Wiener Musikverein, home of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Wiener Konzerthaus. Many concert venues offer concerts aimed at tourists, featuring popular highlights of Viennese music (particularly the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Strauss).
In recent years, the Theater an der Wien has become widely known for hosting premieres of musicals, although it has recently devoted itself to the opera again. The most successful musical by far was "Elisabeth", which was later translated into several other languages and performed all over the world. The Haus der Musik ("house of music") opened in 2000.

Your Home away from Home: Hotel Lunik in Prague

Have a look at your 2010 Performance Tour home in Prague on this website. You will love the central location and modern touches with all the comforts of a 4 star hotel, but at a great 3 star price.

Great news for all you of you planning to stay longer in Europe

Dear singers and guests of the 2010 CSULB Performance Tour.
As you know, Incantato is holding 45 seats from LAX to Vienna (VIE) and back from Berlin (TXL) for your group at a very good price. After our meeting, we contacted our airline partner Lufthansa LH to advise that a lot of you would like to stay longer in Europe and asked if it is possible for them to change the restrictions on deviations. They came back with wonderful news and the following offer to all members of your tour: Anyone that chooses the LH air-land package and would like to extend the return from Berlin (be it by a day, two days, a week, even a month), can do so for a change fee of $75 per person and date change.
We think that is a pretty amazing deal as Berlin is home to many low cast European carriers such as Ryanair, Easyjet, AirBerlin etc. as well as centrally located for everyone planning to get a EuroRail pass. This offer from Lufthansa is subject to availability of seats on the plane at your preferred return date, so we ask you to contact us soon so we can pass your request on. You CANNOT return from another city and be part of the air-land package. If you choose this option you need to make your way back to Berlin for the return to LAX.

Should you wish to extend your return from Berlin (TXL), please email to info@incantatotours.com clearly stating the following in the subject line:
CSULB Tour - your name as it is printed in your passport - LH extension from Berlin and the date you want to return
After your request has been approved, we will notify you and upon receipt of the $75 change fee as a check payment made out to Incantato within 5 business days of the approval, you will get a confirmation notice.  Remember that every subsequent change costs $75.
We are thrilled to offer you this option in addition to the regular group airfare and are passing on the exact amount Lufthansa is charging us and thus appreciate your cooperation to follow the procedures as outlined above.

Name Our Tour!

Singers! We're looking for a good name for our tour, publicity for our flyers, and/or concert title.

Here's the basic program (some things will change, but not the overall scope). Do you have a good name for the program?

The Bob Cole Conservatory Choir

From California State University, Long Beach, California, USA

Summer Tour, 2010

Repertoire to be selected from the following:

I

In the Beginning Rosephayne Powell
Ave Verum Corpus David N. Childs

Rhytmus Ivan Hrušovský

Ave Maria Anton Bruckner

II

Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Mühseligen? Johannes Brahms

III

Chorale settings, according to the lectionary J.S. Bach

IV

Totus tuus Henryk Gorecki

Sanctus Craig Courtney

Lux Aeterna Edward Elgar (Arr. Cameron)

Libera Me Lajos Bárdos

V

Austrian, German, Moravian and Slovak Folk Songs

In stiller Nacht Johannes Brahms

Aus “Funf Gesange, Op 104” Johannes Brahms

Nachtwache, Verlorene Jugend

Lerchengesang Felix Mendelssohn

Kde su Kravy Moje? Arr. Wilhousky

Three Moravian Songs Arr. Karl Husa

IV

American Spirituals and Folk Songs

Bright Morning Star Arr. Squatrito

My Lord, What a Morning H.T. Burleigh

Poor Man Lazarus Jester Hairston

I hear a voice a Prayin’ Houston Bright

Lord, If I Got My Ticket Stacey Gibbs

Shenandoah James Erb

Elijah Rock Moses Hogan

CSULB Central Europe Tour Brochure