Variete

Opportunities abound for thematic tours of all types. In addition to presenting their own arias and routines, opera scholars can attend performances at unique and celebrated venues such as Bayreuth’s Margravial Opera House, and dancers can see the La Scala Theatre Ballet perform in Milan. There are plentiful options for theater groups, including workshops at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and apprenticeships at popular London productions and theatres. We are well equipped to share our expertise in specialized themes as diverse as violin making, art and architecture, gastronomy and farming, and much more. Our destination offices live and work locally and have invaluable knowledge supportive to the design and planning of your thematic program.

Venues should inspire great performances, on stage and in the audience. Maestro Performance has a wealth of performing arts connections, allowing us to pair the unique offerings of your ensemble with expertly selected settings to present your passion and craft. For our performing ensembles, venue selection is an opportunity for collaboration between your leadership and our consultants. Together we will discuss your goals and preferences, and request recent performance recordings, director and ensemble biographies, preliminary repertoire, and a photo of the ensemble. These important details are combined with practical information, such as the number of performers, instrumentation, and the season you are traveling. From here our team of European experts and local destination offices will work with their area contacts to identify the best opportunities for appropriate and engaging venues. There is an arena for every ensemble, but one stage does not fit all.

Rehearsals are important to all performing ensembles, and we include warm-up rehearsals prior to each performance. Many venues will allow greater time for a deeper preparation, and there are always opportunities to schedule additional periods at alternative locations. Maestro Performance always keeps a close eye on changing facilities and restrooms, to keep you well supported and prepared for your concert.

Audiences lift you up with their enthusiasm, and inspire great performances. Memories of applause will last a lifetime. Presenting in front of an appreciative crowd is one of the most rewarding aspects of a performance tour; it is why you practiced and prepared, and traveled a great distance. We diligently promote each ensemble’s concerts through extensive campaigns, with marketing efforts that include press releases, radio, print, and online advertising, and targeted invitations. Concert programs and posters not only enlighten, but make treasured personal souvenirs. Our results will ensure you are welcomed with an attentive house. Our destination offices are confident in their relationships with local communities across Europe, and experienced in promoting musical events.

Performances are often the highlight of your thematic tour. This is the moment you have anticipated; the culmination of months of rehearsal, the excitement of a formal presentation in full costume, as you step on to the stage, with audience seated, and house lights dimmed. We understand the magnitude of this experience, and work tirelessly to ensure a memorable experience for you and your participants. Take a bow for a job well done!

Joint Performances & Cultural Exchanges allow you to become a traveler instead of a tourist. Participate in a shared performance and accompany a local ensemble on and off stage. Meet with fellow enthusiasts and share your passions. There is no better way to fully appreciate the destination you are traveling through or their people, than to share time with local musicians and artists. We can organize communal receptions and dinners, so you can forge new friendships, and return home with a new appreciation for distant culture.

Informal Performances & Ambassadorships often occur while on tour, simply due to the sheer joy of spontaneous artistry. These alternative opportunities for performance can be scheduled ahead for maximum utilization of opportunities, and the security of knowing that you have been pre-approved to present a selection of your repertoire at a favorite museum, popular square, or sightseeing inclusion on your tour. There is also a special satisfaction that comes from the heart when adding a service element to your itinerary, with an informal performance or visit similar organization, community charity, local troops, orphanage, or elder care facility. This allows your ensemble the opportunity to be ambassadors, leaving behind good will, and the happy memories of their friendship.

Master Classes & Workshops enhance your ensemble’s perspective with the focused attention of a particular discipline by an expert, whether music, dance, drama, culinary, painting, or any of the arts where skills are being developed. Local professionals, accomplished conductors, composers, and experts will expand technique and outlook with a fresh and European point of view. These can be provided to full ensembles or sections, or could also be one-on-one instruction between individual and master. There are many opportunities for including this in your itinerary, and consider that a workshop can stimulate the traveler’s appreciation for the world.

Costumes, Props, & Equipment are details that deserve and require the full attention of Maestro Performance. Our consultants and local destination offices are familiar with special needs and concerns when traveling with all types of equipment from home, on aircraft, and while on tour. We are well connected with local providers to assist with specialized rentals, transportation, and repairs, to meet your performance requirements overseas. Pertinent particulars such as storage, equipment needs, and other details that are paramount for a successful program are why you can rely upon Maestro Performance to arrange, manage, and prepare for your tour.

Arts Themed Touring allows your group to invest in a variety of arts and culture in ways that complement their interests. You might decide to take a seat in the audience for a change. Europe is full of opportunities to attend a show, with theater in London’s West End, Berlin’s opera houses, the Vienna Boys Choir, and ballet at Paris’ Palais Garnier or Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre. Europe is a foodie’s delight, and a “farm to plate” itinerary could make for a delicious program of activities. You can also follow in the footsteps of composers and artists, such as Mozart and Beethoven, or Picasso and Monet. Composer and painter homes are dotted across Europe, as well as some of the world’s best themed collections and exhibits to visit, including Cremona’s Museo del Violino, Vienna’s Haus der Musik, Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum, and Clos Luce in Amboise.