Enjoy Suez, Itea, and Venice on Compagnie De Ponant’s “Et Vogue L’Opera” Cruise
l’Austral – Compagnie De Ponant
The only thing that can complete the enjoyment of music by Jules Massenet, Mozart, Rossini, Puccini, Delibes, and Verdi performed by accomplished musicians, is actually cruising the places that inspired the beautiful music.
Compagnie du Ponant’s newest mega yacht, L’Austral, fulfills any opera enthusiasts’ dream by taking them from Suez to Venice on a 12-day Et Vogue l’Opéra cruise, departing on May 10, 2012. The intimate surroundings of the new ship allows an unique opportunity for the guests to spend time with the artists outside of the theater setting.
The music program on the ship is extremely rich in culture and operatic arts. Guests can also choose to attend Operatic-themed lectures from renowned experts such as Dr. Elizabeth Fresnel, an author and phoniatrician who specializes in the voice as related to memory. Artistic and Stage Director of works such as Le Comte Try, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, The Sound of Music, Carmen, Jean-Francois Vinciguerra will direct a selection of compositions on board and in private concerts ashore.
Featured performers include dancer Eugenie Andrin, known for her choreography work in Parisian musicals and operatic ballets; Swiss soprano Brigitte Hool, awarded the Parisian Prize Trofemina; and Fabrice di Falco, whose creative range has earned him performances before Denmark’s Queen.
Departing from the city of Suez, L’Austral will sail through the Suez Canal from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, and explores Lebanon’s lively capital of Beirut. Guests will also get a taste of the beauty of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Greek port Colossus Rhodes. Also can be seen on this excursion is Nafplion, a Peloponnese peninsula seaport that served as the first capital of Modern Greece. Itea, Delphi Valley, and the picturesque beaches of Parga are all among the destinations on the itinerary.
The ship will also spend a day in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Dubrovnik, an architecturally rich city of palaces, monuments and white stone churches, and visits the largest of the Dalmatian Islands, Split, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian. At the final port of Venice, guests also has the option of adding a post-cruise tour of the famed St. Mark’s Square.
A shorter version of the cruise with a 7-day (May 10-16) itinerary is also available on sailing from Suez to Itea. A 6-day excursion (Mary 16-21) is also available from Itea to Venice. 30 percent discount is currently being offered under Ponant’s Bonus program. Reduced prices range from $3,910 to $9,885 per person, double for the full-length 12-day option; $2,542 to $6,459 for seven days; and $2,093 to $5,314 for six days. Included in the price are all meals with wine, beer and soda; Captain’s welcome aboard cocktail party and gala dinner; 24-hour room service; and all entertainment, events and shows as indicated within the itinerary.
The 466-foot L’Austral mega-yacht houses two restaurants with gourmet haute and country French cuisine, spacious lounges, theater, games area, two open-air bars, a swimming pool, library, fitness area, expansive sun decks, and a comprehensive spa. It also boasts over 132 staterooms, 124 with private balconies, and all the latest technology, including flat screen satellite TVs and Wi-Fi.
The luxurious opera cruise will surely provide an experience that will please the artist and the traveler.
