THANKSGIVING IN NEW YORK MUSIC, THEATRE, ART & FOOD

NOVEMBER 15-27, 2017 TOUR LEADER: DR MATTHEW LAING

Updated August 2017

Overview Enjoy the best of the Big Apple on our popular 13-day residential style tour to New York, a regular feature of the Academy Travel program. We have carefully designed a range of experiences to please all the senses. This includes the very best in opera, symphony concerts, musicals and drama, some of the world’s top art and history museums, and a selection of the city’s best restaurants. The tour takes place over the Thanksgiving period, a festive time for Americans, and one where the streets of New York are also a little less busy than usual. Accommodation is in spacious premier plus rooms at the Warwick Hotel on 54th St in midtown Manhattan. The location is within walking distance of Carnegie Hall, the theatres of Times Square and the Lincoln Center. It is also close to the Museum of Modern Art, Central Park and the Rockefeller Center. US expert Dr Matthew Laing has led many tours to New York and will provide background information on performances and walking tours. Expert art historians and docents will conduct some gallery visits. There is also plenty of free time to relax and for individual sightseeing.

Your tour leader Dr Matthew Laing has a comprehensive knowledge of the history and society of the United States and has travelled the length and breadth of the country for research, personal interest and as a tour leader.

Matthew holds a PhD in political studies from the Australian National University, where his research focused on leadership and the US presidency. He currently works as a research fellow at Monash University. In 2007 he spent

six months in Washington as an intern at the US Congress and has provided expert advice on leadership to government agencies in Australia, the United States and the Netherlands. Matthew started leading tours to the US for Academy Travel in 2014, all including stays in New York. For Matthew New York is the quintessential city of the modern world. “Although is it not the biggest, the oldest or the wealthiest, it is by far the most richly diverse and influential. Every walk of life is represented here - the city is a vast patchwork of ethnic, religious and cultural communities, and over 800 languages are thought to be spoken across the five boroughs. Its ability to harmoniously straddle the world's cultures and create something entirely new along the way is New York's greatest strength. It is an international symbol of success, a Mecca for culture and entrepot for the world's trade.”

“Matthew Laing was brilliant. His knowledge and ability to present it was exceptional. He was also amiable, helpful and well organised.” Feedback from Academy Travel’s Washington, Chicago and New York tour, October 2014.

Enquiries and bookings

For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Jemma York at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email jemma@academytravel.com.au

THANKSGIVING IN NEW YORK MUSIC, THEATRE, ART & FOOD

Tour dates: November 15-27, 2017

Tour leader: Dr Matthew Laing

Tour Price: $9,950 per person, twin share

Single Supplement: $2,930 for sole use of double room

Booking deposit: $500 per person

Recommended airline: Qantas or United

Maximum places: 20

Itinerary: New York (12 nights)

Date published: August 11, 2017

Eight outstanding performances Details of seven performances are now available. The details of jazz at the Lincoln Center will be available in September. Grand Tier seating to Franco Zeffirelli’s legendary production

of Puccini’s opera Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera The New York Philharmonic Orchestra performing Rimsky-

Korsakov, Saint-Saëns and Rachmaninov Tony-award winning and critically-acclaimed Canadian

musical Come from Away, set in the aftermath of 9/11 Junk, a new work by renowned playwright Ayad Akhtar, set in

1980s New York The Rockettes’ Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music

Hall in the Rockefeller Center An evening of jazz in the Appel Room at the elegant Jazz at

the Lincoln Center complex The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, performing a special

tribute concert to female composers and lyricists George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker by the New York City

Ballet, a highlight of the city’s holiday calendar since 1954.

Three fine meals Dine in elegant spaces and explore New York’s food scene. Lunch at the Michelin two-star restaurant The Modern, inside

the Museum of Modern Art A traditional All-American Thanksgiving dinner at one of New

York’s leading restaurants Degustation dinner at the Michelin three-star restaurant

Eleven Madison Park

Art, Architecture & History A carefully selected sightseeing program, ranging from European Old Masters to cutting-edge contemporary arts, with expert guidance. A private out-of-hours viewing of the Museum of Modern Art

with a museum lecturer Excursion to Philip Johnson’s Glass House, north of the city Curator-led tour of The Cloisters, the Metropolitan Museum of

Art’s exquisite medieval collection on the northern tip of Manhattan

Charming small galleries, including The Frick Collection and the Neue Museum

Architectural walking tours of Midtown, Downtown, SoHo and Chelsea, featuring on Beaux-Arts, Art Deco and Post-Modern masterpieces

Lectures on the history, architecture and culture of the city

Above: The Metropolitan Opera House at the Lincoln Center

Above: Inside Eleven Madison Park

Above: Picasso’s Girl before a mirror, 1932, at MoMA

Gustav Klimt’s sumptuous 1907 portrait of Viennese socialite Adele Bloch-Bauer is the centrepiece of one of New York’s most beloved small galleries, the Neue Galerie on Fifth Avenue. This highly original work, combining elements of mosaic, Japanese print-making, abstraction and arcane symbolism epitomises the Secessionist style, is an attempt by Klimt and his circle to break away from the polite academic style that dominated Vienna’s art scene at the time. Contemporary with the works of Freud and coming in the dying days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Klimt is seen as a harbinger of modernism, a style that would rise up from the devastation of World War I. The story of how the painting came to be in New York is almost as interesting as the work itself. The recent film The woman in gold tells the story of Adele Bloch-Bauer’s niece Maria Altmann’s victory over the Austrian government in being recognised as the rightful heir of the painting, which had been stolen by the Nazi’s and then acquired by the Austrian state.

While the film focuses on Maria’s story, it downplays the magnificent gesture of New York cosmetics magnate Ronald Lauder, who was also Ronald Reagan’s choice as US Ambassador to Austria. Lauder purchased the painting from Maria for a then record price of $135 million. Lauder’s intention was always to display the work with other great Viennese pieces from the collection of Serge Sabarsky, America’s leading dealer in Viennese secessionist and art nouveau painting and decorative arts. Lauder and Sabarsky chose an elegant three-level townhouse on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 86th Street to house their collection. The elegant 1914 Beaux Arts house was once owned by heiress Grace Vanderbilt, who moved out as she found the 39 rooms not enough for her needs! We enjoy a private, before-hours tour of the Neue Galerie on this tour.

THE WOMAN IN GOLD

Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the symbols B, L and D.

Begin the tour relaxed

In order to enjoy performances and get the most from sightseeing we suggest you plan to arrive in the United States a few days before the tour commences.

Wednesday November 15 Arrival

Flights from Australia arrive in New York in the late afternoon. In the early evening, we gather for drinks in the hotel bar. (If you have arrived early we suggest you take the AIA harbour cruise today. Academy Travel can arrange bookings.)

Thursday November 16 Downtown – Metropolitan Opera

We begin our exploration of New York’s unique history and architecture in the downtown area, where the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam was founded in the 17th-century, as well as Wall Street and the heart of the financial district so central to New York’s rise. We have lunch and a lecture at Fraunces Tavern, where George Washington dined and farewelled his officers at the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783. This evening we kick off our performances in style, with the spectacular Franco Zeffirelli production of Puccini’s Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera. Rising star Oksana Dyka sings the title role, with tenor Marcelo Álvarez tackling the celebrated aria Nessun Dorma. (B, L)

Performance details Venue: The Metropolitan Opera Program: Puccini, Turandot Performers: Paolo Carignani (conductor), Oksana Dyka, Marcelo Álvarez, Hei-Kyung Hong

Friday November 17 Upper East Side – Carnegie Hall

This morning we visit the Frick Collection, a unique museum of European old masters’ paintings of very highest quality, displayed in the former private home of Pittsburgh entrepreneur Henry Clay Frick. We then stroll up Madison Avenue and call in for a guided tour of the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum, housed in the former home of steel baron Andrew Carnegie. This evening we head to the legendary Carnegie Hall to attend a special concert by the New York Pops, paying tribute to female composers and lyricists. (B)

Performance details Venue: Carnegie Hall Program: The New York Pops, Women of Notes: In Dedication to Female Composers and Lyricists Performers: Steven Reineke (conductor), Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolfe

Moving around New York To get to performances in the evenings we will use a private coach, taxis or walk. Some of our travel from site to site in New York in the daytime will be in taxis as well. Taxis are much faster than coaches and give us total flexibility in the program. On one or two occasions, we will also use the city’s subway system. Please note that there is a fair amount of walking on this tour and a moderate degree of fitness is required.

Above: Turandot at the Met

Below: a classic example of Art Deco architecture, the Chrysler Building is considered by many contemporary architects to be one of the finest buildings in the world

Saturday November 18 Midtown – Come from Away

This morning we have a lecture and then explore some of the Art-Deco architecture of New York’s midtown district, including the Chrysler Building, the United Nations and the Rockefeller Center. The afternoon is free. Tonight, we attend the hit Canadian musical Come from Away on Broadway, one of the most acclaimed shows of the 2017 season. (B)

Performance details Venue: Gerald Schoenfeld Theater Program: Come From Away Performers: Chad Kimball, Jenn Colella, Rodney Hicks

Sunday November 19 Museum Mile

Today we visit two stunning galleries on the Upper East Side. The intimate Neue Galerie holds a fine collection of Viennese art-nouveau and Secessionist art from the early 20th-century, including the Woman in Gold. After lunch, we visit the Guggenheim Museum, Frank Lloyd Wright’s last great masterpiece and home to one of the finest modern art collections in the city. In the later afternoon we have the option of visiting some of the many small private galleries on Museum Mile. (B)

Monday November 20 Museum of Modern Art A highlight of our tour is this morning’s private tour of MoMA, New York’s famous Museum of Modern Art. A museum lecturer guides us through the museum’s greatest works before the doors open to the public. We then have lunch at The Modern, the elegant two-star Michelin restaurant, located in the Museum of Modern Art. The remainder of the day is free to enjoy MoMA, visit other sites, or take an optional tour of 5th and Madison Avenues. (B, L) Tuesday November 21 SoHO to Chelsea – Jazz

We continue our exploration of New York’s neighbourhoods with a coach and walking tour of historic Soho, Washington Square and the Flatiron District. In Chelsea, we visit the newly re-opened Whitney Museum of American art, and stroll the High Line. This evening we enjoy a performance at the Jazz at the Lincoln Center at their magnificent auditorium overlooking Central Park. (B)

Performance details Venue: Appel Room, Jazz at the Lincoln Center Program and Performers: announced September 2017

Wednesday November 22 The Met – New York Philharmonic

After a lecture, we spend the morning at The Cloisters, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s medieval department, located on the northern tip of Manhattan. We then travel to the

Above: a scene from Broadway’s The Glass Menagerie, one of the many fantastic works featured on previous tours Below: an unexpected touch of green in the city - the Chelsea High Line and the Appel Room, a great venue for jazz

Museum’s main campus, where you can select from the 50 departments presenting outstanding art from pre-history to the 20th century and from all corners of the globe. This evening we return to the Lincoln Center for a concert by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. (B)

Performance details Venue: David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center Program: Rimsky-Korsakov, Suite from The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh, Saint-Saëns, Violin Concerto No.3, Rachmaninov, Symphony No.3 Performers: Frank Huang (violin), Gianandrea Noseda (conductor), New York Philharmonic Orchestra

Thursday November 23 Thanksgiving in New York

We celebrate Thanksgiving today, beginning with the Macy’s Parade, New York’s biggest event and the world’s biggest parade, with spectacular floats and displays to bring a smile to all age groups. We then feast on a traditional American Thanksgiving banquet at one of New York’s leading restaurants, with turkey and all the trimmings. (B, L)

Friday November 24 New Canaan – New York city ballet

Today we travel north by train to visit Philip Johnson’s stunning Glasshouse in the town of New Canaan, Connecticut. Actually an estate comprising several buildings, this iconic example of 20th-century architecture was created between 1949 and the 1980s. Johnson is a key figure in American architecture. We stop for a lunch break in New Canaan before returning to New York, where the Black Friday sales are in full swing! This evening we return to the Lincoln Center for a beloved annual New York institution – George Balanchine’s beautifully choreographed production of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, adored by children and adults alike since 1954. (B)

Performance details Venue: David Koch Theater, Lincoln Center Program: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker Performers: New York City Ballet Company and the School of American Ballet

Saturday November 25 Great Libraries – Rockettes

This morning we visit the Morgan Library, containing an exquisite collection of extremely rare manuscripts and books, and take a tour of the magnificent New York Public Library. The afternoon is free. This evening we take a ride to the top of the Rockefeller Center and attend a performance of the Rockettes’ Christmas Spectacular. (B)

Performance details Venue: Radio City Music Hall Program: Christmas Spectacular Performers: The Rockettes

Above: You never know who you will meet at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Below: George Balanchine’s beautifully choreographed production of The Nutcracker; and the extraordinary interior of the JP Morgan library

Sunday November 26 Degustation - Junk

For early risers, there is the chance to witness a gospel church service in the Harlem neighbourhood and tour some of the sights in northern Manhattan. We return to the Lincoln Center for a matinee performance of Junk. Ayad Akhtar is best known to Australian audiences through Disgraced, which played in Sydney and Melbourne in 2016. Junk revolves around the murky dealings of Robert Merkin, the resident genius of the upstart investment firm Sacker. Set over 30 years ago, this is a play about how, “while most of us weren't watching, money became the only thing of real value.” This evening we farewell New York with the dining highlight of the tour – a degustation dinner at Eleven Madison Park, a Michelin three-star restaurant regularly ranked in the world’s top 10. (B, D)

Performance details Venue: Vivian Beaumont Theater, Lincoln Center Program: Junk, a new play by Ayad Akhtar Performers: Dough Hughes (director), Steven Pasquale

Monday November 27 Departure

We finish our tour with a lecture and walk in Central Park, one of the greatest achievements in urban landscape architecture, and take in many of the unique but often missed features designed by Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux. In the mid-afternoon there is a transfer to JFK airport for those departing New York. (B)

The Warwick Hotel Our four-star hotel is very conveniently located in midtown Manhattan, on 54th Street. We have booked premier-plus grade rooms. These are large and comfortable, each with modern amenities. The hotel is in walking distance of many of New York’s most popular attractions. The hotel has just completed a major renovation. www.warwickhotelny.com

Above: an artwork in itself - a dining highlight of the tour at Eleven Madison Park

Below: a view of downtown Manhattan from the Top of the Rock observatory

Fitness Requirements of THIS tour

Grade one

It is important both for you and for your fellow travellers that you are fit enough to be able to enjoy all the activities on this tour. To give you an indication of the level of physical fitness required to participate on our tours, we have given them a star grading. Academy Travel’s tours tend to feature extended walking tours and site visits, which require greater fitness than coach touring. We ask you instead to consider carefully your ability to meet the physical demands of the tour. Participation criteria for this tour

This Grade One tour is appropriate for travellers in good health with good mobility. You should be able to comfortably participating in up to three hours of physical activity per day on most days, including walking at an easy pace, sometimes on uneven terrain, climbing stairs and standing in galleries. You should be able to: keep up with the group at all times walk for 2-3 kilometres at a moderate to slow pace with

only short breaks stand for a reasonable length of time in galleries and

museums negotiate stairs and escalators get on and off a coach with steep stairs unassisted move your luggage a short distance if required A note for older travellers If you are more than 80 years old, or have restricted mobility, it is likely that you will find this itinerary challenging. You may have to miss certain activities and may not get the full value of the tour. Before submitting your booking form, please contact Academy Travel to discuss your situation and the exact physical requirements of this tour. While we will do our best to reasonably accommodate the physical needs of all group members, we reserve the right to refuse bookings if we feel that the requirements of the tour are too demanding for you and/or if local conditions mean we cannot reasonably accommodate your condition.

Weather on Tour The weather in the northern United States in November is cool, but not unpleasant. It is the end of autumn, so it can be a little changeable. Expect daytime temperatures to range between 10 and 18 degrees. Evenings may become colder, requiring a warmer jacket and scarf. November is one of he drier months (about 65mm on average), but a weather-proof jacket and umbrella are always recommended.

Tour Price The tour price is $9,950 per person, twin share (land content only). The supplement for a single room is $2,930 per person. A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required to secure a place on the tour.

Final program & second deposit In May 2017, an updated itinerary with most performance details will be published. At this stage, we will send you a second invoice for $1,500 to cover the cost of tickets. If you are not satisfied with the range and quality of performances in the final itinerary, you can withdraw from the tour within 14 days of receiving the final version and receive a full refund of your deposit.

Tour Inclusions Included in the tour price 12 nights’ accommodation in premier plus rooms at the

Warwick Hotel in midtown Manhattan All breakfasts, and selected lunches and dinners in

hotels and local restaurants Land travel by air-conditioned coach or taxi as required Best available tickets to eight performances of opera,

classical music, drama and a Broadway musical Background notes and background talks Services of Academy Travel expert tour leader

throughout tour All entrance fees to sites mentioned on itinerary Expert local guides at selected sites Tips for all services stated as included in the itinerary Not included International air fares, taxes and surcharges (see below) Travel insurance Visa costs Meals not mentioned in itinerary Expenses of a personal nature such as laundry

Air travel OPTIONS The tour price quoted is for land content only. For this tour we recommend Qantas or United who have regular flights to New York. Please contact us for further information on competitive Economy, Business and First Class airfares. Taxi transfers between airport and hotel are included for all passengers booking their flights through Academy Travel. These may be group or individual transfers.

Enquiries & bookings For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Jemma York at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email jemma@academytravel.com.au