Join Classical KDFC and popular midday host Dianne Nicolini on a deluxe cultural journey to the heart of Italy next spring!Any time is a great time to visit Italy, but in the off-season it is relatively

free of tourist crowds, and the weather mild and pleasant. We’ll be

surrounded by masterpieces of Italian art as we enjoy wonderful meals

in city and countryside and tastings of the local wines, cheeses and

proscuittos. And of course, our visit will be highlighted by opera, with

performances of two Italian masterpieces at Parma’s beautiful Teatro

Regio and the most famous opera house in the world, La Scala in Milan.

Plus we’ll hear an all-Beethoven performance in Florence led by the

great Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, a Schubert recital by Matthias

Goerne and Leif Ove Andnes in Florence, and two private concerts.

We begin in Florence a city unrivaled in the West as a treasure of art

and architecture, and a favored stop on The Grand Tour for centuries.

Guided by experts, we will visit several of the great monuments of

the city, make an excursion to Siena and attend two major musical

performances. Then it’s on to the Emilia Romagna region, the breadbas-

ket of Italy and Verdi country where the great composer passed most

of his life. On the way to our hotel in Parma, we’ll stop at Puccini’s villa

at Torre del Lago where his granddaughter and last surviving heir will

guide us. Finally, we make a coda in Milan and attend a performance

at the Teatro alla Scala. To top it off, we’ll visit Leonardo’s great

Last Supper in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie.

Deluxe accommodation, fine cuisine, stirring opera, plenty of free time,

and Dianne’s commentary make this an unforgettable trip you won’t

want to miss!

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:• PrimeticketstoperformancesofBizet’s Carmen at La Scala and Donizetti’s Elixir of Love in Parma, all-Beethoven orchestral concert and Schubert song recital in Florence

• PrivateconcertsperformedexclusivelyforthegroupinParma and Busseto

• ThecommentaryofClassicalKDFChostDianneNicolini

• VisitstothevillahomesofPucciniinTorredelLagoandVerdiat Sant’AgataaswellastheCasaVerdiretirementhomeinMilan

• LunchwithSimonettaPuccini,thecomposer’sgranddaughter

• PrivateguidedtoursofmajorartisticsitesofFlorence,Parmaand Milan with expert art historians, including the Uffizi, Accademia (David), Leonardo’s Last Supper in Milan and many others

• ArareguidedtourthroughVasari’sCorrodoio, a formerly secret passage of the Medici

• Exclusivetastingsoffinewines,parmesancheese,prosciuttos,and balsamic vinegar

• Deluxeaccommodationsinfour-starhotelsinFlorence,Parma and Milan

• Privateair-conditionedmotorcoachtransportation

• Plentyoffreetimetorelax,shoporadditionalsight-seeing!

DIANNE NICOLINI beganherradiocareerinKansasCitybackin1980onClassicalKXTR.ShehasbeenastapleofBayArearadiosincejoiningClassicalKKHIin1983.ShehasbeenthemiddayhostofKDFCformorethan

17 years. From 1988–1998, she was the host of the nationally syndicated broadcasts of the SanFranciscoSymphony.Nowshecanbeheardinternationally on the SF Opera broadcasts. Dianne is a native of Oakland and lives there still with her husband Jim, a pediatric intensivist and consultant. She is the mother of two grown kids. She loves Jeopardy, anything Italian, edible or not, and

spontaneous trips to the wine country. BTW, hers is the voice you hear asking youtoturnoffyourcellphonesbeforeeveryconcertatDaviesSymphonyHall!

TOUR COST: $5,635 per person, ground only; Group limited to 25 participantsTheItalytourisanexclusivepresentationofClassicalKDFCandisorganizedbyTHEGRANDTOURTravelCompany,Peterborough,NewHampshire,Calif.Lic.:2088711-40

Italy Bella!and INMusic, art and food

in Northern Italy March 17-29, 2015

Florence

Tuesday, March 17The optional group flight departs SFO arriving in Milan the following day.

WED, MARCH 18 BENVENUTO!Arrival in Florence and transfer to our home for the next fournights,thecharming4-starHotelMonnaLisa,aconverted 16th century palace with a lovely garden—an oasis of quiet in the historic center of the city. After a reception at the hotel, the welcome dinner takes place nearbyatCibreo,oneofFlorence’sbestandItaly’smostfamous restaurants.

THURS, MARCH 19 EARLY RENAISSANCE & BEETHOVENAfter breakfast (offered daily at all three hotels), we begin our tour of a city with more art treasures of the western world than any other. Starting at the the FranciscanchurchofSantaCroce,theburialplaceofFlorentine elites, and home to Giotto’s groundbreaking frescoes, we cross the old city to the Dominican church ofSantaMariaNovella,withitsbeautifulcloister, stopping along the way at the Duomo, Florence’s cathedral topped by Brunelleschi’s superb cupola. Lunch TBA. This evening, the great Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder leads the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale from the keyboard in two piano concertos by Beethoven.

FRI, MARCH 20 THE UFFIZIToday we visit the Uffizi Gallery, one of the world’s greatest museums, with superb paintings by Botticelli, Piero della Francesca, Michelangelo, and Rembrandt. A special treat, rarely accorded to tourists, will be an exclusive guided walk across the Ponte Vecchio, via the private route of the former rulers of Florence, called “Vasari’sCorridor”,leadingtothemagnificentBoboliGardens. Lunch is on your own. Later in the afternoon, we make an excursion into the countryside to visit the MedicivillaatPoggioaCaiano,thefavoritecountryhouse of Leonardo the Magnificent. Then we move on toalovelyvineyardcantinainCarmignanotoenjoyadinner of local products, and taste one of Tuscany’s best red wines.

SAT, MARCH 21 SIENA & SAN GIMIGNANOOn the first day of spring and we take off for Siena, a city with superb Gothic monuments and a remarkable town square. After lunchnearby,weproceedtoSANGIMIGNANO.Atonetime,thetown’spalacessported 76 medieval towers, thirteen of which remain today. We return to Florence in the late afternoon, and tonight you have the option of hearing a recital by the rising Italian pianist, Beatrice Rana, next door to the hotel at the Teatro della Pergola.

SUN, MARCH 22SCHUBERT & MICHELANGELOAdaywithtwoartisticdeities:inthemorning,visits to the Renaissance church of San Lorenzo, and the

FRI, MARCH 27 MILANOToday we bid addio to Parma and move on to the city of Milan, home of the most famous opera house in the world and the capital of the moda, Italian fashion. Before we arrive at our hotel, we’ll pay a visit to the CasaVerdi,themaestro’slastgreatwork—aretirementhome for musicians—which he and his wife Giuseppina endowed shortly before his death in 1901. We check intothenice4-starHoteldelaVille,inthehistoriccenter. After lunch, we’ll visit the iconic Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci at the pretty church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Your evening is free.

SAT, MARCH 28 LA SCALA!Our final day is a special one and takes us to the great opera house twice. In the morning we will tour La Scala’s Museum with its many mementos from its glorious past. Your afternoon is free to relax, shop or take in Milan’s museums. In the evening you will attend a performance at the world renowned Teatro alla Scala, opened in 1778. It is opening night of Carmen, starring the great mezzo Elina Garanca in one of her signature rolesandfamedtenorJoséCura.OurgalafarewelldinnertakesplaceintheRestaurantDonCarlosintheGrandHoteldownthestreetfromtheoperahouse.

SUN, MARCH 29The tour ends after breakfast, and the group flight departs from Milan Malpensa for the return to San Francisco the same day. Itinerary subject to change. Meals in bold included in the cost of the tour.

TOUR REGISTRATION TOUR COST: $5,635 per person, ground only, double occupancy. Single supplement: $785 Optional group flight: TBA DEPOSIT: $1000 per person first come, first served (includesatax-deductible$500contributiontoKDFC) Balance deadline is January 23, 2015. After that date, call for availability.

ContactMinnie Prince, 213-225-7534, mprince@kusc.org to reserve your place on the tour with a credit card deposit, or send a check for the depositamountto:KDFCItalyTour,TheGrandTour, POBox274,Peterborough,NH03458.Registration materials can be downloaded from www.kdfc.com

QUESTIONS? ContactMinniePrinceorTheGrandTour at800-727-2995orinfo@thegrandtour.com

Daily ItineraryMediciChapelsbehindittoviewMichelangelo’ssuperbNight and Day, then a tour of the Accademia Gallery, home to the original David and his stunning Prisoners; in the evening one of the great lieder singers in the world, Matthias Goerne, joins the fine pianist Leif Ove Andsnes in a survey of Schubert’s masterful set of final songs, Schwanengesang, at the Pergola next door to our hotel.

MON, MARCH 23 LAND OF PUCCINIWe leave Florence today for the Emilia Romagna, via Lucca, one of the most pleasant cities in Tuscany. On a stroll through town we stop off at the house where Puccini was born in 1858, now a museum owned by a foundation run by Simonetta Puccini, the composer’s granddaughter and last living heir. She will join us for lunch at La Buca di San Antonio, where the Maestro often dined. Then we head further west to the town of Torre del Lago and Puccini’s residence on Lake Massaciùccoli. All but his last opera, Turandot, was written here and he is buried in the small chapel. AfterwardswecontinueontoournexthometheHotelStendhal in the center of the lovely city of Parma.

TUES, MARCH 24 PARMAOur morning will be spent touring Parma and some ofitsartisticandmusicalriches.Thecity’sCathedralcontains a stunning fresco in the cupola by favorite son Correggiofrom1530.InthePalazzodellaPilottawefindthe reconstructed 17th century wooden Teatro Farnese, modeled after Palladio’s splendid Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza. After lunch, we’ll visit the home of the famed maestro Arturo Toscanini, one of the great conductors ofthe20thcentury,bornherein1867.Tonightdinner is at one of the city’s best restaurants, La Filoma. Prior, we’ll hear a private concert exclusively for the group.

WED, MARCH 25 VIVA VERDI!Today we go into Verdi country, the region where he was born and passed most of his illustrious life as composer and patriot. You will tour the Villa Sant’ Agata, his home for nearly 50 years. For lunch we’ll dine at Il Cavallino Bianco owned by makers of one of the finest prosciuttos in the world and sample the famous “culatellodeZibello”anItalianspecialtymadeonlyherein the Po valley. After lunch, it is on to the town of Bussetto, with its little gem of an opera house and wheretheCasaBarezzi,homeofVerdi’searlypatron,isthe site of another private concert for the group.

THURS, MARCH 26 ITALY’S BREADBASKET & DONIZETTIA neighboring parmigiano factory provides a close-up view of how this sharp, pungent cheese we allloveismade.AtIlCavezzanointhecountryside,wesample their own balsamico followed by a sumptuous lunch. Back in Parma, we hear Donizetti’s sweet comedy, The Elixir of Love, in a new production by American director Francesca Zambello (director of San Francisco Opera’s Ring)attheprettyTeatroRegiobuiltin1829.

La Scala, Milan