Incantato journeys the blue Danube

The ‘meandering’ Danube river rises in the stunningly beautiful Black Forest mountain range close to the town of Donaueschingen in Germany, from whence it takes its name. It then flows a south-eastward course for a distance of some 1,785 miles, passing through four Central and Eastern European capitals and ten countries before emptying into the Black Sea.

Like no other European river, the Danube has influenced the course of history as the Romans, Thrax, Celts, Illyrics and, of course, the Ottomans have all been here. In the space of a week the echoes of this colorful past will come to the fore as you journey through the very historical beating heart of Europe, to experience the cultural delights of Vienna and Budapest or alternatively to gaze at the gently undulating landscapes of the beautiful Wachau Valley, with its charming riverside villages and vineyard-laced hillsides usually bathed in the most glorious of light. Stops along the curvaceous course of the river include Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Duernstein, Melk, and Passau.

Music and musical heritage obviously accompanies us on our voyage. Before the nineteenth century, musicians such as Mozart and Schubert struggled to make ends meet and relied on patronage. This all changed when Johann Strauss the Younger and Elder both became the equivalent of modern musical stars with their popular waltz music, perhaps forever immortalized in ‘The Blue Danube’ which perhaps neatly completes the circle as regards the name of our vessel and majestic river on which she sails.

The Danube- learn some interesting facts

Where is the source of the river Danube?

The Danube begins as a small mountain stream deep in the Black Forest near Donaueschingen, Germany. That small stream soon becomes the second largest river in Europe (the Volga is the largest one).

The Upper Danube is home for how many capital cities?

four: Vienna (Austria), Bratislava (Slovakia), Budapest (Hungary), and Belgrade (Serbia)—more than any other river in the world. 

Through how many countries does the Danube flow?

Ten: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine 

The length of the Danube:

1,777 miles

Where does it end?

In the Black Sea.

Did You Know?

• The Danube Delta was first declared a nature reserve in 1938 by the Council of Ministers and recognized as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1992. The area is home to 12 habit types, 300 bird species and 45 freshwater fish species.
• The Danube is mentioned in the title of a famous waltz by Austrian composer Johann Strauss, "An der schönen blauen Donau" (On the Beautiful Blue Danube), composed as Strauss was traveling down the Danube River. This piece is well known across the world and is also used widely as a lullaby. Listen to Herbert von Karajan conducting "An der schönen blauen Donau" with the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTqlLKBKFhg
• Another famous waltz about the Danube is "The Waves of the Danube" by the Romanian composer Ion Ivanovici (1845–1902), and the work took the audience by storm when performed at the 1889 Paris Exposition.
• The German tradition of landscape painting, the Danube school, was developed in the Danube valley in the 16th century.
• The Parliament House in Bucharest is the world's largest parliament building at a whopping 3.55 million square feet.
• The Blue Danube was the name of the first nuclear weapon of the British army.

Thank you for a great meeting, more info on the cruise to come soon

Dearest faculty, students, family and friends of St. Bonaventure College, it was with great joy that we got to see you all again during our recent visit to beautiful St. John's and we cannot thank you enough for your hospitality and warm welcome. Please pardon that this thank you note comes with a delay and so are new entries on the 2013 Performance Cruise as little Thea got sick before we left and has pretty much taken down all of us at home and in the office with her. We wish you a great summer break and will be adding a lot of information in the weeks to come. Please do check back latest on July 1 when Sandra will be on the actual ship that you are going to be on in April for a week for some day to day coverage (as long as the internet access will allow it). Dankeschoen und auf Wiedersehen!

A European tradition: Easter markets

When traveling around countries such as Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary around Easter time, you will be sure to run into one of many wonderful Easter traditions: the Easter markets. Similar to the famous Christmas markets, the Easter markets offer a wide variety of local foods, crafts and products from the region.


Typically, there are many Easter-themed items to buy, but also local products, food items and gifts that make great souvenirs to bring back home. 
Weimar celebrates the beginning of spring by hosting its Ostermarkt on the market square around Easter every year. It is a perfect possibility to shop for Easter presentss or souvenirs such as jewelry or decorative arts. All manner of handicrafts and design items are offered in the town center, inviting everyone to get in the mood for Easter. 

Incantato Impressions Vienna

Incantato Tours Destination Impressions: Benedictine Abbey of Goettweig

Here is a video from the UA Schola Cantorum under the direction of Canadian composer and director Dr. Graeme Langager who is now at UBC.

Unforgettable Experiences at Goettweig from our previous intern Ember

My name is Ember and I am now a member of the Incantato Tours Team. Before I joined the company, I toured with my university choir to Central Europe in the summer of 2008. One of my most memorable times was at the Benedictine Abbey of Goettweig. I felt like we were treated like kings and queens as we were offered a private tour through the monastery with Pater Justus, the museum was full of beautiful art and history but more importantly it had original compositions by Haydn and Beethoven on display. He also allowed our fellow student and accompanist to play on the organ in the cathedral. It was so special to see the cathedral at night and to have a personal concert on their beautiful, enormous organ.

Goettweig is situated on the top of a mountain, which offers one of the most beautiful panoramic views I've ever seen. Here are some pictures from the perspective of my camera last summer. This is a picture of my friend and I (on the right) with Pater Justus, at the end of our personal tour through the monastery and museum.

This is a monastery that carries on with their Benedictine style of life but has adapted graciously to the 21st century. This was made obvious on Sunday morning after their traditional mass there was a contemporary service held outside and the whole congregation was full of motorcycles and their riders. Although it was alarming to hear all the bikes roaring up to the courtyard, it was moving to be able to witness this - it was a beautiful experience.




While staying at Goettweig, we were able to take strolls along the Danube in Duernstein and to
take a hike up to the ruins of a castle fortress, which happens to be where Richard the Lionhearted was imprisoned during the Crusades.

Here's a silly picture of my friend acting like she was locked up in the same place as Richard. She'd kill me if she knew I posted this! =)

Last but not least, we had a wonderful experience performing in the sanctuary. It's a beautiful spectacle for the audience but also for the singers. I firmly believe that each venue offers something different to each piece of repertoire. My musical experience was definitely enhanced while singing here. The space is very much alive and is great for classical music, especially for an orchestra. Here is a picture of the sanctuary during our performance. In this picture, the choir is singing Bach's "Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied" - split into two choirs spanning both sides.

Incantato Concert Venue: Stephansdom, Vienna

Saint Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, reigns as the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schoenberg. The cathedral’s present Romanesque and Gothic façade was commissioned by Rudolf IV and stands atop the ruins of two earlier churches. The church is located in the heart of Vienna within the Stephansplatz district. It is not only considered the most important religious structure in the capital city, but the cathedral’s multi-colored tile roofing also makes it the most recognizable. Saint Stephen’s Cathedral boasts a very important organ tradition. The sanctuary’s first organ was installed in 1334 but was unfortunately destroyed during a fire in 1945. Michael Kauffmann constructed a large electric organ in its place in 1960 which includes 125 voices, four manuals, and over 9,000 pipes, all financed by public donation. In 1991 the current choir organ was built by the Austrian firm Rieger. The new mechanical organ is comprised a more modest 56 voices and four manuals.A prominent Vienna landmark, Saint Stephen’s Cathedral is featured in many media productions including films, video games, and television shows. These include the 1949 Orson Welles film “The Third Man,” and the 2004 video game “Burnout 3.” An image of the cathedral is also depicted on the Austrian 10 cent Euro coin as well as the packaging of the popular Manner-Schnitten wafer treat. In 2008, Broadway star Sarah Brightman performed a promotional concert in Saint Stephen’s Cathedral which was recorded for television broadcast and released later in DVD form.
The St. Bon's singers could sing a morning concert here or even a lunchtime Mass.

Incantato Destination Impressions: Cesky Krumlov

Incantato Concert Video from St. Vitus, Cesky Krumlov

The church of St. Vitus in the heart of Cesky Krumlov is a very exclusive venue with stunning acoustics. Only a few foreign groups are allowed to perform here, but with St. Bon's Catholic background, your groups would be warmly welcomed here.

Highlights while in Central Europe: Exchange and joint concert With Cesky Krumlov Pipers

While visiting Cesky Krumlov, the singers and musicians from St. Bon's could perform together with the Cesky Krumlov Pipers. The Českokrumluvští pištci (Cesky Krumlov Pipers; see picture below) is a folk group from the local conservatory that has met several Incantato groups before. They are under the direction of Mrs. Renata Pyšíková. Their repertoire: old Czech music from the Renaissance period. The students perform in traditional customs and also play hisorical instruments.

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