Suggested flight from Paris: 13h15 Paris CDG//15h05 Ljubljana (direct flight Air France – duration: 1h50)

Arrival in Ljubljana, welcome and private transfer to your hotel.

We’ll attend the first lecture by Antoine Pecqueur about Carlos Kleiber, the renowned conductor, and his strong attachment to Slovenia to get us into the Festival mood.

At 8pm, Cankarjev dom :

CONCERT OF OPERATIC ARIAS

RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra

Oksana Lyniv:  Musical Director

Juan Diego Flórez: Tenor

On our first evening at the Ljubljana Classical Music Festival, the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra will share the stage with renowned tenor Juan Diego Flórez. Acclaimed for his exceptional voice and unrivalled talent, Juan Diego Flórez will enchant audiences with his remarkable charisma and expressiveness. Accompanied by one of Slovenia’s leading symphony orchestras, renowned for its artistic excellence and significant contribution to the national and international music scene, he will perform an exquisite repertoire. This fusion between the orchestral virtuosity of the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and the vocal power of Juan Diego Flórez promises an unforgettable evening, where passion and emotion combine to create moments of pure musical magic.

Dinner after spectacle

After breakfast, we set off for Bled.

Surrounded by the Alps, this lake has attracted visitors for centuries.

We’ll cross the lake in the traditional Pletna boat to the iconic Bled Island.

This traditional boat has been used on Lake Bled for centuries. Its origins date back to the 12th century, when the first Benedictine monks settled on the island in the middle of the lake. Hand-built from beech wood, Pletnas are characterized by their elongated shape and pointed bow.

Our tour continues along the shore at Bled Castle, which also offers one of the finest views of the lake.

Lunch at Bled Castle.

We then return to Ljubljana and begin our journey through the city’s history, following the streets designed by Jože Plečnik.

A visionary 20th-century architect, he left an indelible mark on Ljubljana’s architecture. His bold creativity and innovative approach shaped the city’s physiognomy, giving it a unique and timeless character. Plečnik transformed Ljubljana into a living work of art, harmoniously blending traditional and modern architectural styles. His iconic achievements, such as the Triple Bridge, the Central Market and the Žale Cemetery, testify to his deep understanding of local history and his desire to create spaces that inspire and unite the community.

The tour continues at Ljubljana Castle, which has undergone many changes over the course of its rich and dynamic history. The castle’s location also offers magnificent panoramic views of the city and its surroundings.

Return to hotel.

Dinner at leisure before our musical rendezvous at Cankarjev dom.

At 8pm, Cankarjev dom :

LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT

London Symphony Orchestra

Sir Antonio Pappano: Musical Direction

Vilde Frang: Violin

Program :

– E. Elgar : Violin Concerto in B minor, Op. 61

– G. Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D major “Titan

Here it is, the long-awaited evening. The one with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO). One of the world’s most prestigious and acclaimed orchestras. Founded in 1904, this London-based symphony orchestra is renowned for its artistic excellence and remarkable versatility. Led by celebrated conductors and collaborating with the most talented soloists, tonight’s LSO concert will be conducted by the newly-awarded Sir Antonio Pappano, and accompanied by Vilde Frang, whose captivating, expressive playing has earned her a place among the great performers of her generation.

After breakfast, it’s time for a change of scenery, as our day begins in Nova Gorica, at the Franciscan monastery of Kostanjevica, a spiritual, cultural and historical center and a showcase for ecclesiastical art. This sumptuous building houses the tombs of the Bourbons, an extensive bookshop and a magnificent church. The Franciscans have guarded these treasures for 200 years, and between 1950 and 1964, Kostanjevica was the seat of the apostolic administrator for the Slovenian part of the Gorica archdiocese.

In 1985, the entire Kostanjevica complex (the monastery and its library, the church and the Bourbon tombs) was declared a cultural and historical monument. It is therefore a key monument in Slovenia’s national cultural heritage.

We’ll then continue our day in Slovenia’s Tuscany, the wine-growing region of Goriška Brda!

Lunch will take place in a charming, bucolic farmhouse, where we’ll sample the local, seasonal flavors of traditional Slovenian cuisine. Indeed, Goriška Brda is not only a wine-growing region, but also a market-gardening one.

The afternoon continues at a local winegrower for a private tasting. The winemaker will offer us an authentic experience and tell us the story of his vineyard. All that’s left is to say “Cheers”!

We’ll attend Antoine Pecqueur’s second lecture, about the composer Tartini, nicknamed the genius of Piran, famous as much for his Sonata du Trille du Diable and his theories of sound, as for his fencing skills, before enjoying our final evening with the London Symphony Orchestra, accompanied by Bruce Liu. This young Canadian pianist is one of those dazzling revelations whose precocious stage debuts, notably with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, followed by repeated victories in competitions, presaged a soloist’s temperament.

Crowned first prize winner of the Warsaw Chopin Competition in 2021, which propelled him onto the international scene at the age of twenty-four, Bruce Liu embraces an inclusive repertoire, from Bach to Prokofiev and Kapustin, not forgetting of course Chopin.

Free dinner before our musical rendez-vous at Cankarjev dom.

8pm, Cankarjev dom :

CONCERT LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

London Symphony Orchestra

Sir Antonio Pappano: Musical Director

Bruce Liu: Piano

Program :

– H. Berlioz: Overture “Le Carnaval Romain”, Op. 9

– F. Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11

– G. Holst: “The Planets”, Op. 32

Our story with the Ljubljana Festival will come to an end this morning, and for those who wish, it will be possible to return to Paris (or elsewhere).

Suggested return flight: 15h50 Ljubljana//17h50 Paris Roissy Charles de Gaulle (direct Air France flight – duration: 2h)

Friday August 30 — Ljubljana/Škocjan/Piran

Leaving Ljubljana, we head for the Škocjan caves on the Kras plateau in south-west Slovenia. These unique caves, where the River Reka forms Europe’s largest underground canyon, were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. The spectacular and fascinating site is over 3 kilometers long and 100 meters high. The caves promise visitors a unique experience.

We’ll then head for the Adriatic coast, to Piran, where we’ll have lunch and explore the town.

Following to Portorož, where we’ll check into the Kempinski Palace hotel (*****).

We’ll plunge back into the enchanting world of classical music with the Tartini Festival, an annual event celebrating the legacy of the famous composer and violinist Giuseppe Tartini. Nestled in Slovenia’s picturesque countryside, this festival offers a musical experience of a completely different kind, featuring internationally renowned artists and masterful interpretations of the iconic works of Tartini and other classical composers in an enchanting setting where art and nature meet in harmony.

Dinner at leisure before our musical rendezvous.

Evening:

TARTINI FESTIVAL

Program to come

Saturday, August 31  — Piran/Istria (Croatia)

After breakfast, we’ll head off to the Croatian part of Istria to discover the authentic and captivating world of truffle hunting.

Accompanied by a team of experts and truffle dogs, we’ll embark on a truffle-hunting expedition in private family woods.

After our hunt, we’ll return for a tasting of the truffles we’ve harvested.

In the early afternoon, we’ll return to Portorož to enjoy a free afternoon on the coast.

Dinner at leisure before our musical rendezvous.

In the evening:

TARTINI FESTIVAL

Program to come

Sunday, September 1  — Piran/Ljubljana/Paris

For breakfast, we’ll embark on a traditional Istrian wooden sailing boat to discover the secret corners of the Slovenian coast. This old boat has been completely renovated and boasts a large sun deck for complete relaxation.

Departure at the end of the cruise.

Suggested return flight: 15h50 Ljubljana//17h50 Paris Roissy Charles de Gaulle (direct flight Air France – duration: 2h)