Quire of Voyces Italy Tour Itinerary - Update

DAY 1 Tuesday, June 15 2010
Overnight flight to Rome in two groups
See your personal flight schedule and please make sure you arrive at the airport at least 2,5 hours in advance for check-in.


DAY 2 Wednesday, June 16
Benvenuti to Italy
Board the coach and head into the eternal city for a comfy first overnight on Italian soil. Since both flights groups get in late, we moved the special welcome dinner to Thursday night. For those hungry ones among you, there is a wonderful local pizzeria just around the corner from the hotel and your tour managers will be glad to take you there.

DAY 3 Thursday, June 17
Eternal Rome Tour - Pantheon Recital
Visit the eternal city with a local guide in the morning and get an overview of what‘s there to do and see in the next few days. Walk through the Colosseo and the Foro Romano. The city tour concludes at 1 pm, then enjoy lunch on your own and afternoon at leisure. A special highlight will be a 25 minute recital at the Pantheon at 5 pm. The day ends with a special welcome dinner at Pastarito (7 pm).

DAY 4 Friday, June 18
Vatican Visit & High Mass
Explore the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter‘s Basilica with your local guide from 9 am till 1 pm, followed by some free time. Then prepare to be the featured guest choir for a special High Mass at St. Peter‘s Basilica (5 pm). The evening is at leisure so you can fully enjoy the Roman nightlife.

DAY 5 Saturday, June 19
Scenic Road to Maiori & Concert
After you leave Rome at 9 am and head South, you enjoy the scenic route along the Amalfi Coast to Maiori, a charming beach town (arrival at 12.30 pm). After an afternoon at leisure, Quire's first formal concert is scheduled this evening at the Church of San Francesco (8.30 pm). The locals adore choral music and are known for their hospitality.

DAY 6 Sunday, June 20
Scenic Amalfi & Concert
Today is a leisure day that leaves you with plenty of opportunities for individual or group sightseeing under the guidance of your tour managers. A second formal concert takes place at Basilica del Crocifisso at 9 pm. Afterwards you enjoy dinner at Torre Normanna.

DAY 7 Monday, June 21
Capri & Sorrento
Take a boat ride to Capri (departure 9 am) and explore the island from 11 am till 4 pm. Then visit Sorrento. In the early evening, drive to Naples for overnight and the chance to taste pizza in its birthplace, restaurant Ciro a Medina.

DAY 8 Tuesday, June 22
Pompeii or Naples in-depth
Depending on the interest, both busses or just one will drive you to see the ancient ruins of Pompeii and Ercolano. Alternatively, you can spend a full day in Naples. The third formal concert of your tour is planned tonight at Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci at 7.30 pm.

DAY 9 Wednesday, June 23
Via Montecassino to Frascati & Farewell Dinner
You'll head back North towards Rome today (departure 9 am) via Montecassino with an individual visit of the abbey (11 am to 1.30 pm). A fantastic farewell dinner with lots of wonderful food, more wine and even better company awaits you this evening - after an afternoon at leisure - at Agriturismo Iacchelli (7 pm).

DAY 10 Thursday, June 24
Rome Departure
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flights home to the US. See your personal flight schedule.

Travel Insurance - Please make sure you are protected! ASH CLOUD related travel interruptions are covered!!!

It is not too late to get coverage for the upcoming Quire Tour 2010 and with the current ash cloud situation in Europe, Incantato Tours more than ever strongly recommends getting travel insurance for your journey. Not only are you covered medically should anything happen when traveling or interrupt your journey at any point, but with TravelGuard's policies, you also protect your investment should anything beyond our control (such as a volcano erruption or weather related situation) affect the trip.
Here is a direct line to purchase travel insurance online and can you do so with your credit cards and also select the option that is best for you.



In the meantime, have a look at the most comprehensive coverage option The Protect Assist Gold below.

Protect Assist (Gold) -

Comprehensive Travel Protection for the World Traveler

Trip Cancellation Trip Interruption and Travel Delay Emergency Medical and Emergency Medical Transportation Baggage and Travel Document Protection Baggage Delay and Lost Baggage Tracking NEW - Cancel For Any Reason option now available NEW - Cancel For Work Reasons option now available NEW - Children age 17 and under covered at no additional cost IMPROVED -Trip Cancellation limit increased to $100,000 (from $15,000), IMPROVED - Trip Interruption coverage increased to 150% of Trip Cost IMPROVED - Travel Delay required hours reduced to 5 hours (from 12) ProtectAssist special features: Best coverage for Weather Related Cancellations Pre-existing Condition Exclusion Waiver* Default/Bankruptcy Protection* $50,000 Flight Accident Insurance* 24-Hour "LiveTravel" Travel Agency Emergency Cash Transfers Identity Theft Restoration

Comprehensive non-insurance travel services* automatically included with plan!With the ProtectAssist plan, every customer also has access to these valuable travel services when they travel:· Arrangements for last-minute flight changes· Hotel finder and reservations· Rental car reservations· Emergency medical assistance· BagTrak® -- lost baggage tracking· Pre-trip health and safety advisories· Live e-mail and phone messaging to family and friends· Cash transfers· Airport transportation· Golf course reservations· Event ticketing· Floral services· Identity Theft restoration
Business Assistant* (available when Optional Cancel for Work Reasons coverage is purchased)

*Non-Insurance services are provided by AIG Travel Assist.

Eligibility
Citizenship: All Nationalities
Residency: United States
New York, Oregon, and Washington residence please call to purchase
Some rider options are not available and other restrictions may apply
Destination: Worldwide
Ages: All Ages
Max Trip Length: 365 Days

Incantato proudly presents the Quire of Voyces 2010 Italy Tour Poster

Home away from Home: Grand Hotel Oriente in Naples

The four star Grand Hotel Oriente is located in the historic centre of Naples, a few steps from the Stock Exchange, the port, and the shopping area. Its 131 spacious rooms are classic in style, offering comfort and technological convenience. The terraces of the top-floor offers an admirable view of the city’s magnificent panorama: the port, Vesuvius, the majestic Museo di San Martino and Castel Sant'Elmo. The rooms include air conditioning, telephone, radio, satellite television, mini bar and a private safe.

Home away from Home: Villa Vecchia in Frascati

Incantato Tours proudly presents the QOV hotel in the Frascati area: the Villa Vecchia. The hotel is surrounded by a park which features a swimming pool. The terrace offers a splendid view of Rome and the Roman Castles. All 92 rooms in this four star hotel are elegantly furnished and offer air conditioning, satellite television, minibar, telephone, Wi-Fi connection, electronic safe for valuables and hair dryers.

Santa Barbara Quire di Voyces - Curriculum in Italian

I “Santa Barbara Quire di Voyces”, fondato nel 1993, sono uno dei
gruppi corali più prestigiosi dello stato della California, USA, con un
repertorio che spazia dalla letteratura corale sacra a cappella del
Rinascimento fino a quella contemporanea. I “Quire di Voyces”
collaborano stabilmente con la “Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra” per l’
esecuzione di importanti capolavori del periodo barocco, dal "Requiem"
di Mozart alla "Massa in Si minore” di J.S.Bach; con la “Music Academy
of the West” e la “Camerata Pacifica”. I Quire of Voyces hanno
effettuato tournèe internazionali di successo in America ed Europa, con
importanti concerti tenuti in Inghilterra, (cattedrali di Salisbury,
Canterbury e Saint James Picadilly di Londra), a Vienna, Praga e
Budapest, Finlandia ed Estonia; sono stati invitati al celebre Festival
medievale di Gotland, Visby (Svezia).

Hanno all’attivo sei incisioni di CD, oggetto di unanimi consensi da
parte della critica specializzata. Il ciclo di concerti italiani 2010,
nell’ambito della organizzazione InCantato tour, prevederà esibizioni
in Roma, presso la Cappella Sistina, la Basilica di S. Pietro in
Vaticano ed il Pantheon, nonché a Napoli e in alcune importanti
località della costa di Amalfi (Cattedrale di Amaldi, Duomo di
Maiori).
L’ensemble, diretto da Nathan Kreitzer, conta circa trenta cantanti
professionisti dalla Central Coast, e collabora con molti compositori
contemporanei, tra cui
Eric Whitacre, Stefano Paulus, Michael McGlynn, Steven Sametz, Carl
Rütti, e Frank Ticheli, con frequenti premiers di nuovi brani
appositamente selezionati.

Travel Insurance - Please make sure you are protected!

Incantato Tours strongly recommend getting travel insurance for your upcoming journey. Not only are you covered medically should anything happen when traveling, but with TravelGuard's policies, you also protect your investment should you have to cancel or interrupt the trip. Last not least, there is also coverage for delayed and lost luggage etc.
Here is a direct line to purchase travel insurance online and can you do so with your credit cards and also select the option that is best for you.



In the meantime, have a look at the most comprehensive coverage option The Protect Assist Gold below.

Protect Assist (Gold) -

Comprehensive Travel Protection for the World Traveler

Trip Cancellation JUST ADDED! - Trip Cancellation due to employment loss or layoff if employed with the same employer 1 year or longer Trip Interruption and Travel Delay Emergency Medical and Emergency Medical Transportation Baggage and Travel Document Protection Baggage Delay and Lost Baggage Tracking NEW - Cancel For Any Reason option now available NEW - Cancel For Work Reasons option now available NEW - Children age 17 and under covered at no additional cost IMPROVED -Trip Cancellation limit increased to $100,000 (from $15,000), IMPROVED - Trip Interruption coverage increased to 150% of Trip Cost IMPROVED - Travel Delay required hours reduced to 5 hours (from 12) ProtectAssist special features: Best coverage for Weather Related Cancellations Pre-existing Condition Exclusion Waiver* Default/Bankruptcy Protection* $50,000 Flight Accident Insurance* 24-Hour "LiveTravel" Travel Agency Emergency Cash Transfers Identity Theft Restoration

Comprehensive non-insurance travel services* automatically included with plan!With the ProtectAssist plan, every customer also has access to these valuable travel services when they travel:· Arrangements for last-minute flight changes· Hotel finder and reservations· Rental car reservations· Emergency medical assistance· BagTrak® -- lost baggage tracking· Pre-trip health and safety advisories· Live e-mail and phone messaging to family and friends· Cash transfers· Airport transportation· Golf course reservations· Event ticketing· Floral services· Identity Theft restoration
Business Assistant* (available when Optional Cancel for Work Reasons coverage is purchased)

*Non-Insurance services are provided by AIG Travel Assist.

Eligibility
Citizenship: All Nationalities
Residency: United States
New York, Oregon, and Washington residence please call to purchase
Some rider options are not available and other restrictions may apply
Destination: Worldwide
Ages: All Ages
Max Trip Length: 365 Days

Venue Confirmed: Tuesday, June 22, at 7.30 pm Quire of Voyces sings at the Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci in Naples

Tuesday, June 22, at 7.30 pm the singers of QOV under the direction of Nathan J. Kreitzer are going to perform at the Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci during their Italy Performance Tour with Incantato.

The Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci is one of the most beautiful baroque churches in Naples and was constructed by the convent of the Francescani Osservanti in 1581. The beautiful sculptures were built by Cosimo Fanzago (1591-1678), an Italian architect. The facade of the church is decorated with white and gray marble. Two lovely angels are greeting the visitors. They are the work of Fanzago as well. After an earthquake in 1980 the entire structure was restored. The Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci hosts by the way the grave of the Italian jurist Giuseppe de Gemmis (1734-1812).
Click here to go to the origin of the picture.

Acoustics of St. Peters

Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome is the largest church in the world, with a volume of 20 million cubic feet. What sort of acoustics can we expect? According to a short study described here, the reverberation time is about 7.5 seconds when the church is empty, and 5 seconds with a large congregation. Nathan commented, "interesting, I thought they were much worse because of the giant space." The study concluded, "The exceptional acoustical properties are due to the multiple coupled air spaces into which the Basilica is divided, and to the diffusion produced by the wealth of architectural detail and sculptural ornament."

- Bruce Kendall

Explore Sorrento with Incantato Tours

Sorrento is a small city in Campania, southern Italy, with about 16,500 inhabitants. The town overlooks the bay of Naples, as the key place of the Sorrentine Peninsula, and many viewpoints in the city allow sight of Naples itself, Vesuvius and the island of Capri. The Amalfi Drive (connecting Sorrento and Amalfi) is the narrow road that threads around the high cliffs above the Tyrrhenian Sea. Ferry boats and hydrofoils provide services to Naples, Amalfi, Positano, Capri and Ischia. Sorrento's sea cliffs and luxury hotels have attracted famous personalities, including Enrico Caruso and Luciano Pavarotti. Sorrento is famous for agricultural production including citrus fruit, wine, nuts and olives. Wood craftsmanship is also developed.

The Italian Weather in June

Dear members of Quire of Voyces,
When you are traveling to Italy this June, the summer has already started. Early June is like May - with weather that is warm but not too hot for sightseeing. Later in the month the temperature can rise steeply, particularly in the south of Italy. June 21 is the longest day of the year, the summer solstice takes place then. The temperatures fluctuate between 60°F and 79°F.

City Facts about Naples

Naples is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. The city is known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music and gastronomy, playing an important role in the country's history and beyond throughout much of its existence, which began more than 2,800 years ago. Naples is located halfway between two volcanic areas, the volcano Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, sitting on the coast by the Gulf of Naples. Founded in the 8th century BC, as a Greek colony, before under the name of Parthenope, and later Neápolis (New City), Naples is one of the oldest cities in the world, and it held an important role in Magna Graecia; while when the city became part of the Roman Republic in the central province of the Empire, was a major cultural center (Virgil is one of the symbol of the political and cultural freedom of Naples). The city has seen a multitude of civilizations come and go, each leaving their mark: now the historic city centre is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Naples was preeminently the capital city of a kingdom which bore its name from 1282 until 1816 in the form of the Kingdom of Naples, then in union with Sicily it was the capital of the Two Sicilies until the Italian unification. Naples has profoundly influenced many areas of Europe and beyond. The city proper has a population of around 1 million people: Naples is the most densely populated major city in Italy. The city is also synonymous with pizza, which originated in the city. A strong part of Neapolitan culture which has had wide reaching effects is music, including the invention of the romantic guitar and the mandolin as well as strong contributions to opera and folk standards. There are popular characters and figures who have come to symbolise Naples; these include the patron saint of the city Januarius, Pulcinella, and the Sirens from the epic Greek poem the Odyssey.

Sightseeing-Highlight: Pompeii

Pompeii is a ruined and partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the commune of Pompeii. Along with Herculaneum, its sister city, Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning two days in 79 AD. The volcano collapsed higher roof-lines and buried Pompeii under 20 m (66 ft) of ash and pumice, and it was lost for nearly 1,600 years before its accidental rediscovery in 1592. Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire. Today, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Italy, with approximately 2,500,000 visitors every year.