Dear Fellow Travelers: It is great fun to bring you our Spring Newsletter as the cleanup from winter is ongoing in Russia.
Even though it is only May I am going to concentrate on our fall trip in October. We like to give our clients plenty of time for planning
purposes so they can do as much as possible to prepare for their trip and learn about where we are going.
This month we are featuring information about one of the most famous architectural achievements of the reign of Peter I - the Russian baroque
palace at Peterhof. The palace is magnificent but the grounds, fountains, and setting on the Baltic Sea are what make this Tsarist residence
very special to me.
The fountains of Peterhof are world famous but even Tsar Peter had to shut them down for Russian winters. We are going just in time in October
to take advantage of the marvelous fall colors and early enough to see the fountains in their full glory. Peterhof is beautiful anytime but I
always marvel at the splendor of the fountains.
Whereas any visitor to Russia is almost invariably shocked at the lavish life style of the ruling Romonovs compared to how the average citizen lived,
one cannot help but admire the magnificence of the architecture and the collections of art and treasures that the Tsars amassed. Peterhof is a
classic example and is a sheer delight to visit. One of the highlights of the palace tour should be a through tour of the grounds. In addition to the
formal gardens, the lush and varied flora, and the dozens of magnificent fountains, there are outbuildings that are football fields away from the
main palace that are rarely seen by tourists. These wonderful old buildings are available to the public if one is willing to walk through the woods
to get there.
I am delighted to be able to report in this newsletter that the Hermitage Ballet which performs in the Theater of Catherine of the Great in the Winter
Palace is going to celebrate its premier tour of America in the spring of 2008. M&M Art Travel has been asked to host the ballet as it tours Georgia,
South Carolina, and North Carolina. Over the years I have been to the Bolshoi, the Mariinski, and the Hermitage to enjoy ballet and always enjoyed
myself. That being said, it is always a special treat to attend ballet at the personal theater of Catherine the Great, in the fabulous Winter Palace.
The intimacy, comfort, and location of the Hermitage Theater always make it very special.
The American tour will consist of a Gala performance featuring scenes of the most famous ten classical ballets in Russia's illustrious ballet history.
The lead soloists will be the best the Mariinski has to offer. Advance tickets will go on sale in the summer of 2007. More information will be posted
on www.HermitageBallet.com.
Sincerely,
Michael E. Donnelly, Ph.D.
President
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