This amazing trip from Moscow to St. Petersburg is full of high-level Russian music experiences – not the least of which will be onboard concerts by stellar Russian opera stars! Please Contact Us and put "Volga Dream 2010" in the comment field to receive the latest information on this trip as soon as it is published. Here is the itinerary so far – the shore excursions for each port along the Volga have arrived in hard copy and will be typed in soon, so our full program is coming into focus! We're still waiting on pricing, but it's going to be very competitive to similar tours without the music, so if you appreciate classical music or would like to have it as an emphasized option, this is the one for you.

ITINERARY

Saturday, June 5
Your arrival at Moscow Airport is met by our local guide. Platinum Package purchasers are transferred to the Hotel Ritz Carlton and Gold Package purchasers are transferred to the Marriott Royal Aurora Hotel. You will be assisted with check-in. Most flights arrive in early afternoon, so you will have the rest of the day to rest. Options for Moscow cultural and nightlife can be arranged in advance or on the spot.
 
Sunday, June 6
Join your guide this morning for a half-day tour (4 hours) of the Moscow with an emphasis on the Kremlin. Here you will visit the Assumption and Archangel Cathedrals, both of which are important in their own right. In the Kremlin itself, you will visit the Armory Museum, which dates back to 1485. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure. Options for Moscow cultural and nightlife can be arranged in advance or on the spot.

Monday, June 7
Join your guide this morning for a visit to the Tretyakov Art Gallery, which has the biggest collection of Russian art from early icons to Russian avant-garde works of the 20th century. (To left, The Virgin of Vladimir, early 12th century, wood painting; to right, Portrait of Maria Ivanovna by Vladimir Borovikovsky, 1797, oil on canvas.)

Henry Fogel is the Dean of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and has had a long history rich in classical music. He brings a distinguished history in classical music to life on board the Volga Dream’s special Musical Cruise in June 2010.

Mr. Fogel is also currently the Festival Director of the New Hampshire Music Festival and is actively involved with the Catherine French Group. Until 2008 he was the President and CEO of the League of American Orchestras an organization that serves almost 1,000 symphony orchestras.

For 18 years Mr Fogel was President of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra during which time he had an enormous positive effect on the orchestra and oversaw the multi-million dollar renovation of Orchestra Hall. He has also been the Executive Director of the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington D.C. as well as Orchestra Manager of the New York Philharmonic, both prestigious and demanding positions for which he is highly regarded.

Mr Fogel has served on the Executive Committee of the Avery Fisher Artist Program and is frequently asked to be a judge for conducting competitions both in the United States and internationally. He has received honorary doctorate degrees from a variety of prestigious universities, institutes and colleges and was honoured with a Cultural Leadership Citation from Yale University in 1999.

In June 2009 he received the highest honour in the symphony orchestra field, the League of American Orchestra’s Gold Baton Award and has been cited for “outstanding contributions to, and accomplishments in, the field of Music Education” by the National Association for Music Education.

Mr Fogel has a collection of over 20,000 classical recordings and has a passion for Chinese cooking having studied with Virginia Lee who wrote the New York Times Chinese Cookbook.

Mr Fogel has close ties with Russian classical music and worked very closely with Mstislav Rostropovich, touring with him throughout the world and often inviting him to conduct the Chicago Symphony or perform as a cello soloist. He also toured Russia with the Chicago Symphony during the tenure of music director Sir Georg Solti.