Classical Destinations

Salzburg: Birthplace of Amadeus

The hills around Salzburg were alive long before Julie Andrews started running up them! Simon Callow, Niki Vasilakis and Matt Wills introduce you to the birthplace of classical music's ultimate superstar, and tell of the infant Amadeus' most prodigious exploits. This is the city of the Salzburg Festival, the famous puppet shows, and the belated arrival there of the musical with which Hollywood took Salzburg to the world.

From Salzburg to Vienna

Simon, Niki and Matt follow Mozart through mag11ificent Austrian countryside from Salzburg to imperial Vienna, the irresistible magnet for composers such as Brahms, Mahler, Schubert and Haydn. Their stories and their relationship with the magnificent Habsburg capital are described amid the city's great landmarks.

The Real Song of Norway

Finlandia

The elemental sights and sounds of Finland, from Helsinki to the snowy vistas of Lapland and a visit to Santa and his workshop, the country's icy beauty captured in the music of Sibelius. We hear the story of the Finnish musical legend and visit the composer's home of Ainola.

St. Petersburg I

Former capital of Russia, with its canals earning it the description"Venice of the North", St. Petersburg was also home to the con1posers Borodin, Gli11ka, Mussorgsky and the naval officer turned musical painter of the Arabian Nights, Rimsky-Korsakov.

Venice, Vivaldi and the Four Seasons

Antonio Vivaldi spent his most productive years in Venice in tl1e early 18th century. Simon, Niki and Matt tour the canals, bridges and piazzas for which Vivaldi created the perfect soundtrack in his Four Seasons.

Prague

Smetana serenaded its river; Dvorak started out as a dance band fiddler; Mozart enjoyed his greatest successes here. We visit the Old Tovn, where Simon Callow reminisces about filming Amadeus in its beat1tifully preserved streets.

Germany 1: Eisenach and the towns of Bach's travel

Tracing the young J.S. Bach's career path though eastern Germany from his birthplace in Eisenach to Arnstadt and Weimar. In the Wartburg castle we learn about Martin· Luther and the birth of the Reformation.