Adelaide Festival | Hayllar Music Tours
Adelaide Festival
Adelaide Festival | Hayllar Music Tours
Adelaide Festival
Adelaide Festival
4–9 MARCH 2025 (6 DAYS) | ATTEND SIX PERFORMANCES AND INFORMATIVE TALKS BY GRAHAM ABBOTT
Immerse yourself in the Adelaide Festival, a pre-eminent cultural event in Australia and one of the world's major celebrations of the arts, by attending six exciting performances including Kaija Saariaho’s opera Innocence, attending private talks by expert music educator and conductor, Graham Abbott and attending a private In-Conversation with Adelaide Festival Artistic Director, Brett Sheehy AO. Stay at The Playford, MGallery, a boutique 5-star hotel in the heart of Adelaide, and sample the delicious food and wine for which South Australia is so famous. Enjoy all this in iconic and attractive venues in the city and in the surrounding Adelaide Hills.
AUD$4,950 PER PERSON TWIN SHARE
LOYALTY CLUB PRICE: AUD$4,702.50
Single supplement: AUD$750
Deposit payment 1: Deposit AUD$1,500 per person (due at time of booking)
Deposit payment 2: Deposit AUD$1,500 per person (due on 4 November 2024)
Final payment due: 6 January 2025
sold out | waitlist only
tour leader
Overview | Adelaide Festival
Overview
Overview | Adelaide Festival
Overview
Performances
Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho’s opera Innocence co-commissioned by Aix-en-Provence Festival, Dutch National Opera, Finnish National Opera, and San Francisco Opera.
Australian Dance Theatre’s A Quiet Language celebrating the company’s 60th birthday.
A lunchtime vocal recital as part of the Festival’s Daylight Express series, with mezzo-soprano Jenny Carlstedt and pianist Michael Ierace.
A theatre performance of Samuel Beckett’s Krapp's Last Tape with Irish actor Stephen Rea.
Two concert performances at the beautiful UKARIA Cultural Centre as part of the Horizons series, curated by David Harrington, founding violinist with the Kronos Quartet.
OVERVIEW
Attend six performances from an array of world-class artists at the annual Adelaide Festival.
Attend insightful private talks presented by Tour Leader, expert music educator and conductor, Graham Abbott.
Attend a private In-Conversation with Adelaide Festival Artistic Director, Brett Sheehy AO hosted by Graham Abbott.
Enjoy beautiful Adelaide within the city centre and its parklands, and also the surrounding Adelaide Hills.
Enjoy three dinners featuring excellent local produce and South Australian wines.
Enjoy five nights at The Playford, MGallery, a 5-star boutique hotel in the heart of Adelaide.
Travel in a small group (maximum 20 people) giving you the opportunity to get to know your fellow guests and to enjoy one-on-one time with your expert Tour Leader.
TOUR LEADER
Graham Abbott
Sydney-born Graham Abbott is a Music Education graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium and later studied conducting with Myer Fredman. His 40-year conducting career saw him work with all the major Australian orchestras, opera companies and choirs. He was Conductor-in-Residence at the University of Adelaide (1986-88), Associate Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (1993-97), and Musical Director of Melbourne Chorale (now MSO Chorus) (1994-97). In 1997, Graham was acting Chorus Master of the Chorus of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, during which time he conducted concerts with the Edinburgh Royal Choral Union, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the Ulster Orchestra.
Graham’s opera repertoire included The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Fidelio, The Barber of Seville, La traviata, Il trovatore, Un ballo in maschera, Aida, L'Elisir d'amore, Don Pasquale, The Pearl Fishers, and Pelléas et Mélisande. He was also Assistant Conductor for the Australian premiere season of John Adams’ Nixon in China at the 1992 Adelaide Festival. A lifelong passion for the life and work of Handel saw Graham conduct Messiah more than 80 times in Australia, the UK and New Zealand. His repertoire also included many of the composer’s oratorios and operas, and much of his orchestral and church music.
Graham is also one of Australia's most highly-respected music educators. He produced and presented Keys to Music on ABC Classic from 2003 to 2017 and has worked as a speaker, teacher and examiner around Australia. He also established Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s Unwrap the Music series and continued to present and conduct that series until 2022. He has worked as a tour leader for Hayllar Music Tours since 2018 and now regularly leads tours for the company within Australia and internationally. Graham received a Special Conductor’s Award in the 1995 Melbourne Green Room Awards marking his debut with Opera Australia conducting Handel’s Julius Caesar for the company. And in 2007 he was awarded the Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award by the University of Melbourne in recognition of his services to Australian music as both conductor and educator.
Hotel
THE PLAYFORD, MGALLERY
The Playford, MGallery, a boutique 5-star hotel in the heart of Adelaide, is a perfect blend of classical style and contemporary luxury. It is conveniently located within easy walking distance of Adelaide's popular shopping areas, and its arts, cultural and entertainment precinct. The hotel’s Luma Restaurant and Bar offers original food and beverages, based on quality, locally sourced produce. 24-hour room service is also offered. The hotel offers a 24-hour Fitness Centre with a heated pool, sauna and a gymnasium.
The tour cost includes a Deluxe King Room.
If you would like hotel upgrade options please contact us on 02 9669 9181 / +61 2 9669 9181.
4–9 MARCH 2025 (6 DAYS)
AUD$4,950 PER PERSON TWIN SHARE
Single supplement: AUD$750
sold out | waitlist only
Itinerary | Adelaide Festival
Itinerary
Itinerary | Adelaide Festival
Itinerary
ITINERARY
DAY 1 | TUESDAY 4 MARCH 2025
1ST OF 5 NIGHTS AT THE PLAYFORD, MGALLERY, ADELAIDE
ARRIVE ADELAIDE, ADELAIDE FESTIVAL:
Guests arrive at The Playford, MGallery, a 5-star boutique hotel offering a perfect blend of classical style and contemporary luxury. It is conveniently located within easy walking distance of Adelaide's popular shopping areas, and its arts, cultural and entertainment precinct. Hotel check-in is at 3:00pm and we recommend arriving at the hotel at this time.
In the early evening our Tour Leader, Graham Abbott, will introduce the tour and this evening’s concert. Together we then enjoy a delicious dinner, featuring specialties from South Australia’s celebrated food and wine, and then attend our first performance at the internationally renowned Adelaide Festival.
DANCE PERFORMANCE - ODEON THEATRE, 7:30pm
Australian Dance Theatre A Quiet Language
Daniel Riley director
Daniel Riley and ADT Company Artists choreography
Matthew Adey production design
Adam Page composer and musician
Dr Cheryl Stock, Dr Maggie Tonkin researchers
Sebastian Geilings, Zachary Lopez, Karra Nam, Patrick O’Luanaigh and Zoe Wozniak performers
DAY 2 | WEDNESDAY 5 MARCH 2025
2ND OF 5 NIGHTS AT THE PLAYFORD, MGALLERY, ADELAIDE
ADELAIDE FESTIVAL:
This morning Graham Abbott will give a talk about the performance we will attend today.
The afternoon is then free to visit any aspect you may choose of Adelaide and the festival. The Adelaide Writers' Week, a free six-day event, takes place from 1–6 March 2025 in the Pioneer Women's Memorial Garden, a shady lawn on the edge of the Torrens River. You might consider strolling to this delightful spot, finding a chair and tuning in to the creative storytelling and stimulating philosophical discussions by writers in a wide range of genres. It is also worth visiting the Art Gallery of South Australia, which has one of Australia’s great art collections, and which also presents special exhibitions during the festival.
This evening, we attend our second performance at the Adelaide Festival.
OPERA PERFORMANCE - FESTIVAL THEATRE, 6:00pm
Kaija Saariaho Innocence
Clément Mao-Takacs conductor
Simon Stone director
Innocence comes to Adelaide Festival for its highly anticipated Australian Premiere following sell-out seasons at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Finnish National Opera, London’s Royal Opera House, Dutch National Opera and San Francisco Opera, and directly before its New York debut at the Metropolitan Opera. Acclaimed as a ‘masterpiece’ by the New York Times, Innocence draws us into the complex emotional journey shared by a community of students, teachers and families recovering from an inconceivable tragedy. Loyalties are tested and ghosts confronted in a powerful and enthralling story of innocence and guilt, destruction and salvation.
DAY 3 | THURSDAY 6 MARCH 2025
3RD OF 5 NIGHTS AT THE PLAYFORD, MGALLERY, ADELAIDE
ADELAIDE FESTIVAL:
In the morning Graham Abbott will give a talk about Jenny Carlstedt’s solo vocal recital, which we will attend today.
VOCAL RECITAL - ELDER HALL, UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE, 12:30pm
Daylight Express: From the Bliss of Song and Lyre
Jenny Carlstedt mezzo-soprano
Michael Ierace piano
This recital leads us into a world of ancient gods and myths, bringing to life the connection of nature and song. Finnish mezzo-soprano Jenny Carlstedt, who is in Adelaide for Innocence, weaves a journey through the centuries. This is a rare chance to hear Carlstedt in an intimate setting, accompanied by Michael Ierace on piano, performing the music closest to her heart.
The late afternoon and evening are free. However, guests might like to join us for the following optional Adelaide Festival performance:
OPTIONAL PERFORMANCE: MUSIC THEATRE - ELDER HALL, UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE, 8:00pm
Dorcy Rugamba Hewa Rwanda - Letter to the absent
Thirty years after the genocide in Rwanda, actor, author and director Dorcy Rugamba brings to life his work Hewa Rwanda – Letter to the absent, a profoundly moving tale of his family, culture and spirituality. In tandem with Senegalese multi-instrumentalist and singer Majnun, Rugamba presents a musical reading from this memoir.
DAY 4 | FRIDAY 7 MARCH 2025
4TH OF 5 NIGHTS AT THE PLAYFORD, MGALLERY, ADELAIDE
ADELAIDE FESTIVAL:
Today will start with an exclusive private In-Conversation with Adelaide Festival Artistic Director, Brett Sheehy AO hosted by Graham Abbott.
You might like to then join us for the following optional performance:
OPTIONAL PERFORMANCE: MUSIC LECTURE - ELDER HALL, UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE, 12:30pm
Daylight Express: Robert Dessaix: Music in my Life and Work
Anna Goldsworthy piano and host
Robert Dessaix author
Robert Dessaix is one of Australia’s most intriguing authors, with an abiding love of music. Professor Anna Goldsworthy is a concert pianist, author and Director of the University of Adelaide’s Elder Conservatorium. Together they will explore the place of music in Dessaix’s life and work, interspersed with performances by Goldsworthy of works close to Dessaix’s heart and inspired by the conversation.
The late afternoon is free. In the evening we come together for dinner, followed by our fifth performance at the Adelaide Festival.
THEATRE PERFORMANCE - DUNSTAN PLAYHOUSE, ADELAIDE FESTIVAL CENTRE, 7:30pm
Samuel Beckett Krapp's Last Tape
Stephen Rea
Vicky Featherstone director
Stephen Rea (The Crying Game, V for Vendetta, The Honourable Woman) stars in one of Samuel Beckett’s greatest dramatic achievements, Krapp’s Last Tape, a theatrical masterpiece that resonates with audiences across generations. The work’s introspective narrative and sharp wit offer a compelling reflection on our own journeys of self-discovery and the inevitable march of time.
DAY 5 | SATURDAY 8 MARCH 2025
5TH OF 5 NIGHTS AT THE PLAYFORD, MGALLERY, ADELAIDE
ADELAIDE FESTIVAL:
This morning we have our final talk with Graham Abbott.
In the afternoon we travel to UKARIA Cultural Centre, perched on the hillside of the Ngeringa property in the picturesque Adelaide Hills and with sweeping views to the Mount Barker summit. We enjoy two performances as part of this year’s Horizons series, curated by David Harrington, founding violinist with the Kronos Quartet.
CONCERT PERFORMANCE - UKARIA CULTURAL CENTRE, 2:30pm
Horizons: Continents
Dale Barltrop violin (Australian String Quartet)
Francesca Hiew violin (Australian String Quartet)
Christopher Cartlidge viola (Australian String Quartet)
Michael Dahlenburg cello (Australian String Quartet)
Shane Chen violin (Affinity Quartet)
Nicholas Waters violin (Affinity Quartet)
Isabella Bignasca viola (Affinity Quartet)
Mee Na Lojewski cello (Affinity Quartet)
Lassana Diabaté balafon
Garth Knox viola, viola d’amore
Peter Sculthorpe String Quartet No. 11 Jabiru Dreaming
Garth Knox Satellites
J.S. Bach (arr. string quartet) Goldberg Variations BWV988 (selections with responses by Lassana Diabaté)
Lassana Diabaté Sunjata’s Time (selections)
Following the first concert, there is time to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and gardens of this wonderful venue in the Adelaide Hills.
CONCERT PERFORMANCE - UKARIA CULTURAL CENTRE, 5:00pm
Horizons: Trio Da Kali
Hawa Kassé Mady Diabaté voice (Trio Da Kali)
Fodé Lassana Diabaté balafon (Trio Da Kali)
Mamadou Kouyaté bass ngoni (Trio Da Kali)
Dale Barltrop violin (Australian String Quartet)
Francesca Hiew violin (Australian String Quartet)
Christopher Cartlidge viola (Australian String Quartet)
Michael Dahlenburg cello (Australian String Quartet)
A celebration with Trio Da Kali and the Australian String Quartet.
We then return to Adelaide to enjoy a farewell dinner to celebrate our time together at the festival.
DAY 6 | SUNDAY 9 MARCH 2025
TOUR ENDS:
Following our final breakfast at the hotel, the tour concludes.
Inclusions | Adelaide Festival
Inclusions
Inclusions | Adelaide Festival
Inclusions
INCLUSIONS
4–9 MARCH 2025 (6 DAYS)
AUD$4,950 PER PERSON TWIN SHARE
Single supplement: AUD$750
Deposit payment 1: Deposit AUD$1,500 per person (due at time of booking)
Deposit payment 2: Deposit AUD$1,500 per person (due on 4 November 2024)
Final payment due: 6 January 2025
INCLUSIONS:
Performances: Premium tickets or general admission for six performances at the internationally renowned Adelaide Festival.
Tour Leader: Tour Leadership and private talks about the music, by music educator and conductor, Graham Abbott.
Tour Manager: An experienced Tour Manager to accompany the group throughout the tour.
Hotel: Five nights' accommodation at the centrally located 5-star The Playford MGallery By Sofitel in a Deluxe King Room. Porterage of one piece of luggage at the hotel.
Travel: Land travel by private air-conditioned coach to and from our visit to UKARIA. Short journeys between the hotel and performance venues will be by foot.
Meals/Drinks: Breakfast each morning at the hotel. Three dinners with wine, water and tea/coffee.
Tips: Tips for drivers, local guides and meals included in your itinerary.
Information Pack: Comprehensive pre-tour information pack.
EXCLUSIONS:
International/Domestic Travel: Hayllar Music Tours can provide you with a quote. Phone 02 9669 9181 / +61 2 9669 9181 (Australia / International) or email contact@hayllarmusictours.com
Airport Transfers: Transfers to/from airports and hotels at the beginning and end of the tour.
Travel Insurance: Please note that travel insurance is recommended for tours within Australia. Hayllar Music Tours can organise your travel insurance for you. Phone 02 9669 9181 / +61 2 9669 9181 (Australia / International) or email contact@hayllarmusictours.com
Meals: Lunches and dinners not nominated in your itinerary.
Personal Expenses: Personal expenses such as laundry, phone calls and mini-bar.
Activities in Free Time: Costs associated with any activities suggested for you in your free time.
SMALL GROUP SIZE
The tour will operate with 8 people. The maximum number on the tour will be 20 people.
FITNESS LEVEL REQUIRED - LEVEL 1
All members of the group must feel comfortable walking for 1–2 hours, standing for long periods of time in museums, art galleries etc. and embarking/disembarking coaches.
BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS
Please note that booking terms and conditions apply. Click here for the booking terms and conditions.
Booking | Adelaide Festival
Booking
Booking | Adelaide Festival
Booking
Adelaide Festival
sold out | waitlist only
This tour is now sold out. To register your place on the waitlist, please fill out the form below, or contact us on 02 9669 9181 / +61 2 9669 9181 (Australia / International) or contact@hayllarmusictours.com