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Extra features:
- See a slide show of the new Oslo Opera House
- Read an article including a video clip of Dan Dressen talking about "Singing Correctly in Norwegian."
Program leader: Dan Dressen, associate dean of fine arts and professor of music
Mention Norway and people think of Vikings, lefse, Nobel Peace Prize, Midnight Sun, fjords — but the arts? Not too often. Everyone knows Edvard Munch, Ole Bull and Edvard Grieg, but those names are giants of yesteryear. What people don’t realize is that Norway is quietly but deliberately becoming a center for the arts. Dan Dressen features two examples in this Study Travel program: the Bergen International Festival and the new Oslo Opera House.
Founded in 1953, the Bergen International Festival is the biggest music and theater festival in the Nordic countries and the oldest festival in Norway. The primary goal of the festival is to present art of the highest quality to as many people as possible. It also aims to be the most important meeting place for artists from the Nordic countries and the Baltic. Thousands of visitors annually attend 160 indoor and outdoor events over the festival’s fourteen days.
The Oslo Opera House, home to the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, offers the largest stage for music, theater and dance in Norway. Rivaling Sydney’s Opera House, Oslo’s new edifice has been described as “an amazing marble and granite vision that rises out of the fjord like a giant ice floe.” Indeed, its bold design submerges part of the building forty feet into the Oslo Fjord, while its roof lines swoop to suggest ski slopes. This unique building, possessing several theaters and stunning acoustics, opened its doors in April 2008.
Performances and events in Bergen and Oslo are the focus of the program. Seminars led by Dan Dressen and Norwegian guest speakers will help you appreciate the exciting venues and performances you will enjoy during four nights in Bergen and four nights in Oslo. In all, you will attend approximately five arts performances and visit such places as the homes of Edvard Grieg and Ole Bull, the Grieg Academy and the National Gallery. Join us for this exceptional opportunity!
Program Leader
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Professor of Music Dan Dressen is an active tenor and can be heard on recordings of Aaron Copland’s “The Tender Land” and Benjamin Britten’s “Paul Bunyan” and “Company of Heaven.” His career has included performances with the Washington Opera, Minnesota Opera, Cleveland Lyric Opera, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, VocalEssence (formerly Plymouth Music Series of Minnesota) and several appearances at the Aldeburgh Festival in England. He is editor of a seven-part anthology series of opera arias by Benjamin Britten and creator of a Nordic art song resource at St. Olaf. Dan has led two music-focused Study Travel programs in Great Britain and Scandinavia in recent years. |
What to Expect
Most days start with breakfast and a seminar/discussion at the hotel, followed by a visit to a related cultural site. Most afternoons will be free so that you can explore on your own or relax before an evening performance. We will schedule nightly performances (schedules permitting) in both Oslo and Bergen. This schedule can be vigorous, depending on how you use your free time.
Accommodations in both cities are at first-rate, full-service, centrally-located hotels. In Bergen we’ll be at the Strand Hotel, thoroughly upgraded a few years ago. Bedrooms are comfortable and come equipped with mini-bar and internet access. All bathrooms have a shower or a tub/shower combination. Complimentary waffles are served every afternoon from 4 to 6 pm.
In Oslo we’ll stay at First Hotel Millennium. Standard rooms offer wireless Internet access, mini-bar, tea/coffee making facilities and trouser press. The hotel also offers room service, laundry service, currency exchange and dry-cleaning services.
European cities — Bergen and Oslo included — are best experienced on foot. Be prepared for lots of walking! We will walk or take public transportation to and from guided tours and evening performances, restaurants and other sites around town. We might need to walk several blocks to the bus stop, and several blocks from the bus stop to the various sites. Some of the venues may require walking up and down narrow stairs. Comfortable shoes trump the latest fashion! We will provide precise timing and addresses in the final itinerary so that you may take taxis (at your own expense) if you prefer.
Airport transfers will be made by private coach. We will take the train from Bergen to Oslo. You will need to manage your own luggage through airports, in the train station and on the train.
You should be capable of walking up to five miles per day over possibly uneven terrain (e.g. cobblestones or sidewalks in disrepair), climbing stairs that may not have handrails, keeping pace with an active group of travelers, dealing with the emotional highs and lows that can occur when experiencing a different culture, and being a considerate member of a group (prompt, courteous and flexible).
June average temperatures range from highs in the mid-60s Fahrenheit to lows around 50. Rainfall in June averages three to four inches, so a collapsible umbrella might come in handy.
Program Fee — Register by February 1, 2010 and save $150
The program fee is $3,950 per person through Feb. 1, 2010. After Feb. 1, 2010, the program fee is $4,100 per person and could be subject to additional airfare. Based on double occupancy, the program fee includes:- Seminars by Dan Dressen and guest speakers
- Roundtrip airfare from Minneapolis/St. Paul
- Ground transportation
- Accommodations
- Breakfast daily and several other group meals
- Group tours, admissions for performances and other group activities
- Gratuities
For single occupancy, add $685. To travel “land only” (making your own arrangements to Bergen and from Oslo), subtract $1,400. Payment schedule
Continuing Education Units
Approximately 24 hours of continuing education are available.
Register
Register online, call toll-free 866-255-6523 or fax 507-786-8232. A deposit of $500 per person guarantees your space.
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