Festival Orford 2009 July 10 - 12, 2009

An exciting, enlightening tour arranged for Friends of the National Arts Centre Orchestra

Your Executive Worldwide Travel Tour Itinerary
	Located in the heart of Mount Orford Provincial Park, at the foot of the mountain, the Orford Arts Centre provides a space where nature and culture come together in a symbiotic relationship so necessary to fostering artistic development. In conjunction with the Academy, the Orford Summer Festival, with its incomparable musical performances, is recognized as one of Quebec’s major cultural events. On this tour, we'll enjoy two of those superb performances as well as visits to a number of interesting destinations in the area.

	Friday, July 10 – Early morning departure for Orford by deluxe motorcoach from Perkins Restaurant, 1130 St. Laurent East. (near the Queensway) Coffee stop at Hudson, Quebec. Lunch on your own in the lovely city of Magog, on the shores of Lake Memphremagog in the Eastern Townships. After lunch, continue on to Sherbrooke, for a guided tour of Basilique-Cathédrale Saint-Michel. The painted decor in the archdiocese's chapel includes some of the most important works by painter Ozias Leduc. Located inside a building that has the outward appearances of a chateau, the chapel was inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle de Paris. Four paintings illustrate the theme of Mary, co-redeemer. Stained-glass windows depict the mysteries of the rosary and certain verses from the litanies of Lorette. Continue to Musée des Beaux-Arts de Sherbrooke for a guided tour. Founded in 1982, the Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke art gallery is in the historic 19th-century home of the Eastern Townships Bank in downtown Sherbrooke. Its goal is to promote the fine arts and to display both works of universal value and local flavour. It focuses on the works of artists of the Eastern Townships, but also exhibits great works from elsewhere. Check in at Hotel Chéribourg in Orford. Tucked away along the banks of the Cherry River in Mount Orford Park near Magog, Chéribourg, which features renowned gourmet cuisine, is a luxury resort, convention center and health center in the heart of a 200-acre estate. Depart Hotel Chéribourg for Orford Arts Centre, where we will enjoy dinner followed by a performance by the Juilliard String Quartet, internationally renowned and admired for performances characterized by a clarity of structure, beauty of sound, purity of line and an extraordinary unanimity of purpose. Celebrated for its performances of works by composers as diverse as Beethoven, Schubert, Bartók, and Elliott Carter, it has long been recognized as the quintessential American string quartet. Return to hotel following performance. D

		Saturday, July 11 - Breakfast at the hotel with some free time to enjoy this lovely resort. Mid-morning departure for Vignoble Le Cep d’Argent, the most northern winery of the Eastern Townships, located on the sloping hills between Magog and Sherbrooke. The Seyval Blanc, a hybrid well suited for the Canadian cool climate and providing high quality grapes, is the starting point of le Cep d'Argent. In 1986, 10,000 vine plants of this hybrid were planted. Twenty years later, the winery has 60,000 vine plants from six different type of grapes as the winery continues to expand. Winery tour followed by lunch. Remainder of the afternoon free and dinner on your own before transferring to the Orford Arts Centre for the evening performance by soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian, who burst onto the international opera scene after winning first prize in the 2000 Operalia competition founded by Plácido Domingo. Since then she has performed in many of the world's major opera houses and concert halls. She is admired as much for her stunning stage presence as for her exceptional musicality. Return to hotel following performance. BL

Sunday, July 12 – Breakfast at the hotel, check-out and depart for an optional visit to Abbaye de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac. Although Saint-Benoît-du-Lac dates only from 1912, the serenity of the site is timeless. Some 50 monks live here largely in silence, keeping the art of Gregorian chant alive in their liturgy. The Benedictine monks of the Saint-Benoît-du-Lac opened a cheese factory in 1943 to produce blue l’Ermite cheese for sale to the public. Since then, the cheese-factory’s output has increased to include 14 varieties of fine cheese which are sold in the monastery’s store alongside products from the monastery’s apple orchard, cider mill and farm. Free time to visit the gift shop before the 11:00 a.m. Mass sung in Gregorian Chant. Following the Mass, return to Orford for lunch on your own before the bus departs for Ottawa. Approximate arrival in Ottawa is 6:30 p.m. B For more details on this tour or to request a brochure, please feel free to contact us at 613-236-5555 or email Jean Sheikh at jsheikh@executive-trvl.com.

	Coordinator: Louise Rickenbacker Travel Agency: Executive Worldwide Travel Agent: Jean Sheikh, C.T.C. (613) 236-5555 Or 1-800-267-5552 Registration No.: 1892605
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