Incantato proudly presents: The Cornelia Connelly Concert Marketing Card - England & Ireland Performance Tour 2010

Quire of Voyces performs at the Pantheon in Rome on June 17 at 5 pm

This is the first performance venue for the Quire of Voyces: The Pantheon in Rome. On June 17, at 5 pm they will have a recital in the ancient building.
The Pantheon was built by Marcus Agrippa as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, and rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in about 126 AD. A near-contemporary writer, Cassius Dio, speculates that the name comes from the statues of many gods placed around the building, or from the resemblance of the dome to the heavens. Since the French Revolution, when the church of Sainte-Geneviève, Paris, was deconsecrated and turned into a secular monument, the Panthéon, the generic term pantheon may be applied to any building in which illustrious dead are honored or buried. The building is circular with a portico of three ranks of huge granite Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a pediment opening into the rotunda, under a coffered, concrete dome, with a central opening (oculus) to the sky. Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. A rectangular structure links the portico with the rotunda. It is one of the best preserved of all Roman buildings. It has been in continuous use throughout its history, and since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to "St. Mary and the Martyrs" but informally known as "Santa Maria Rotonda”.

Countdown for the Carolina International Chorale & String Ensemble 2010 Performance Tour to Central Europe

The Carolina International Chorale & String Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Sue Klausmeyer are heading to Central Europe on June 23. Below is their concert card - Incantato takes great pride in providing the fine ensembles touring with us to Europe with excellent marketing.

Countdown for the Washington Women's Chorus Performance Tour 2010 to Ireland

The Washington Women's Chorus under the direction of Donald P. Richardson is heading to Ireland on June 20 and will be presenting concerts at Kylemore Abbey, Killarney, Cork and Dublin. Below is their concert card which is distributed throughout Ireland. Incantato takes great pride in providing the fine ensembles touring with us to Europe with excellent marketing.

Bob Cole Conservatory Choir presents Mendellsohn-Bartholdy set at Gedäch...

Bob Cole Conservatory Choir Berlin Concert: Elijah rocks!

Bob Cole Consevatory Choir sings at the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche: Sanctus

Finale highlight concert: The Bob Cole Conservatory Choir performs at the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche in Berlin on June 9 at 7.30 pm

After exciting days in the Czech Republic, the Bob Cole Conservatory Choir arrived in the German capital. At the famous Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche the final tour concert will take place on June 9 at 7.30 pm.

The Protestant Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (in German: Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche) is located on the Kurfürstendamm in the center of the Breitscheidplatz. The original church on the site was built in the 1890s. It was badly damaged in a bombing raid in 1943. The present building, which consists of a church with an attached foyer and a separate belfry with an attached chapel, was built between 1959 and 1963. The damaged spire of the old church has been retained and its ground floor has been made into a memorial hall.
The foundation stone for the old church was laid on March 22, 1891. The competition for the design was won by Franz Schwechten who planned for a large church to be built in neo-romanesque style, including 2,740 square meters of wall mosaic. The spire was 113 meters (370' and 8.81") in stature and the nave seated over 2,000 people. The church was consecrated on September 1, 1895. By this time of the consecration the entrance hall in the lower section had not been completed. This was opened and consecrated on February 22, 1906. In the Second World War, on the night of November 23, 1943, the church was irreparably damaged in an air raid. The church was largely destroyed but part of the spire and much of the entrance hall survived. The entrance hall in the base of the damaged spire was reopened to visitors, having been consecrated on 7 January 1987.
Its floor contains a mosaic of the Archangel Michael fighting the dragon. The vault shows a procession of Hohenzollern princes, early and more recent. Other mosaics show important monarchs in medieval Germany, Reformation thinkers and Reformation princes. Bas-relief sculptures illustrate scenes from biblical stories, scenes from the life of Kaiser Wilhelm I and symbolic figures representing war and peace. In the north apse are 16 display panels which tell the story of the old church and its destruction. At the opposite end of the hall are three items which symbolize the history of the church. In the middle is a damaged statue of Christ which originally stood on the altar of the old church. To its right is the Cross of Nails which was made from nails in the roof timbers of Coventry Cathedral. This cathedral had been severely damaged in a German air raid on 14 November 1940. To the left of the statue of Christ is an icon cross which was given by the Russian Orthodox Church and handed over in 1988. Outside the hall are four sandstone figures made by Stefan Kaehne.

The pictures are from the official website of the church.

Bob Cole Consevatory Choir presents Recital at Frauenkirche in Dresden on June 8 at 5:30 pm

The Bob Cole Conservatory Choir under the direction of Dr. Jonathan Talberg was granted permission to present a special recital at the famous Frauenkirche in Dresden, Germany on June 8 at 5:30 pm during their 2010 Incantato Performance Tour to Central Europe.
The Frauenkirche Dresden can look back on a 1000-year history. Already its predecessor churches were dedicated to the Mother of God and called Frauenkirche. In the 18th century, the famous dome structure by George Bähr was built and dominated Dresden’s cityscape for 200 years. The church was destroyed shortly before the end of World War II. Its ruin remained as a memorial at the heart of the city. For more information on the history and significance of this venue, please visit the official Frauenkirche website.

Renaissance Martinic Palace in Prague - CSULB highlight concert venue on Monday, June 7, at 7 pm

When you visit Prague Castle, look around at the Castle Square before the main entrance. There are several historical palaces, and the Martinic Palace is one of them – it is one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in Prague, built in the 16th century. And this is the performance venue for the Bob Cole Conservatory Choir tonight, 7 pm!
There used to be a residence of Ondrej Tefl of Kinsdorf at the place. He sold the house to Jiri Borita of Martinic in 1583. Second Prague defenestration The new owner started to rebuild and enlarge the palace, but the work was discontinued by dramatic events in 1618: the Czech Protestant noblemen rebelled against Emperor Matthias, who had violated their religious freedom. Noblemen came to the Prague Castle to the office of imperial vice-regents. Jaroslav Borita of Martinic, owner of the palace, was a vice-regent at the time. The angry noblemen threw the vice-regents and their clerk out of the window. This event is known as “the second Prague defenestration” and it started the Thirty Years´War. Suprisingly, the vice-regents were not injured, but they had to run away from the country for some time. The Martinic Palace was finished in early-Baroque style later. Replica of the Royal Palace The frontage is decorated with symbol of Martinic family – a water-lily and a star. The palace was built as a half-sized replica of the Royal Palace at the Prague Castle, because Count Martinic wanted a palace, symbolizing his political power. Renaissance decoration Martinic Palace is decorated with numerous figural sgraffitoes, depicting scenes from life of Joseph in Egypt, King David and Hercules. There are well preserved Renaissance beam ceilings inside the palace. The ceilings are painted with allegorical pictures and lots of sayings are written there. Many fresco paintings adorn the Martinic Palace, for example the above-lifesized figures of Adam and Eve, painted according to the artwork by A. Dürer. The Martinic family died out in 1788 and the new owner of the building let most of the rooms for rent. The palace was badly devastated at the beginning of the 20 th century: around 70 families lived there and various workrooms were made there as well. The palace was finally restored in 1960s.

Eating in Prague

Eating in Prague can be difficult. There are so many places to choose from with traditional Czech dishes, but the closer you get to the Old Town Square, the more expensive it can become (but at least the beer is pretty cheap!). Here are a couple of suggestions from Incantato Tours.

If you do not mind spending the money, I can suggest Restaurace U Supa, quite near the Old Town Square. It is just one of many traditional restaurants in the old town of Prague. It has a great outside cafe area right on the pedestrian street Celetna, and on a warm day, you can watch the people walk by and take in the old buildings around you. Here was the view from my table.


The menu offers a variety of food, with a large section of traditional Czech dishes, as well as pasta dishes and great appetizers for beer drinking :)

I ordered a Caprese Salad and a Pilsner Urquell (the main beer brewed in the Czech Republic - it is like Guinness to the Irish), and had quite a nice lunch, but be prepared to spend about $15-$25 per person.


Keep in mind that there are cheaper places to go for lunch, such as Paneria, where you can get many different kinds of baguettes, paninis, salads, etc. for a very good price. A meal will cost you about 150-200 Czech Crowns (less than $10).

Happy Eating!

-Tasha

Bob Cole Conservatory Choir the featured guest performer at Tyn Church in Prague at 9 pm on June 6

Another prime venue awaits the CSULB singers under the direction of Dr. Jonathan Talberg on the Bob Cole Conservatory Choir's 2010 Incantato Tour to Central Europe: The Tyn Church, a landmark of Prague and also the most popular church for the inhabitants of the Czech Capital city. The singers from Long Beach California were invited to sing during a special service on June 6 at 9 pm.
From Wikipedia: The Church of Our Lady before Týn (in Czech Kostel Matky Boží před Týnem, also Týnský chrám (Týn Church) or just Týn) is a dominant feature of the Old Town of Prague, Czech Republic, and has been the main church of this part of the city since the 14th century. The church's towers are 80 m high and topped by four small spires. In the 11th century, this area was occupied by a Romanesque church, which was replaced by an early Gothic Church of Our Lady in front of Týn in 1256. Construction of the present church began in the 14th century in the late Gothic style under the influence of Matthias of Arras and later Peter Parler. By the beginning of the 15th century, construction was almost complete; only the towers, the gable and roof were missing. The church was controlled by Hussites for some time, including John of Rokycan, future archbishop of Prague, who became the church's vicar in 1427.The roof was completed in the 1450s, while the gable and northern tower were completed shortly thereafter during the reign of George of Podebrady. His sculpture was placed on the gable, below a huge golden chalice, the symbol of the Hussites. The southern tower was not completed until 1511, under Matěj Rejsek. In 1626, after the Battle of White Mountain, the sculptures of George of Podebrady and the chalice were removed and replaced by a sculpture of the Virgin Mary, with a giant holy made from by melting down the chalice. In 1679 the church was struck by lightning, and the subsequent fire heavily damaged the old vault, which was later replaced by a lower baroque vault.Renovation works carried out in 1876-1895 were later reversed during extensive exterior renovation works in the years 1973-1995. Interior renovation is still in progress.For more info, please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Our_Lady_before_T%C3%BDn

Incantato Impressions: Prague

Incantato Impressions: Cesky Krumlov

Incantato Impressions: Melk Abbey

CSULB students visit magical Cesky Krumlov on June 5

Český Krumlov is a small city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, best known for the fine architecture and art of the historic old town and Český Krumlov Castle. Old Český Krumlov is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was given this status along with the historic Prague castle district. The city is named Český Krumlov ("Bohemian Krumlov") to differentiate it from Moravský Krumlov ("Moravian Krumlov") in the southeast of the country.
Construction of the town and castle began in the late 13th century at a ford in the Vltava River, which was important in trade routes in Bohemia. In 1302 the town and castle were owned by the House of Rosenberg. Emperor Rudolf II bought Krumlov in 1602 and gave it to his natural son Julius d’Austria. Emperor Ferdinand II gave Krumlov to the House of Eggenberg. From 1719 until 1945 the castle belonged to the House of Schwarzenberg. Most of the architecture of the old town and castle dates from the 14th through 17th centuries; the town's structures are mostly in Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles. The core of the old town is within a horseshoe bend of the river, with the old Latrán neighborhood and castle on the other side of the Vltava. The town was seat of Duchy of Krumlov. 8,662 inhabitants lived in Krumau an der Moldau in 1910, including 7,367 Germans and 1,295 Czechs. During the interwar era it was part of Czechoslovakia. Between 1938 and 1945 it was annexed by Nazi Germany as part of the so-called Sudetenland. The town's German-speaking population was expelled after liberation by the American Army during World War II and it was restored to Czechoslovakia. During the Communist era of Czechoslovakia, Krumlov fell into disrepair, but since the Velvet Revolution of 1989 much of the town's former beauty has been restored, and it is now a major holiday destination popular with tourists from Germany, Austria, and beyond. In August, 2002, the town suffered from damage in the great flood of the Vltava River.
Český Krumlov Castle is unusually large for a town of Krumlov's size; within the Czech Republic it is second in extent only to the Hradčany castle complex of Prague. Inside its grounds are a large garden, an extensive bridge over a deep gap in the rock upon which the castle is built and the castle itself, which in turn consist of many defined parts dating from different periods of time. Church of St. Vitus (Kostel Sv. Víta) is a Gothic church dating back to the 15th century with frescoes from the same period. Český Krumlov Castle preserves its Baroque theatre (completed 1766), complete with original stage machinery, scenery and props:, one of only a few such court theatres that still exist. Due to its age, the theatre is only used three times a year (only two are open to the public), when a Baroque opera is performed in simulated candlelight. The castle's last private owner was Adolph Schwarzenberg. It was here that he received President Edvard Beneš and gave him a large contribution for the defence of Czechoslovakia against the growing threat of Nazi Germany. His property was seized by the Gestapo in 1940 and then confiscated by the Czechoslovak government in 1945. Krumlov has a museum dedicated to the painter Egon Schiele, who lived in the town. Ten kilometers from Krumlov is one of Bohemia's oldest monasteries, Zlatá Koruna ("The Golden Crown"). About 30 km from Krumlov is the Hluboka Castle, established in the twelfth century and later remodelled in imitation of Windsor Castle. Krumlov is close to the Šumava National Park, the Czech Republic's largest national park. The Šumava mountains lie along the border with Austria and Germany and offer a range of natural habitats - peat bogs, Alpine meadows, old-growth forests, lakes, and rivers. The area is popular with walkers, cyclists, and canoeists on the Vltava. Cesky Krumlov is only a short distance from the man-made Lake Lipno, on which many people take boat trips to various small towns on the lake and also to the Dam, which is a Hydro-electic power plant. Český Krumlov is home to Pivovar Eggenberg brewery. It has also been used as filming locations for movies such as the 2006 films "The Illusionist" and "Hostel" as well as the 1970s German movie "Traumstadt".

Video Clip of The Bob Cole Conservatory Choir's Impromptu Performance in Melk

How good is your Slovak? The Bob Cole Conservatory Choir concert at St. Martin's Cathedral in the media

Koncert v Katedrále sv. Martina

V stredu, 2. júna 2010 o 17:00, sa v Katedrále svätého Martina uskutočnil koncert spevokolu z The Bob Cole Conservatory z Californie. Týmto koncertom odštartovali svoje turné po Európe. Za začiatok svojej koncertnej šnúry si zvolili práve Bratislavu.

V nasledujúcich dňoch navštívia so svojim repertoárom Rakúsko, Česko a zakončia koncertom v Berlíne. Toto teleso mladých študentov predviedlo v bratislavskej katedrále vysoko profesionálny výkon a priniesli naozaj hlboký duchovný a umelecký zážitok. Škoda len, že verejnosť bola slabo informovaná a na koncerte sa zúčastnilo iba zopár ľudí.

http://csulb-incantatotour.blogspot.com/2010/06/more-impressions-from-bob-cole.html

http://csulb-incantatotour.blogspot.com/2010/06/dinner-at-staroslovenska-krcma-in-old.html

http://csulb-incantatotour.blogspot.com/2010/06/flyin-lufhansa-and-lovin-bratislava.html

http://csulb-incantatotour.blogspot.com/2010/06/debut-concert-for-bob-cole-conservatory.html

Text a foto: Milan Cehlárik

More standing ovations for the Bob Cole Conservatory Choir in Austria

"I love this church", commented Dr. Jonathan Talberg on late Thursday night on the phone from beautiful Göttweig where the Bob Cole Conservatory Choir performed to a small yet very appreciative audience in the magnificent Stiftskirche - the perfect setting for Mendelssohn's "Heilig" sung in double choir from the altar area. Rainy weather and a national holiday brought only 32 listeners to the Benedictine Abbey, but they sure made some noise. Especially two older ladies who were so moved by the concert yet also extremely upset about the lack of a full house for the singers from Cal State Long Beach that they even yelled at one of the Father accusing him of not spreading the word about the event more: "Das war der beste Chor, der hier je gesungen hat und keiner wusste davon", one lady said: "This was the best choir we ever had here and nobody knew they were coming". No that nobody knew is hard to believe as a quick google search produced about 512 results for the concert listing and Incantato's concert management team had done their homework as well by sending out press releases to the media along with personal invites to local fans of choral music, but the national holiday on the Thursday is for many locals a reason to pack the whole family and go on a long weekend trip which combined with rainy weather and floods that keep the tourists away, can result in only a small crowd. "It didn't really matter so much", Talberg added. "The choir sounded amazing and we had a lot of fun." Last not least, the choir was asked for an encore and received two standing ovations - quite unusual for European audiences who are not known for showing such public displays of enthusiam, especially not in church. "It was a perfect day", their director concluded. After departing from Bratislava, the singers from CSULB had first stopped at Melk Abbey where they had been granted permission to sing a full set of sacred selections (another rare moment) and then continued on to Goettweig for a private reception, tour and rehearsal of the magnificent abbey perched high upon a hill that looks and feels like a fairy tale castle. And the best part of the day? Well, it sounded like the night ahead of them at the former boy school dormitory right next to the pink church where the group is staying for two nights. The only downside is that we will have to wait for actual pictures at least until tomorrow. While there is a gourmet restaurant just around the corner where they had dinner already and breakfast will be served for Dr. Talberg and his students, the Abbey does not offer wifi or any internet services. Auf Wiedersehen - Sandra for the CSULB gang in Göttweig, Austria!

A prime venue with perks: Next Cole Conservatory Choir Concert at the Benedictine Abbey of Goettweig on June 3 at 7:30 pm

The Benedictine Abbey situated on the Göttweig Mountain, is - because of its location - sometimes called the Austrian Montecassino. The Monastery founded in 1083 by Saint Altmann sits on a hill 449 m above sea level in the Dunkelsteiner Forest south oft the city of Krems, on the eastern edge of the world-famous Danube Valley called the Wachau. With the Wachau, Göttweig was in 2001 placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. And on Thursday, June 3, 2010, the Bob Cole Conservatory Choir will be performing in the prestigious Stiftskirche pictured below at 7:30 pm.

At first, Augustines worked here, to be followed in 1094 by Benedictine monks from the Monastery of St. Blasien in the Black Forest. The Benedictines have been living, learning and teaching on Göttweig Mountain for more than 900 years. The goal of their life is to glorify God in prayer and work according to the Rule of their Order’s founder, Saint Benedict, the Patron Saint of Europe. Currently 54 monks belong to the monastic community. More than 30 of them give pastoral care to parishioners and pilgrims in the Dioceses of Vienna and St. Pölten.Forestry and viticulture have been the economic basis of the Monastery since it was founded - today completed by various touristic and economic efforts.
Incantato is very proud to co-organize concerts in the Benedictine Abbey’s magnificent Stiftskirche. For more information, visit the official website Benediktiner Stift Goettweig
The Bob Cole Conservatory Touring Choir has the unique opportunity to stay overnight in the former boys school dormitory, now a guest house for youth. While the website is only in German, the pictures will give you a pretty good idea about the place and I can only tell you from various experiences how magical it is too stay there as you feel like living in a castle (okay, not the fancy part of it, but still).
Auf Wiedersehen in Austria. Eintritt ist frei

Bob Cole Conservatory Choir off to a great tour start with first concert in Bratislava - standing ovation from the Archbishop

The Bob Cole Conservatory Choir from California State University Long Beach began their 2010 Central European Incantato Performance Tour with an afternoon concert at St. Martin's Cathedral in Bratislava, the most important cathedral in Slovakia. The choir under the direction of Dr. Jonathan Talberg was well received by audience which included the Archbishop, who even gave the singers a standing ovation (picture!)

Another Great Restaurant in Bratislava: Staroslovenska Krcma

Incantato found yet another great spot to have an affordable meal with local delicacies in old-town Bratislava. It is a very eclectic restaurant called Staroslovenska Krcma. It has many different rooms with random decor, which contribute to this restaurant's truly unique atmosphere. Besides its obvious charm, the food is delicious, and again, very well priced. The staff is also very friendly. The menu is extensive, and it includes many local dishes. The portions are large as well, so make sure you bring your appetite!

The Bob Cole Conservatory Choir kicks of 2010 Central European Performance Tour at St. Martin's Cathedral in Bratislava on June 2 at 5 pm

The Bob Cole Conservatory Choir's debut concert on their 2010 Tour to Central Europe with Incantato Tours will be featured at St. Martin's Cathedral in Bratislava on June 2nd at 5 pm.




Once a part of the city's fortifications, St. Martin's is an intriguing and fascinating building with a turbulent history, and is a must-see while in Bratislava. St. Martin's dates all the way back to the beginning of the 14th century, and it is the largest and finest, as well as one of the oldest churches in Bratislava. Long before the construction of St. Martin's began, this site was the former town center, and included a market and probably also a chapel.