Incantato Tours wishes Safe Travels!

Benvenuti in Italia! 

The Phoenix Girls Chorus under the direction of Ms. Danya Tiller is going to leave Phoenix, AZ at 7:40 pm today for their overnight flight to Europe. As of now, their flight is on time and is estimated to depart Phoenix as scheduled.
Incantato Tours Italia tour manager Stefania LaRosa is going to welcome the travelers in the eternal city of Rome. They will spend their first night away from home at the 4-star Villa Irlanda Hotel in Gaeta.

More pictures and updates about the choir and its 2014 Italy Performance Tour can be found on their blog, but also on our Facebook page.

Heidelberg: A Jewel of Germany and the finale tour stop for Cantabile

Heidelberg, a city in the state Baden-Württemberg, is a jewel of Germany with its Baroque style charm and the historical cityscape. The charm of the narrow streets picturesque houses, and the world-famous Schloss Castle bring you back into time. This internationally and culturally diverse city is now home to about 30,000 of the United States Armed Forces who inhabit on the southern end of the city. Home to the oldest and one of the largest of Germany's academic institutions, the city has also attracted numerous artists, intellectuals and academics from all over Europe. Once in the Altstadt, the historical city center, walk along the Hauptstrasse, the main street, that leads to the Bismarckplatz, which is reputedly the longest pedestrian shopping streets in Germany and is approximately one mile in length. For the best view of the old downtown visit the castle, Heidelberg's landmark. Situated 80 meters, or 260 feet, up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside lies the regal residence in the inner courtyard. In the summer it is the site of open air musicals, operas, theater performances, and classical concerts for the Heidelberg Castle Festival.

Country: Germany

State: Baden-Württemberg

Population: 147,312 (Dec. 31, 2010)

Lots to see in beautiful Salzburg for PGC: Nonnberg Abbey

The Benedictine monastery Nonnberg Abbey, located in Salzburg, Austria, is the oldest women’s religious house in the German-speaking world. Founded in 714 by Saint Rupert of Salzburg, the abbey was built with a generous endowment provided by Theodebert, Duke of Bavaria, and augmented by Emperor Henry II.

The abbey originally stood independent of the founding house but was rebuilt in the year 1000. Unfortunately, the building was largely destroyed in a fire in 1423; reconstruction spanned from 1464 to 1509. The church was enlarged with the addition of three side chapels in 1624. In the 1880s, the structure was completely refurbished in the Baroque style.

The abbey was recently selected as main motif for the Austrian Nonnberg Abbey commemorative coin minted in April of 2006. It was the first coin of the series “Great Abbeys of Austria.” It shows the Nonnberg Abbey convent with the castle of Hohensalzburg and the Kajetaner church perched atop a hill in the background.

The abbey acquired international fame through the life of Maria Augusta Kutschera, who later became Maria Augusta von Trapp, a teacher at the abbey following World War I, and whose story became the basis for the film The Sound of Music. 

Photo courtesy of the Nonnberg Abbey website. 

Phoenix Girls Chorus concert in Duernstein was "wunderbar"

"Cantabile" from PGC surely took the audience in the charming town of Duernstein by storm on Monday morning. Prior to exploring this quaint village situated on the banks of the Danube where Richard the Lionhart once has been imprisoned, the choir presented a concert at the beautiful Stiftskirche on Monday, June 18, 2012 at 11 am. And the singers under the direction of Ms. Danya Tiller surely enchanted the audience. With students from the nearby elementary school and many other locals, almost all benches were filled. "Our posters were everywhere", commented one of the girls. "The guests didn't want to let the girls leave", reported Incantato Jr. Tour Manager Crista Hartenstein.

Find out some interesting facts about this historic village: in 1372, at the place of today's monastery, a chapel was founded. Dürnstein Monastery was established in 1410  and from 1710 rebuilt in a Baroque style according to plans by architects Joseph Munggenast, Jakob Prandtauer and Matthias Steinl. The monastery was dissolved by order of Emperor Joseph II in 1788 and fell to the Herzogenburg Priory. During the War of the Third Coalition the Battle of Dürenstein was fought nearby on November 11, 1805. The town of Dürnstein is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the Wachau region and also a well-known wine growing area. While strolling through the narrow streets you will be able to taste homemade recipes made of "Marillen" which the Wachau is also very famous for. "Marillen" is how they call a special sort of apricots. The municipality consists of the Katastralgemeinden Dürnstein, Oberloiben and Unterloiben. The town gained its name from the medieval castle which overlooked it. The castle was called "Duerrstein" or "Dürrstein", from the German duerr/dürr meaning "dry" and Stein,"stone". The castle was dry because it was situated on a rocky hill, high above the damp conditions of the Danube at the base of the hill, and it was built of stone. Dürnstein was first mentioned in 1192, when, in the castle above the town, King Richard I Lionheart of England was held captive by Duke Leopold V of Austria after their dispute during the Third Crusade. Richard had personally offended Leopold by casting down his standard from the walls at the Battle of Acre, and the duke suspected that King Richard ordered the murder of his cousin Conrad of Montferrat in Jerusalem. In consequence Pope Celestine III excommunicated Leopold for capturing a fellow crusader. The duke finally gave the custody of Richard to Emperor Henry VI, who imprisoned Richard at Trifels Castle. Dürnstein Castle was almost completely destroyed by the troops of the Swedish Empire under Field Marshal Lennart Torstenson in 1645.

Eat as the Locals Do - Austria

Traditional Austrian cuisine is composed of influences from throughout the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. Nearby regions, such as Italy, Hungary, Germany, and the Balkans, have also had an effect on Austrian cooking.

WIENER SCHNITZEL is a breaded veal cutlet. It is dipped in flour, egg, and bread crumbs, then fried in butter or oil to a golden brown.

GULASCH is a stew, similar to Hungarian “pörkölt”, of meat and vegetables. Austrian goulasch is often eaten with rolls, bread or dumplings.

BOSNA, sometimes called Bosner, is a spicy Austrian fast food dish. Similar to a hot dog, it consists of a Bratwurst sausage, onions, and a blend of ketchup, mustard, and curry powder. It is made with white bread, which is usually grilled before serving.

KAISERSCHMARRN is a light, caramelized pancake made from a sweet batter with flour, eggs, sugar, salt, and milk, which is baked in butter. The pancake gets split into pieces while frying, shredded after preparation, and is usually sprinkled with powder sugar. It is served hot with an apple or plum sauce, or various fruit compotes.

SACHERTORTE is a chocolate cake that was invented by Franz Sacher in 1832 for Klemens Wenzel von Metternich in Vienna.

ALMDUDLER is the brand name of a popular Austrian soft drink. It is a sweetened carbonated beverage made of grape and apple juice concentrates and flavored with herbs. The flavor is similar to ginger ale.

A Highlight of Vienna - Stephansdom

Stephansdom, located in the heart of Vienna, Austria, is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna. The current Romanesque and Gothic structure is on the ruins of two earlier churches and was consecrated in 1147. The cathedral is the most important religious building in the capital and, with the diamond shaped, multi-colored tile roof, is one of the city’s most recognizable symbols. Since 1683 it has housed the Pummerin bell, which is one of the largest bells in the world. The cathedral has held some of the nation’s most important events, such as Mozart's wedding in 1782 and his funeral in December 1791.

Vienna (Wien) - Austria's Capital City

Did You Know?
Vienna, locally known as Wien, is the capital of Austria and the cultural, economic, and political center. More than 25% of Austria’s population (approximately 1.7 million people) call this metropolitan city home. As the largest city in Austria, and the 10th largest city by population in the European Union, Vienna is host to some major international organizations, such as the United Nations and OPEC. In 2005, the Economist Intelligence United ranked this city first for the quality of life (tied with Vancouver, Canada). The Monocle, a popular opinion-based journalistic magazine, rated the city 8th among the “Top 25 Livable Cities” in 2010.

In the Air
The Vienna International Airport (VIE) is located just outside the city limits. It is the home base of the flag-carrier Austrian Airlines and Niki, a budget airline. Flights can easily be found, as most European airlines and a significant number of intercontinental airlines have direct connections to Vienna.

Get Around
Vienna has an amazing public transport system, which includes rail, commuter rail, underground, trams, and buses. The U-Bahn, an underground subway, is the most common way of getting around the city. If staying within the city proper, then the Kernzone 100 can take you most everywhere you are likely to visit by any form of transportation listed above. If staying for more than a day, then the 24, 48, or 72-hour ticket might be more cost effective. Be sure to validate your ticket with a stamp that notes the time and date, or else there may be a fee for traveling without a proper ticket.

Art and Culture
Vienna has a long tradition of art and culture, whether it be theater, opera, classical music, or fine arts. The Burgtheater, the creation of the Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa of Austria who wanted a theater next to her palace, is considered one of the best theaters in the German-speaking world. Then there is the Vienna Philharmonic, an orchestra in Austria that is considered one of the finest in the world, and the Konzerthaus, a beautiful performance house with an emphasis in traditional and innovative music styles. This city is home to so many historical and inspirational venues, that the list could go on and on.