Opera Extravaganza: The Santa Fe Opera Festival Season

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Program Registration, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.: After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. Orientation, 5:00 p.m.: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Transportation for program-related activities will be via motorcoach unless specified otherwise. If you need a particular seat location, please note this in your PIP no later than three weeks before the program. It is recommended to book meals on your own in advance. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Participants will be assigned to one of two groups. If you are traveling with someone and wish to be grouped with them, please be sure to identify each other on your participant information form. You will not be able to change groups after arriving at the program.

Dinner: We will enjoy a buffet meal at 6:30 p.m. in the hotel meeting room; selections usually include a choice of main course and coffee, tea, water.

Evening: At leisure. Take the rest of the evening to continue getting to know your fellow participants, relax, and get a good night’s sleep for the full day ahead.

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; traveling approximately 15 miles for 1/2 hour driving to/from the opera house; walking up to a mile including several hundred feet to/from opera house; negotiating stairs to/from seats at the opera; varied terrain. Please note that the exploration of the Plaza area involves walking several blocks over paved, often uneven terrain with inclines. If you are unable to walk, you'll need to arrange for your own transportation via Uber, Lyft or pedi-cab.

Breakfast: The hotel's breakfast buffet includes choices such as scrambled eggs, sausage, Belgian waffles, biscuits and gravy, fresh fruit, bagels, pastries, juices, hot and cold cereals, toast, juice, milk, coffee, tea, water.

Morning: At 9:30 a.m., we'll be joined by our expert instructor in the hotel meeting room who will lead a discussion about tonight's opera.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we will enjoy a choice of main course, coffee, tea, soft drinks, water; additional beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Our Group Leader will lead us on an exploration of Santa Fe's Plaza area, the historic heart of the city. We'll visit the impressive Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, the lovely Loretto Chapel with its intriguing spiral staircase, and other sites as time permits. We'll return to the hotel with time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

Dinner: Hotel buffet.

Evening: As we will before each performance, we'll board our motorcoach and depart from the hotel at 7:15 p.m. for tonight's performance of "The Magic Flute." We expect to return to the hotel at approximately 12:00 a.m.

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; traveling approximately 30 miles for 1 hour driving to/from the opera house; walking up to 1 mile including several hundred feet to/from opera house; negotiating stairs to/from seats at the opera; varied terrain. The backstage visit involves walking uphill and several flights of stairs.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: At the hotel, our expert will discuss tonight's opera.

Lunch: At a popular local restaurant, we will enjoy a plated meal from a limited menu, including a selection of main course, coffee, tea, soft drinks, water; additional beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Next, we’ll ride to the Santa Fe Opera House for a docent-led backstage exploration. As we go behind the scenes to see the production areas, we'll gain a better understanding of all of the parts and processes involved in producing the beautiful performances we'll see this week. We’ll return to the hotel for some down time before dinner.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost so that you can enjoy what you wish or sample the local fare. Santa Fe is known for the breadth and depth of its culinary offerings. Not to be confused with "Tex-Mex," New Mexican cuisine is a fusion of Native American and Spanish influences. There are a number of fine restaurants within walking distance of the Santa Fe Plaza. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and directions. (Advance reservations recommended.)

Evening: We will depart at 7:15 p.m. for tonight's performance of "Tristan and Isolde." We expect to return to the hotel by approximately 2:00 a.m.

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; traveling approximately 15 miles for 1/2 hour driving to/from the opera house; walking up to 1 mile including several hundred feet to/from opera house; negotiating stairs to/from seats at the opera; varied terrain.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will attend a class focusing on the opera for this evening.

Lunch: On your own.

Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of "Free Time Opportunities" included in the pre-program Information Packet that you'll receive 6 weeks before the program starts. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Dinner: On your own.

Evening: We will depart at 7:15 p.m. for tonight's performance of “M. Butterfly.” We expect to return to the hotel at approximately 12:00 a.m.

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; driving 70 miles for up to 1 hour over the course of the day; walking from several hundred feet up to 1 mile in Madrid; walking several hundred feet to/from opera house; negotiating stairs to/from seats at the opera.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We’ll be joined by our instructor for a class on tonight's opera.

Lunch: At the hotel, we’ll enjoy a buffet including a main course, coffee, tea, soft drinks, water; additional beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We'll board our motorcoach and travel approximately 30 miles one-way to the town of Madrid, originally a mining town and now a haven for artists. We'll have some time to explore on our own before returning to Santa Fe.

Dinner: Hotel buffet.

Evening: We will depart at 7:15 p.m. for tonight's performance of "Rusalka." We expect to return to the hotel at approximately 12:00 a.m.

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; driving approximately 50 miles for over 1 hour over the course of the day; walking and standing for up to 2 hours at museums; walking several hundred feet to/from opera house; negotiating stairs to/from seats at the opera.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: In today’s class, we’ll learn about tonight's opera.

Lunch: We will enjoy a plated meal at a selected restaurant. Coffee, tea, soft drinks, water included; additional beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We will travel to Museum Hill for self-directed visits to the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture and the Museum of International Folk Art. The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture offers a huge collection of pottery, basketry, rugs, jewelry, and artifacts, mostly from tribes of the southwest region. The exhibits are beautifully displayed and documented. The Museum of International Folk Art's holdings constitute the largest collection of international folk art in the world, including wings featuring some of the 106,000 pieces donated by collectors Alexander and Susan Girard and Lloyd Cotsen's Neutrogena collection. Returning to the hotel, we’ll have some time to freshen up and relax before dinner. Given our late return from the opera, it is recommended we prepare for departure after breakfast in the morning.

Dinner: Hotel buffet.

Evening: We will depart at 7:15 p.m. for tonight's performance of "The Barber of Seville." We expect to return to the hotel at approximately 12:00 a.m.

Activity note: Walking over the course of the day. Extent and duration of free time activities according to personal choice.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Our instructor will present a final wrap-up of last night's opera.

Lunch: On your own.

Afternoon: Free time.

Dinner: We will enjoy our final hotel buffet.

Evening: At our program closing in the meeting room, we'll share our experiences and say farewell to new friends.

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet. This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!