The Oberammergau Passion Play

See this extraordinary event in Bavaria with BBC Music Magazine

DATES 1-5 June 2020 Five days from only £1,990 Lecturer Tom Abbott Plus BBC Music Magazine’s editor or deputy editor accompanies the tour

Martin Randall Travel and BBC

Music Magazine have teamed up to bring you the rare chance to see the Oberammergau Passion Play, a unique event that has been staged once a decade since 1634.

Set in a village nestled in the Bavarian Alps, the play is theatre and religious ritual rolled into one, with a cast of 2,000. In its 400-year history, the Oberammergau Passion Play has gained iconic status for its beautiful depiction of the Passion story.

The drama has its origins in the Plague and the Thirty Years’ War (1618-48), both of which devastated Germany’s population. Oberammergau’s survivors gave thanks for their lives with a play portraying the last days of Christ’s life on earth: his suffering, crucifixion and resurrection, which they vowed to stage every ten years.

Dramatisations of Christ’s life and suffering were part of Christian worship during the late Middle Ages and Baroque era, resulting in some of the Western canon’s finest works of art and music.

The Oberammergau Passion Play stands alongside them, its historical importance ranked with Bach’s own Passion settings.

The trip is preceded by three days in Munich, exploring the Bavarian city’s renowned art and architecture.

YOUR ITINERARY Day 1: Munich

Fly at 12.40pm from London Heathrow. After an introductory lecture, there’s a chance to meet and get to know everyone over dinner.

Day 2: Munich

The day begins with a walking tour of the city: the Asamkirche, Frauenkirche and the Ohel Jakob Synagogue. The afternoon is devoted to the palace of the Wittelsbach dynasty, the Residenz.

Day 3: Munich & Oberammergau

Free morning . En route to Oberammergau, we visit the Linderhof palace.

Day 4: Oberammergau

The day of the Passion Play begins with our second lecture, plus free time. Each half of the play lasts two and a half hours, with a threehour dinner interval.

Day 5: Wies

On the way to Munich Airport, we’ll see the beautiful 18th-century church of Wies. Arrive at Heathrow at 5.25pm.

Plus: The five-day tour is attended by BBC Music’s editor or deputy editor.

Book now! Call +44 (0)20 8742 3355 and quote ‘BBC Music Magazine’. Visit www. classical-music.com/martinrandall