THE BACH FESTIVAL IN LEIPZIG

with Joe Marchio

June 4 - 19, 2023

This year we will start our Bach pilgrimage in Eisenach, where Bach was born.  His birth abode is now a museum where one could spend all day listening to a multitude of his compositions, both recorded and live.  The small town is indeed charming and warrants a look-around.  Over-looking the town  from its perch on a hill is the Wartburg Castle, where Luther hid out from Catholic persecutors and where he translated part of the Bible into German.  

Then, after 3 days in Eisenach, we'll head for Leipzig, which was the  home to not only Bach for many years, but also to Mendelssohn, Wagner, Goethe, Schiller and others.  The town remains very prominent on the music scene with the Gewandhaus and its Kapellmeister Andris Nelsons and the incredibly musically active Sankt Thomas Kirche, where Bach was once Kapellmeister.   And it is here, where we will spend lots of time, hearing magnificent music - at least one concert per day.



Ten days in Leipzig will give us ample time to get to know the very walkable town and experience its intriguing alleys, parks, canals and markets. We’ll visit the Bach and Mendelssohn museums, as well as the Grassi Museum complex. Free time will let you explore the fine art museum or the zoo or return to the Bach or Mendelssohn museums to delve deeper into their offerings.  And sometime during our stay, when the program allows, we will take the train to Weimar, which is a treasure trove of German culture, from music to literature to architecture and art.

The 23 Bachfest's performer list includes Ton Koopman, Lang Lang and Andris Nelsons.

We will fly into Frankfurt am Main airport, be chauffeur-bussed to Eisenach's Hotel Glockenhof.   In Leipzig, we will stay for the remaining days at the Innside Melia,  which is directly across the street from the Sankt Thomas Kirche.  Departure will be from the Leipzig/Halle airport.

 Please note that the itinerary is not yet firm because the program schedule for 2023 is not yet published.