The Thinking Person's Guide to the Arts (Apr 2020)

The Thinking Person’s Guide to

THE ARTS

Destination focused. Culturally enriching. Carefully curated.

Welcome to the Thinking Person’s Cruise At Viking, we believe that your experience on board our ships should enrich and inspire you, with every detail immersing you more deeply within the destinations we take you.

Destinations like Paris, Vienna and St Petersburg are synonymous with their unique art styles and the great classical composers who hail from these locations. We take you to the heart of these destinations to uncover their artistic and musical experiences, while providing opportunities onboard to reflect and immerse yourself in the art and harmony of the destinations you are sailing to.

On board you will find subtle nods to our Nordic heritage — from the teak and limestone accents to the colourful rugs and tapestries. This aesthetic is perfectly complemented by a diverse range of artworks produced

by Norwegian artists, including one of the largest collections of pieces by expressionist Edvard Munch.

Throughout the following pages, discover more about our exclusive Culture CurriculumÂŽ and onboard entertainment program.

Three Ways to Explore the World of Music

GR A ND EUROPE A N CRUISE

Behind the Scenes at the Vienna Boys’ Choir Go behind the scenes with the worldrenowned Vienna Boys’ Choir. Since 1948, the Palais Augarten has served as a school for the modern-day descendant of the boys’ choir. In their day, Mozart and Bruckner both performed with them, and Schubert and Haydn sang with them as youths. Tour the rehearsal rooms then enjoy a private concert, after which you will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with choir members.

EXPLORE ITINER ARY

You will find several talented resident musicians on board a Viking cruise, and your journey with us will include a number of sensational live performances. But if you are looking for a particularly music-centric journey, the following itineraries are a must…

BALTIC JEWELS & THE MIDNIGHT SUN

WATERWAYS OF THE TSA R S

Grieg’s House & Recital & Fantoft Stave Church

St. Petersburg Ballet Performance

Travel south of Bergen to visit Troldhaugen, where famed Norwegian composer and pianist Edvard Grieg and his wife lived for 22 years. Norway’s most celebrated son, he was inspired

by Norwegian folk music and sought to raise its profile in his composing and performances. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor and Peer Gynt.

Enjoy an exclusive recital of his music before returning to your ship.

Attend the ballet in St. Petersburg, city of Baryshnikov and Nureyev, amid the city’s rich theatre scene. Enjoy a breathtaking performance from a world-famous ballet, such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker or Giselle. Marvel at the grace and elegance of these refined dancers and the rhapsodic musical arrangements that have enraptured St. Petersburg theatregoers for generations.

EXPLORE ITINER ARY

EXPLORE ITINER ARY

DISCOVER OUR ONBOARD ART COLLECTION While many of our onboard experiences are inspired by the destinations to which we travel, our onboard art collection is an acknowledgement of our Nordic heritage.

For each Viking ship, we have carefully selected a diverse range of works produced by both established and up-and-coming Norwegian artists.

These artworks come in all forms — from oil paintings and photographs to sculptures and tapestries — and perfectly complement the light-filled, Scandinavian-style interiors of our award winning ships. We have also been granted the digital rights to the entire collection of Norway’s most famous artist, Edvard Munch, thanks to our exclusive relationship with Oslo’s Munch Museum. Each afternoon in the Living Room, we bring the master expressionist’s works to life with ‘Munch Moments’ — an interactive event that showcases several pieces of Munch’s art at a time, curated by theme.

To further enhance your onboard experience, we encourage you to download our free Viking Art Guide smartphone app and enjoy a self-guided audio tour of our onboard art collection. The app is easy to use on both Apple and Android devices, and includes insightful commentary from artists, designers, curators and other industry experts.

THE ART OF EXPLOR ATION On board a Viking cruise, you’ll find a diverse range of artworks, including one of the largest collections of pieces by expressionist Edvard Munch. But if you are after a particularly art-packed adventure, the following shore excursions are for you.

ARLES IN VAN GOGH’S FOOTSTEPS During his 15 months in Arles, Vincent van Gogh descended into madness and completed 200 paintings. Express your artistic side during a painting class at La Couverture Verte (“the Green Blanket”), at Arles’s Siqueiros Fine Arts School, perhaps calling on the creative spirit of the great painter. Then admire some of the sites in Arles that were immortalised by van Gogh, including Place du Forum, where he depicted beautiful landscapes and local café life.

Find it on… France’s Finest EXPLORE ITINER ARY

THE ART OF BATIK Tap into your artistic side and learn the traditional art of batik fabric painting. In Teluk Bahang a local artisan will guide you through the traditional techniques of using wax and dyes to create your own batik cotton scarf. Malaysian batik is typically created by four methods: block printing, freestyle drawing, silk screening, and tie dyeing. Use block printing to create your own scarf, dipping a copper mold design in wax, then stamping and dyeing the material.

Find it on… Jewels of South East Asia EXPLORE ITINER ARY

MONET FOUNDATION GIVERNY Visit Giverny, the village that Monet called home from 1883 until his death in 1926. Explore the artist’s home and gardens, now a museum dedicated to the great painter. The house with its pink, crushed-brick facade and green shutters is furnished as it was when he lived here, and contains his precious collection of Japanese engravings. Stroll the gardens to see firsthand the landscapes that grace Monet’s paintings.

Find it on… Paris & the Heart of Normandy EXPLORE ITINER ARY

GAUDÍ THE GREAT ARCHITECT OF MODER NISM Witness the evolution of Antoni Gaudí’s creative genius as you tour some of his distinctive works. Visit Casa Vicens on a Privileged Access tour, the first project for which the worldrenowned architect was commissioned at just 30 years of age.

Next, view his unfinished masterpiece, La Sagrada Família, whose cathedral towers are still under construction today.

Complete your tour with a visit to the Passeig de Gràcia, where you will visit the Casa Batlló, or “House of Bones.”

Find it on… Iconic Western Mediterranean EXPLORE ITINER ARY

ART & HERITAGE INFUSE YOUR EVERY MOMENT

Expand your horizons on elegant, intimate ships, thoughtfully designed by experienced nautical architects and designers to help you connect with your destination in every way.

Centuries ago, amid the rugged nature of Norway, the Viking Age was born.

As it flourished, exploration became a Norwegian tradition. Today, we proudly carry this tradition, with our elegant ships built for discovery.

Our sleek vessels explore the far corners of the globe, but wherever we sail, we take a little bit of our homeland with us.

Take a moment to learn about our many Norwegian influences on board.