The landscape of the Far North spreads out in front of you, the majestic fjords extend deep into the picturesque nature, lonely mountains glide past you, setting the stunning scene for a very special event: the 2009 Ocean Sun Festival. The annual Ocean Sun festival brings together world class stars of classical music on board the EUROPA. This event promises to be a truly unique experience. Ocean Sun Festival 2009 Now in its third year, the “Ocean Sun Festival” has been compared to the prestigious Festival del Sole in Napa Valley, California and the Tuscan Sun Festival in Italy. Artists renowned throughout the world meet to play superb music for attentive and interested audiences. You will enjoy unusual concerts both on board and at special venues ashore, open rehearsals and musical lecturers. Among the artists who will be playing for you: Austrian mezzo-soprano Ange- lika Kirchschlager enjoys an international career as one of the most requested vocal artists today, dividing her time between recitals and opera in Europe, North America and the Far East. She is internationally recognized as one of the foremost interpreters of Richard Strauss and Mozart. Mischa Maisky, cello, gave his debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in Carnegie Hall in '73. His virtuosic command of his instrument is second to none, earning him the sobriquet of the "Rostropovich of the Future" early in his career. He will be playing together with his daughter, Lily Maisky. French pianist Hélène Grimaud is one of the world's most successful pianists. Concert tours lead her into international concert halls from New York to Berlin, and from San Francisco to Vienna. One of her many achievements was a special appearance at the Last Night of the Proms 2008 in London's Royal Albert Hall. Piotr Beczala, born in Southern Poland, has become one of the leading lyric tenors of our time. Among others, he has been performing with the San Francisco Opera and Metropolitan Opera New York. Owen Murray has single-handedly pioneered an awareness and enthusiasm for the accordion in the classical music world. The conferment of an HonRAM (Honorary Membership of the Royal Academy of Music, London) in ‘93, the Academy's highest honor, is testimony to Owen Murray´s success on the concert platform. Lily Maisky, daughter of Mischa Maisky, performed as a piano soloist at several important occasions such as the Rainforest Foundation Charity Gala Concert in Carnegie Hall, NYC. She has currently toured with her father in a series of recitals throughout Europe presenting a unique program for piano and cello. Music Cruise: Norway – Where Fjords and Fjells are at Home From Kiel/Germany to Kiel 12 – 22 August 2009, 10 days, EUR0919 From €4,010 p.p. incl. transfer from Hamburg airport/ central station to Kiel and back Flights from/to Germany can be booked for a surcharge. Itinerary Wed 12 Aug Individual travel arrangements to Hamburg airport or central station Transfer to Kiel/Germany, departure 5:00 pm Thu 13 Aug Copenhagen/Denmark Fri 14 Aug Relaxation at sea Sat 15 Aug Bergen/Norway Sun 16 Aug Vik and Flam/Norway Mon 17 Aug Molde/Norway Tue 18 Aug Geiranger and Hellesylt/Norway Wed 19 Aug Relaxation at sea Thu 20 Aug Oslo/Norway Fri 21 Aug Göteborg/Sweden Sat 22 Aug Kiel/Germany, arrival 9:00 am Transfer to Hamburg airport or central station Individual travel arrangements from Hamburg For a deck plan click here, for a booking form and our terms & conditions click » here. Want to learn more about MS EUROPA? Please click here and log onto our homepage.