WillTravel

Someone posted about early music festivals in Europe and I thought that was a great idea. I think it would be interesting to have a repository of items related to classical music around Europe, perhaps to aid in trip planning.

Some examples of small events are the free or by-donation concerts held at various churches around London, and the Westminster Abbey Sunday night evensongs that feature the organist.

So what are some of your favorite classical music events, festivals, and shops around Europe?

BTilke

Favorites include a concert at the Musikverein in Vienna, an open-air performance of La Traviata at the castle in Belinzona, Switzerland, a New Year's Eve performance of Die Fledermaus at the Bastille Opera in Paris, and numerous small concerts in churches and castles around Europe.
Next year, we are going to the Verbier Music Festival--can't wait! If anyone has been, we'd love to hear what you thought of it.

WillTravel

All of the ones you mention sound great.
I couldn't help but look up the Verbier Music Festival. So for anyone who hasn't heard of it, here's the URL:

http://www.verbierfestival.com/

jenviolin

For chamber music in the Netherlands, check out the Delft Chamber Music Festival held for about 12 days each year in mid-summer. The festival is organized by violinist Isabelle van Keulen and is gaining a superb reputation. Tickets go on sale around April each year and the concerts are held in the courtyard of the Prinsenhof (museum) in Delft, former residence of Prince William of Orange. The surroundings are captivating and the programs are terrific.
http://www.delftmusicfestival.nl/uk_home.htm

eliztrav

Pesaro has its annual summer Rossini festival.

Opera News Magazine in spring/early summer devotes an issue to summer music festivals in Europe. It would be to late to help you in planning but if you got a copy from this year, it could alert you to some possibilities and websites. http://www.metguild.org

I'm sure there are other sites that could be of help, like perhaps http://www.andante.com

Mallory

In addition to checking for festivals while planning, just check the weekly calendar when you get where you are going. There are almost always quite good concerts in local churches. I've done this in Paris, Prague, Florence, Assisi.....

grandmere

As an aside, our Pgh. Symphony Orchestra is performing, as I write, at the Lucerne Festival, then off to Salzburg, Stuttgart, ending up tour in London at Royal Albert Hall.