The 2017 Vienna Ring Cycle tour which also included operas in Budapest and Bratislava was an outstanding experience from overture to applause. Everything from the choice of first class hotels to the inclusion of prime orchestra seats was handled with exceptional professionalism. Nothing was too much trouble to Swati and Alistair, and their incredible personal attention to details left little to chance. This was my first tour of any kind and frankly had never been interested in joining a tour group. But, when I discovered that the maximum group size was 15, I look a leap of faith and booked. As it transpired, there were only 2 of us and I feared that perhaps the tour would be canceled, but HAT Opera Tours do not cancel. We enjoyed the same if not higher level of extraordinary and personal service that a larger group might have received. This tour was a retirement gift to myself. Though I have no performing musical talent, I have been passionate about opera since a small child listening to my father's records. I am currently serving as the President of Greensboro Opera, a professional regional opera company in North Carolina. I chose this particular tour because of a love of Wagner's Ring Cycle having seen live performances at Covent Garden, the Met and in San Francisco, plus several video productions. The clincher for me was the promise of prime seats that I knew I could not book myself. Added to that, having all of the logistics of hotel selection, transportation between cities, guided tours, taxis etc. taken care of, made choosing HAT Opera Tours a no brainer. HAT Opera Tours has the advantage of over 35 years of experience specializing in opera tours. They have built up extensive contacts with superior English speaking guides and have established relationships with first class hotels and opera houses. They know their stuff and they deliver the goods! I can not wait to take my next HAT Opera Tour!