The classical music season is in full swing during the summer and slows a bit after the festivals end -- but you can still find bravura performances anytime. "For Vienna it is Mozart, Beethoven and the waltz which means Strauss," Emil de Cou, associate conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra, wrote in an e-mail. "For Prague and Budapest it is their national composers who they treasure and perform on a regular basis."
De Cou recommends the Weiner Hofburg Orchester's performances (www.hofburgorchester.at) of Strauss and Mozart in Vienna; the Danube Symphony Orchestra (www.hungariakoncert.hu) at the Danube Palace in Budapest; and two September concerts of Czech and Slavic composers -- the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg and the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra -- at Prague's Rudolfinum (www.ceskafilharmonie.cz).
Other notable events include the weeks-long Verdi Festival in Prague (www.opera.cz); the KlangBogen Wien in Vienna (www.klangbogen.at), which features opera and chamber music; and the Budafest Summer Music Festival (www.viparts.hu) in Budapest, of which you might catch the tail end. The Hungarian Arts Festival Federation (www.artsfestivals.hu) also runs some of the capital's best cultural events, such as the Budapest Summer Opera and Ballet Festival. And the Vienna Mozart Orchestra (011-43-1-505-77660, www.mozart.co.at) features international musicians dressed in 18th-century drag. For a list of opera events and musical festivals worldwide: operabase.com.
I'll be in Sydney next February and would like to take a two- or three-day tour to Cairns to see the Great Barrier Reef. Suggestions?
Leo Ratner
Boca Raton, Fla.
The Great Barrier Reef boasts the world's largest collection of coral reefs, covering about 1,500 miles along the northeast coast of Australia from the northern tip of Queensland to just north of Bundaberg. Most day tours are on city-size catamarans, but you can also find smaller, more personalized vessels. Outfitters populate the resorty town of Cairns, so you can sign up on the spot or book through your hotel concierge. If you are looking for an overnight adventure, such companies as Captain Cook Cruises (011-61-2-9206-1122, www.captaincook.com.au) offer sailing excursions.
The official Tourism Tropical North Queensland's Web site (www.tropicalaustralia.com.au) lists packages, hotels and other travel tips. As for flights, Qantas's $999 Air Pass includes round-trip air from Los Angeles (add $300 for D.C.) and three flights within Australia; the Boomerang pass is also a good deal. In addition, the carrier's Qantas Vacations organizes packages with a Cairns leg. Info: 800-348-8145, www.qantasvacations.com.
Send queries by e-mail (travelqa@ washpost.com), fax (202-912-3609) or U.S. mail (Travel Q&A, Washington Post Travel Section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington D.C. 20071).
