1. COURTESY VISITWILLIAMSBURG.COM
SUNDAY ◆ February 8,2015 ◆ The Tribune
Yes,
Virginia!
PHOTO COURTESY VISIT WILLIAMSBURG.COM
Virginia’s Historic Triangle is full of surprises
BAYLIFE&TRAVEL
The schooner Alliance
is silhouetted against
the sunset.
BY SALLY MOE
Tribune staff
I
t’s early morning, and a buttery glow
fills the room as the sun rises. Vaulted
ceilings reflect the warm light above a
canopied king-size bed.
Getting out of this bed is going to take
some convincing.
This is the Provence, aka room No.
25, in the Wedmore Place Hotel at Wes-
sex Hundred in Williamsburg, Virginia.
And from the plush linens and serene
quiet to the brick exterior and woodsy
surroundings of this European-style
country hotel, the property embodies a
sense of history, comfort and welcome.
With only 28 rooms — each uniquely
themed, all with wood-burning fireplac-
es — service is responsive and unfail-
ingly personal.
Located just three miles from Colo-
nial Williamsburg, the 300-acre proper-
ty that includes Wedmore Place and the
Williamsburg Winery is convenient to
the area’s many historical attractions.
But for lovers of fine wine and pleasures
of the plate, it’s altogether a destination
in itself. Tuesday through Sunday, fine
dining is an event in the award-win-
ning Café Provençal restaurant, which
features the winery’s own wines as well
as a selection curated from across the
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY/SCOTT ELMQUIST
In the heart of William and Mary’s campus, Crim Dell Bridge is a popular site for students
and visitors. Lore has it if students kiss on the bridge, they will marry each other.
VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION, WWW.VIRGINIA.ORG
The Gover-
nor’s Palace
at Colonial
Williamsburg
during a winter
snowstorm
There is an
archaeological
walking tour
at an ongoing
dig at Historic
Jamestowne.
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO
Conductor Michael Francis takes over the podium from
Stephan Sanderling this season.
BY KURT LOFT
Tribune correspondent
The state’s largest performing arts
organization is too busy mapping
out a progressive future to worry
about prognostications on the de-
mise of classical music.
Yes, Beethoven and the boys are
long dead, but they represent only
part of a rich and relevant repertoire
embraced by a thriving arts indus-
try, including The Florida Orchestra,
which today announces the lineup
for its 2015-16 season.
Beginning in October, the or-
chestra will bring to life 10 works it
has never performed as it follows a
slightly more modern path than in
previous years.
“The music director’s role is to
give the audience a balanced diet so
they come away from a program or
the season feeling enhanced,’’ says
Michael Francis, who takes over the
podium from Stephan Sanderling.
“The real issue isn’t the music, but
communication. If people under-
stand the concepts and purpose of
the programs, you’ve accomplished
your mission.’’
Francis — the fourth music di-
rector in the orchestra’s 48 years —
pieced together a masterworks sea-
son of music that caresses as much
as it challenges, with an emphasis
on American music or composers
who left Europe or Russia to live
here. He calls this narrative, which
runs through the entire season, an
“American Odyssey.’’
“We’ll follow a silken thread wo-
ven through the season exploring
some of the greatest music written
by American composers, both living
and past,’’ he says. “I’m fascinated
by how American culture grew to be
such an influence upon the inter-
national artistic and musical world,
and so we’ll also hear music by
some of the greatest composers who
FloridaOrchestra
announces2015-16season
Lineup includes
thoughtful blend
of old and new
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ORCHESTRA, Page 3
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2. TBO.com u THE TRIBUNE u SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2015 u BAYLIFE AND TRAVEL u 3
immigrated to America.’’
Highlights on this
theme include John Ad-
ams’ “City Noir’’; Aaron
Copland’s Third Sympho-
ny and the ever-popular
“Appalachian Spring’’;
John Cage’s rarely per-
formed “Third Construc-
tion’’; Andrew Norman’s
“Unstuck’’; and Christo-
pher Rouse’s “Prospero’s
Rooms.’’ Keeping true to
the adventurous, the or-
chestra will offer its own
first performances of Ga-
briel Faure’s “Dolly Suite’’;
H.K. Gruber’s “Charivari’’;
James MacMillan’s “The
World’s Ransoming’’; and
the Sixth Symphony of
Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Balancing the new will
be plenty of classic repeats:
Rachmaninoff’s Third Pi-
ano Concerto; the violin
concertos of Brahms and
Mendelssohn; Vivaldi’s
“Four Seasons’’; Mus-
sorgsky’s “Pictures at an
Exhibition’’; Mozart’s Pi-
ano Concerto No. 23 and
Symphony No. 39; and the
Suite from Strauss’s “Der
Rosenkavalier.’’ Audiences
can expect a good dose of
Beethoven, Tchaikovsky,
Ravel and other prominent
composers.
“It’s important to play
things people know,’’
Francis says. “Because it
gives us a chance to work
with the orchestra in a way
they’re familiar with.’’
The Master Chorale of
Tampa Bay will tackle two
major works: the “German
Requiem’’ of Brahms and
Handel’s heavenly oratorio
“The Messiah.’’
In its mission to reach
a broad audience, the
orchestra will buffer its
14-concert masterworks
series with nine pops pro-
grams, a dozen morning
coffee-series gigs and three
programs of orchestrated
rock music.
Single tickets range from
$15 to $65 and go on sale in
August. Subscriptions are
available now by calling
(727) 892-3337 or visiting
www.floridaorchestra.org.
Performances are at the
Straz Center in Tampa, the
Mahaffey Theater in St. Pe-
tersburg, and Ruth Eckerd
Hall in Clearwater.
Orchestra
From Page 1
IfYouGo...
I flew into Newport News airport, a small and
accessible airport I’d recommend over the
large ones.
Accommodations:
WedmorePlaceHotel
5810 Wessex Hundred, Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757) 941-0310; http://www.
wedmoreplace.com/
Historicattractions:
ColonialWilliamsburgHistoricArea
101 Visitor Center Drive, Williamsburg, VA 23185
(888) 965-7254; www.
colonialwilliamsburg.com
JamestownSettlement
2110 Jamestown Road, Route 31
S., Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757) 253-4838; (888) 593-4682
(toll free); www.historyisfun.org
HistoricJamestowne
1368 Colonial Parkway, Jamestown, VA 23081
(757) 229-4997; www.
historicjamestowne.com
YorktownBattlefieldVisitorCenter
1000 Colonial Parkway, Yorktown, VA 23690
(757) 898-2410; www.nps.gov/york/index.htm
YorktownVictoryCenter
200 Water St., Route 1020,
Yorktown, VA 23690
(757) 887-1776; www.historyisfun.
org/yorktown-victory-center/
Attractions:
Merchant’sSquare
134 N. Henry St., Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757) 565-8889; www.merchantssquare.org
CarriageRidethroughthe
RevolutionaryCity
122 W. Duke of Gloucester Street,
Williamsburg, VA 23185
(888) 965-7254; http://www.
colonialwilliamsburg.com/do/
tours/carriagerides/
Tour&TastingatWilliamsburg
WineryatWessexHundred
5810 Wessex Hundred, Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757) 941-0310; http://www.
wedmoreplace.com/
YorktownRiverCruise
Riverwalk Landing Pier, 425 Water
St., Yorktown, VA 23690
(888) 316-6422; www.sailyorktown.
com/schooner-alliance.html
Riverwalk Landing in Historic Yorktown
425 Water St., Yorktown, VA 23690
(757) 890-3370; www.riverwalklanding.com
Restaurants:
CaféProvencal
5810 Wessex Hundred, Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757) 941-0317; williamsburgwinery.
com/dining/cafe-provencal
BlueTalonGrillinMerchant’sSquare
420 Prince George St., Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757) 476-2583; www.bluetalonbistro.com
GabrielArcherTavernat
WessexHundred
5810 Wessex Hundred, Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757) 941-0310; http://www.
wedmoreplace.com/
RiverwalkRestaurant
323 Water St., Suite A-1, Yorktown, VA 23690
(757) 875-1522; www.riverwalkrestaurant.net
CarrotTree(deli style, two locations)
1782 Jamestown Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757) 229-0957; www.carrottreekitchens.com
Comparingorchestras
How does the Florida
Orchestra’s programming
style stack up against other
orchestras of similar or larger
size and budget? Well, it’s
not far removed from the
2014-15 season of nearly
two dozen U.S. orchestras
surveyed by the Baltimore
Symphony Orchestra. Here
are some of the findings:
u Nearly 10 percent of
all pieces performed
were written within
the past 15 years.
u The average date
of composition of a
piece was 1886.
u Living composers made
up nearly 12 percent of
the season’s repertoire.
u Women accounted
for less than 2 percent
of all works played.
u German composers
dominated the season
with 23 percent of the total
pieces performed, followed
by Russians (19 percent)
Austrians (14 percent), and
Americans (11 percent).
globe. The more casual
farm-to-fork eatery, the
Gabriel Archer Tavern, is a
short walk from the hotel
lobby and offers a bar as
well as the option of shad-
ed al fresco dining.
The cooking at both
establishments is over-
seen by Executive Chef
Ika Zaken, who studied
at the École Supérieur de
Cuisine Française-Fer-
randi in Paris. Add to that
the range of guided wine
tastings and tours of the
winery, and gastronomes and
oenophiles will not be disap-
pointed. Nearly 200 wineries
dot the state — exceeded in
number only by California,
New York, Oregon and Wash-
ington — so Virginia is in the
cusp of becoming the next
hot wine-making destina-
tion. Early Virginians George
Washington and Thomas
Jefferson, who tried valiant-
ly but in vain to produce a
drinkable wine from their
respective vineyards, would
be proud.
❖ ❖ ❖
Halfthefunisgetting
around. Linking Williams-
burg, Jamestown and York-
town is the 23-mile Colo-
nial Parkway, easily one of
the most scenic thorough-
fares in America and one of
only 32 roads designated an
All-American Road by the
U.S. Department of Trans-
portation. Starting in James-
town at the west end and
hugging the James River for
a bit on its way to Williams-
burg, the earth-toned park-
way concludes at Yorktown
in the east, having offered
ample possibilities for wild-
life sightings along the way.
Blossoming trees, arched
brick overpasses and a tun-
nel accent the drive, which
is shielded from commercial
development, while signage
is kept to a bare minimum
to enhance the sense of un-
sullied natural beauty. The
Colonial Parkway is breath-
taking, particularly in spring
and fall, and integral to the
region’s spirit and personal-
ity, as well as the experience
of staying here.
Start your day with a
hearty breakfast of “serious
comfort food” at the delight-
ful Blue Talon Bistro in Mer-
chants Square, an inviting
colonial-styled shopping and
dining district just east of the
College of William & Mary
and adjacent to Colonial Wil-
liamsburg. The food is deli-
cious, the menu varied, and
the decor — accented with
quirky chicken-y embellish-
ments — is utterly charming.
❖ ❖ ❖
Onceyou’resufficientlyfor-
tified, know this: There will
be walking. So wear comfort-
able shoes. (Duke of Glouces-
ter Street, the district’s main
street, is about a mile long,
and the historic area takes
up about 173 acres.) Colonial
Williamsburg is a living his-
tory museum — the historic
center of Williamsburg itself
— not a theme park.
None of these properties
can (or should) be rushed
through. Each is devoted to
exacting historical detail and
ongoing research, and worth
at least a half day’s explora-
tion. You can stay at one of
four resorts in Colonial Wil-
liamsburg if you choose, or in
one of its historic homes for
an authentic, more organic
experience. But if you find
the degree of walking that’s
involved intimidating, rent
a bike at the Williamsburg
Spa (yes, there’s a spa, and
a 20,000 square foot one at
that) or use the shuttle buses
to help you get around, be-
cause your ticket buys you
access to 35 exhibition sites,
16 trade shops, three excel-
lent museums and more than
20 places to shop and dine.
A more lighthearted, but
still in-character option for
seeing Colonial Williamsburg
is a horse-drawn carriage
ride. The biggest challenge
offered by this attraction is
getting into the carriage itself;
thanks to the authenticity of
the reproduction, getting in
and out can be a tad bouncy.
Enjoy the ride for the plea-
sure of the rhythmic clip-clop
of the horseshoes, the ele-
vated point of view, and the
chance to hear some juicy
tidbits of history and lore
from your costumed driv-
er. He knows where all the
bodies are buried, and for 20
minutes or so, he’s all yours.
❖ ❖ ❖
Tothewest,inHistoric
Jamestowne — “America’s
Birthplace” and the first
landing site of the English
colonists — archaeological
walking tours escort visitors
among ongoing digs and
areas of restoration. In this
setting on the James River,
much of it shaded by soaring
trees, often stunning de-
tails are revealed about the
harrowing challenges faced
by the first colonists, partic-
ularly during the “starving
time” of 1609-10, when the
settlement faced extinction
due to a combination of dis-
ease, starvation and Indian
attacks.
These tours will leave you
with a renewed appreciation
of the modern support and
conveniences we rely on, as
well as respect for the intrep-
id spirit of those colonists
who risked everything to
bring a bold vision to life.
Yorktown — the site of
the final major battle of the
Revolutionary War — is at
the eastern terminus of the
Colonial Parkway. It is here
that, on Oct. 19, 1781, after
a nine-day siege, England’s
Gen. Charles Lord Corn-
wallis finally surrendered
to Gen. George Washing-
ton, effectively ending the
Revolutionary War. What
remains is a bucolic, gently
sloping, beautifully mani-
cured town overlooking the
York River, with a wealth
of 18th-century charm and
architecture. If it weren’t for
the town’s array of histori-
cal sites — Yorktown Victory
Center, Yorktown Battlefield
and the Yorktown Nation-
al Cemetery — detailing the
events here so many years
ago, you might not suspect
they’d even happened.
On the river’s edge is Riv-
erwalk Landing, an appeal-
ing melange of shops and
dining spots, as well as the
push-off point for Yorktown
Sailing Charters. From April
to November, the 105-foot
schooner Alliance or the 65-
foot Serenity offer sightsee-
ing cruises for exploring the
area — and its pivotal role
in our history — via the York
River. It’s a relaxing, yet edu-
cational way to cap off a visit
to a flourishing, historically
rich region of Virginia ... and
of America.
Virginia
From Page 1
PHOTO COURTESY VISITWILLIAMSBURG.COM
A Powhatan Indian village re-creation at Historic Jamestowne
VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION, WWW.VIRGINIA.ORG
The Williamsburg Winery, Virginia’s largest winery, offers
daily tours, tastings and lunch.
The Jamestown area’s
first settlers envisioned
the region as a major
source of wine for the
British Empire. They
were so sure of this vi-
sion that in 1619 it was
signed into law: Every
male settler was re-
quired to plant and tend
at least 10 grape vines.
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