Festival turns Napa Valley into cultural destination
As Festival Napa Valley takes over Wine Country July 14 through 23, it brings an international flair to the region, presenting the globe in living color with nearly 60 events at 30 venues and an array of artistic talent from around the world.
According to festival general manager Sonia Tolbert, more than 200 artists, wineries, resorts, theaters, restaurants and vintners participate each year. And for this 12th annual gathering, the event showcases an unparalleled global line-up, including stars from Australia, Cuba, France, Germany, South Korea, Brazil and Russia.
Additionally, the festival presents many well-traveled American artists, such as renowned dramatic opera baritone Lester Lynch, who has performed everywhere from Berlin to Zimbabwe, and the legendary pianist Andre Watts who over his five-decade career has played every major concert hall in the world.
“The annual celebration of the art of life has transformed Napa Valley into a cultural destination,” Tolbert said. “This year, we’ve brought in artists from five continents and a dozen countries. What sets our festival apart is that each performance is curated for the festival with one-of-a-kind shows rather than standard tour concerts.”
In keeping with the nonprofit’s mission of “arts for all,” several events are complimentary to the public, including the July 16 Sunday at the Symphony concert by Festival Napa Valley Music Academy Orchestra at Napa Valley College, the July 22 Napa Regional Dance Company performance at Napa Valley College and the Bouchaine Young Artist Series at the Jarvis Conservatory with multiple concerts by the Havana Chamber Orchestra, South Korean guitarist Jiji and Russian pianist Nikolay Khozyainov.
“Yes, we’re known for luxury,” Tolbert said of the festival, where passes range from $39 to $10,000. “But we’re committed to enriching the vitality of the entire community with a variety of admissionfree programming to make the arts accessible to everyone. Our free and affordable concerts are the core of the festival’s annual schedule.”
Attendees can enjoy a bit of Australia with the festival’s first event, the Opening Night Gala at Meadowood Napa Valley on July 14. The dinner features operatic performances from Melbourne-born lyric soprano Danielle de Niese and Brazilian baritone Paulo Szot.
The next evening, Cuban pianist Aldo López-Gavilán and soprano Larisa Martínez bring Caribbean island flair to Far Niente winery with their Seasons of Cuba concert and after party with Grammy Award-winning American violinist/conductor Joshua Bell and the Havana Chamber Orchestra.
The list goes on and on, with other stars including French conductor Stéphane Denève, legendary GermanAmerican pianist André Watts, German cellist Jan Vogler, and French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet.
This season, Festival Napa Valley also presents the U.S. Premier of actor Bill Murray’s new stage show with cellist Jan Vogler, New Worlds.
“This is the first time some of the artists have ever performed in Napa Valley,” Tolbert said. “It’s exciting, since normally, you’d have to travel to someplace like New York to see such talent.”