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NAPA VALLEY | WINE COUNTRY THIS WEEK
Napa Valley Festival Del Sole 2012 Season, July 13-22
Napa Valley Festival del Sole has announced its 2012 season,
featuring an exquisite ten-day pairing of world-class artistry, exclusive
food and wine events, wellness programs and premier lifestyle
experiences. Set against the idyllic backdrop of Napa Valley, Festival
del Sole offers a multitude of intimate and unique settings – including
a castle courtyard, a historic theater and a private lakefront beach –
for audiences to experience the world’s luminaries of music, dance
and theater as well as the extraordinary cuisine and wine that have
made the Napa Valley one of the world’s finest lifestyle destinations.
Among the artists performing this season are violin superstar
Joshua Bell, famed mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, sopranos Danielle
de Niese and Lisa Delan, baritone Nathan Gunn, cellist Nina Kotova,
guitarist Angel Romero, pianist Hélène Grimaud, the Russian
National Orchestra, and dancers from the Bolshoi Ballet.
Festival del Sole also announced the Napa Valley premiere of 24
Hour Plays, a feat of extreme theater that involves writing, rehearsing
and performing a series of plays in just 24 hours.
The exceptional entertainment is accompanied by an array of
epicurean experiences that feature the legendary hospitality of nearly
40 of the Napa Valley’s finest wineries, estates and restaurants.
Single ticket prices start at $39. The Bouchaine Young Artists
Series and Golden Gate International Children’s Choral Festival
concerts are free, though tickets are required for admission.
Tickets are available online at www.festivaldelsole.org, by phone at
1-888-FDS-NAPA [1-888-337-6272], or in person at the festival
office, 1556 First Street, Suite103A, in downtown Napa.
VIP Passes – from the full Passport to daily and evening-only
passes – include exclusive access to vintner’s luncheons, gala dinners
and other special events, as well as complimentary parking and
preferred seating at performances. Pricing includes a tax-deductible
contribution in support of the festival. For information and
purchases, contact Erin Briggs at erin@festivaldelsole.org, call the
office at (707) 200-1314, or visit the website for more information.
Allegro Passes – Enjoy a day of concerts and events and exclusive
After Parties with an Allegro Pass. Offered each day; visit the website
at festivaldelsole.org for more information.
FRIDAY, JULY 13 – OPENING NIGHT GALA – Festival del Sole’s seventh
season kicks off with the Opening Night Gala in the courtyard of Castello di Amorosa, a
stunning castle hearkening back to medieval Tuscany. The concert features American
superstar mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, in a
program of Handel arias conducted by Nicholas McGegan. A reception atop the castle's
tower overlooking Napa Valley precedes the concert, and dinner fit for a king follows in
the ornate barrel room, hosted by Tatiana and Gerret Copeland, proprietors of Bouchaine
Vineyards. The evening also includes a rockin' Allegro After Party at Caldwell Snyder
Gallery in nearby St. Helena.
SATURDAY, JULY 14 – The day begins with an only-in-Napa experience – Yoga in
the Vineyard, led by a winemaker-cum-yoga instructor, Nicole Abiouness, followed by a
tasting of her refreshing rosé! The event takes place at Kristine Ashe Vineyards. A Taste of
Napa, the annual gastronomic showcase of artisanal food purveyors and renowned
wineries follows at The Westin Verasa Napa. A Taste of Napa includes an installment of
the festival's popular wellness series led by Melina Jampolis, M.D. Later, at Lincoln
Theater, Festival del Sole presents the Napa premiere of 24 Hour Plays, starring film and
theater actors including Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber, Chris Noth and Hugh Dancy,
creating, learning and performing four short plays in the space of a day, with musical
interludes from Vivaldi's Four Seasons. That evening, guests will enjoy dinner at Wolf
Family Vineyards, a private 30-acre estate at the base of the Mayacamas Range. After
Parties follow at Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley and the Somerston Tasting Room, in nearby
Yountville.
SUNDAY, JULY 15 – The day begins with a gourmet brunch at the famed Chimney
Rock estate, followed by a free community concert at the Napa Valley Opera House
featuring three choirs from the Golden Gate International Children’s Choral Festival.
Then, Dr. David B. Agus, author of The End of Illness, leads a provocative conversation
about living a robust and vibrant life. The day culminates with the annual Festival del
Sole Gala at Meadowood Napa Valley. The gala will feature the First Annual Meadowood
Vintner’s Challenge Cup on the estate’s championship lawns; wine sponsored by Keller
Estate and the Wagner Family of Wine, including their legendary Caymus; a performance
by jazz vocalist Antoniette Costa, pianist/violinist Tara Kamangar, and cellist/beatboxer
Kevin Olusola; a live auction of unique lifestyle lots; and gourmet dinner on the greens.
The evening also includes an Allegro Party and Concert at di Rosa Preserve.
MONDAY, JULY 16 – The day begins with the first concert of the popular Bouchaine
Young Artists Series at the Yountville Community Center, followed by a Vintner’s
Luncheon at Darioush. The afternoon offers wine tasting and a musical performance in
Auberge de Soleil’s famous Ma(i)sonry Sculpture Garden. The festival’s first-ever beach
party (Napa style!) takes place at La Herradura Ranch, featuring tropical cocktails and
Caribbean music on a sandy beach beside a private lake. The festivities continue with a
private concert in a historic stone winery featuring classical guitarist Angel Romero, cellist
Nina Kotova and the Russian National Orchestra String Quartet, followed by a gala dinner
prepared by Chef Mourad Lahlou, executive chef and owner of Michelin-starred Aziza in
San Francisco. The evening’s Allegro After Party takes place at La Condesa, a James Beard
nominated Mexican restaurant in St. Helena.
TUESDAY, JULY 17 – Tuesday’s Bouchaine Young Artist concert at the Jarvis Conservatory
is followed by a Vintner's Luncheon at Black Coyote Chateau. The festival returns
to Castello di Amorosa for a reception and wine tasting before another performance in
the beautiful courtyard. The concert features opera star Danielle de Niese and the Russian
National Orchestra. The evening’s exclusive dinner, co-hosted by Cuvée Napa Restaurant,
takes place at the historic and elegant Ehlers Estate. The evening culminates with an
Allegro After Party at the beautiful Somerston Tasting Room, in the heart of Yountville.
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 18 – The day opens with an installment of the free Bouchaine
Young Artist Series at the Jarvis Conservatory. Afterwards, guests are treated to a
Vintner’s Luncheon at Kenzo Estate. The evening concert will take place at Castello di
Amorosa, where baritone Nathan Gunn will make his Napa debut, accompanied by his
wife, pianist Julie Jordan Gunn. The concert also features soprano Lisa Delan, cellist Nina
Kotova, flutist Maxim Rubstov, and pianists Hélène Grimaud and Kristin Pankonin. Dinner
that evening will be a down-home country casual barbecue paired with Alpha Omega’s
handcrafted, world-class wines, at their beautiful winery in Rutherford. An Allegro After
Party at La Condesa rounds out another full day of Festival del Sole.
THURSDAY, JULY 19 – Start the day right with an only-in-Napa experience – Yoga
in the Vineyard, led by a winemaker-cum-yoga instructor, Nicole Abiouness, followed by
wine tasting at Kristine Ashe Vineyards. Afterwards, enjoy a Vintner’s Luncheon at Spring
Mountain Vineyard with multiple courses prepared by Girl and the Fig restaurant. That
evening, an extraordinary multidisciplinary program takes place at Castello di Amorosa –
Chopin: Seduction, Smoke and Music, performed by pianist Simon Trpceski and cellist
Nina Kotova while American Ballet Theatre principal dancers Irina Dvorovenko and Maxim
Beloserkovsky reenact the love affair between Frédéric Chopin and celebrated French
author Ms. George Sand. A gala dinner follows at Raymond Vineyards and an Allegro
After Party at Ma(i)sonry.
FRIDAY, JULY 20 – Friday kicks off with a free Bouchaine Young Artist concert at the
Jarvis Conservatory featuring San Francisco’s Échappé String Quartet performing a selection
of works including Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 8. This is followed by a Vintner’s
Luncheon in the historic Cask Room at Merryvale Vineyards, co-hosted by Tra Vigne
Restaurant. Quent Cordair Fine Art in Napa hosts a reception that afternoon. The festival's
annual Dance Gala takes place that evening at Lincoln Theater – a once-in-a-lifetime event
featuring dancers from the Bolshoi Ballet direct from Moscow. The dancers will be accompanied
by the Russian National Orchestra in the U.S. debut of Gordon Getty's The Oath of
Ushers, in addition to classics from the ballet repertoire. A dinner at HALL Rutherford and
an Allegro After Party at Somerston Tasting Room cap this historic evening.
SATURDAY, JULY 21 – The day starts with Yoga in the Vineyard, led by a winemakercum-yoga
instructor, Nicole Abiouness, followed by a tasting of her refreshing rosé, at
Kristine Ashe Vineyards. Afterward, guests are invited to a Vintner’s Luncheon at ROY
Estate in Napa, prepared by noted chef Cindy Pawlcyn. Nutrition, fitness and wellness
expert Dr. Wendy Bazilian will be on hand to inspire a healthy lifestyle. An afternoon
concert at Long Meadow Ranch & Farmstead features regional favorite Alma Desnuda
performing their self-described acoustic soul music. That evening, festival guests are
treated to a magical experience at the legendary Far Niente Winery, for an evening of
dance and music, with violinist Joshua Bell, flutist Maxim Rubstov, and principal dancers
from the San Francisco Ballet performing the world premiere of choreographer Yuri
Possokhov’s new setting of the famed Adagio from the ballet Spartacus. Two After Parties
complete the evening – one at St. Supéry Vineyards & Winery and one at Ma(i)sonry.
SUNDAY, JULY 22 – The festival’s closing day begins with a Vintner’s Luncheon at
Tamber Bey Vineyards. That evening, Festival del Sole’s seventh season comes to a close
with an all-star concert featuring the Russian National Orchestra, soloists Joshua Bell
performing Barber's Violin Concerto and Hélène Grimaud performing Ravel's Piano
Concerto, and composer Daniel Brewbaker's BlueFire. For the second year in a row, Cardinale
in nearby Oakville hosts Festival del Sole's closing night dinner. Also that evening,
Signorello Estate hosts a dinner in collaboration with the festival, featuring Frances
Mayes, bestselling author of Under the Tuscan Sun, with a dish-by-dish “introduction” of
her new book Tuscan Sun Cookbook. The festivities conclude with a Wrap Party at 1313
Main in Napa.
S T . H E L E N A
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