Opera House Summer Family Series Kicks Off with World Music Extravaganza

The Napa Valley Opera House kicks off the first of its eight-show series of family-friendly programming with a magical journey around the world. This exciting afternoon of music and dance begins in Australia with Stephen Kent on didjeridu, moves on to India with the Chitresh Das Dance Company, Zimbabwe with the Chinyakare Ensemble, and returns to Native American roots with Four Winds American Indian Dance. The audience will learn about the animals of the Australian outback and the Aboriginal people through the music of the didjeridu, about the storytelling traditions of ancient India through dance and music, and from Zimbabwe how the dances weave ancestral wisdom and creative expression from their African culture. Dancers will tell the stories of the Lakota Sioux tribe through their magical footwork and song.When: Sunday, July 10, 2pm

What: Music, Dance & Didjeridu

Where: Napa Valley Opera House - 1030 Main Street, downtown Napa

Price: $15 - adults, $12 - kids 16 and under
4 for $40 - buy four shows for just $40 (visit NVOH.org/family for details)

Tickets: 707.226.7372, NVOH.org/family or in person at the NVOH box office at 1030 Main Street, Napa

About the Performers

Stephen Kent, Australian didjeridu
With beginnings in Uganda, and the seed sown there of a lifetime of interest in global cultures, it is no surprise that Stephen Kent has traveled the world, living at various times in Africa, England, Spain, Australia and, for the last 15 years, the San Francisco Bay Area. In Australia, in 1981, as Music Director of Circus Oz he first connected with Australian Aboriginal culture and the Didjeridu. Inspired by the power of the land, and the support the group gave to Aboriginal issues, he learned circular breathing and wrote music for brass instruments, sounding unmistakably like the Didjeridu. While he has always had great respect for Aboriginal people and their culture Stephen has never tried to imitate traditional styles on the Didjeridu. Instead he has pioneered his own unique style, with the Didj at the center of his many compositions in contemporary music.

Chitresh Das Dance Company, India
The Chitresh Das Dance Company (CDDC) & Chhandam School of Kathak was founded in 1980 and is dedicated to the preservation, promotion and education of Kathak dance and Indian Culture. Based in San Francisco, the company performs internationally and most frequently throughout the US, Canada and India.

Chinyakare Ensemble, Zimbabwe, Africa
Tawanda muChinyakare is a network of musicians, artists, teachers, and community organizers that was created with the purpose of weaving ancestral wisdom and creative expression with contemporary education and community work through the medium of African music and dance.

Four Winds American Indian Dance
Specializing in the dance and culture of the United States Plains Indian tribes, Four Winds has been offering programs and performances of American Indian dance since 1983. They have performed to critical acclaim throughout the western United States, most notably at the 1984 Olympic games and the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival.

About the Napa Valley Opera House Summer Family Series

The Napa Valley Opera House is pleased to announce a new Summer Family Series, geared toward teens, ‘tweens and even adults, on eight consecutive Sunday afternoons in July and August. The Opera House will present shows featuring everything from a 3D laser and juggling act to world-class gypsy jazz ensemble to classic clowning, all at affordable prices. The Series will energize audiences even as they escape the summer afternoon heat. Funding is provided, in part, by Mechanics Bank and support provided by the County Special Projects Fund.

"All of us at the Opera House are proud to be able to engage, entertain and impact the next generation," said Interim Artistic Director Chris Smith. "Our Summer Family Series aims at that: making performances accessible, affordable and relevant to all ages. This is an exciting collection of strong programs and talented artists. We want a lot of our kids to come away thinking of this as their Opera House too. This spirit of discovery and transformation are the heartbeat of the arts."

The schedule of shows is as follows and more information will be posted online at www.NVOH.org/family.

Mark Nizer 3-D Sunday, July 17, 2pm

Imagine four lasers being juggled at 1,000 RPMs, with spinning laser beams dancing just above your head. You'll see why Performance Magazine called Nizer's show "nothing less than brilliant." Stand-up comedy meets juggling meets technology in this show.

NV Jam Sunday, July 24, 2pm

Teen bands take the main stage. Omar Peña of "Wandering Rose" hosts an afternoon featuring three great, local sets and a mix of genres.

Circus Bella Sunday, July 31, 2pm

This one-ring circus featuring contemporary, high-level acts set to an original score performed by live musicians will leave you uplifted and inspired.

Beatles: Across the Universe Sing-Along Sunday, August 7, 2pm

Sing along to the music of the Beatles (lyrics provided).

The Vietnam War forms the backdrop for the romance between an upper-class American girl and a poor British artist. Rated PG-13.

Hot Club of San Francisco Sunday, August 14, 2pm

The best in gypsy jazz. An ensemble of accomplished, versatile musicians play innovative arrangements of classic tunes and originals on violin, bass and guitars.
Cosmos Percussion Orchestra Sunday, August 21, 2pm

Celebrate the heartbeat of World Music. This ensemble utilizes 40+ instruments to reflect the joy, sounds and culture of a diverse genre.

Avner the Eccentric Sunday, August 28, 2pm

A classic master of the art of physical comedy, Avner weaves a spell of poetic simplicity in a show of hilarious predicaments.