THE JUDGMENT OF PARIS Opera by Jake Heggie to Make World Premiere at Festival Napa Valley

Festival Napa Valley's 20th Anniversary Season will feature three world premieres commissioned by the Festival: The Judgment of Paris, a new opera by Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer inspired by the legendary 1976 blind tasting that transformed the wine world; As I Breathe, a concerto by Michael Thurber for the Grammy Award-winning ensemble Time for Three; and The Red Violin: Suite for Two Violins and Orchestra by John Corigliano, performed by acclaimed sister violin duo Hina & Fiona.

“Commissioning new work is a vital part of our mission,” said Charles Letourneau, Executive Vice President and Director of Artistic Planning for the Festival. “We're thrilled to present three world premieres this season.”

The season opens July 10 with the premiere of Thurber's As I Breathe, a four-movement work for two amplified violins and amplified double bass that blends instrumental performance and singing. The piece will be performed by Time for Three with Festival Orchestra Napa, led by conductor Stephanie Childress.

On July 11, Bouchaine Young Artists Hina & Fiona will perform the world premiere of Corigliano's The Red Violin: Suite for Two Violins and Orchestra, created from the composer's celebrated score to the 1998 film The Red Violin, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Score. The program also features renowned soprano Renée Fleming, with the Pacific Symphony conducted by Alexander Shelley.

Festival Napa Valley will present The Judgment of Paris on July 18. The one-act opera by Heggie and Scheer draws on the historic 1976 blind tasting that put Napa Valley on the world wine map. The production features soprano Danielle De Niese, baritone Quinn Kelsey, tenor Nicholas Phan, and mezzo-sopranos Simone McIntosh and Brenda Rae, along with the Manetti Shrem Opera Program Fellows and Festival Orchestra Napa under Kent Nagano. Stage direction is by Jean-Romain Vesperini.

All three premieres will take place on the Festival Napa Valley Stage at Charles Krug Winery at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are Choose Your Price, with prices starting at $5. Each performance will also feature the Festival Napa Valley Culinary Garden and the Family Zone, with food, drinks, and activities before and after the performances.

Festival Napa Valley's 20th Anniversary Season runs July 4-19 at venues throughout Napa Valley and features more than 200 artists in music and dance performances, along with special events, daily admission-free Festival Live! concerts, Bouchaine Young Artist Concerts, Novack Concerts for Kids, Taste of Napa, a Music & Wellness Summit, and exclusive Patron events.

The full lineup can be viewed at https://www.festivalnapavalley.org/attend/2026-summer-season-schedule/.

Festival Napa Valley's 2026 presenting sponsor is Bouchaine Vineyards. Premier sponsors include J.P. Morgan Wealth Management, Kaiser Permanente, The Meritage Resort and Spa, and Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. Rivian is the Official Luxury Vehicle. Luxury brand sponsors include Lucchese, Mikimoto, and Pomellato. Performance partners include Charles Krug, Napa Valley College, Large Screen Video Inc., Sound Image/Clair Global, Steinway & Sons, and The CIA at Copia. The Festival also gratefully acknowledges the support of Napa Valley's vintner and hospitality community, including more than 100 partner wineries, resorts, and hotels.

The Frost School at Festival Napa Valley is a multiyear partnership with the University of Miami, featuring the Frost School of Music faculty and students playing a lead role in the Festival's university-level educational, chamber music, and orchestral music programming.

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