Festival Napa Valley Unveils 20th Anniversary Season
Highlights of the 20th anniversary season include the world premiere of The Judgment of Paris, a new opera by Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer, and more.
Festival Napa Valley will celebrate its 20th anniversary July 4–19, 2026, with a lineup featuring international stars and emerging talent. Passes for the Patron Experience, available now for July 10–19, offer access to renowned wineries, luxury resorts, and private estates while supporting the Festival’s nonprofit mission to enrich lives through education, wellness, and the arts. Single tickets will be available beginning March 11.
“Over the past two decades, Festival Napa Valley has grown into one of the world’s premier celebrations of music, art, and culture, bringing extraordinary talent to one of the planet’s most inspiring destinations,” said Steven Stull, Chairman of the Festival Napa Valley Board of Directors. “We look forward to welcoming guests from near and far as we commemorate this landmark year.”
Highlights of the 20th anniversary season include the world premiere of The Judgment of Paris, a new opera by Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer, commissioned by Festival Napa Valley. The production, conducted by Kent Nagano and directed by Jean-Romain Vesperini, stars soprano Danielle De Niese, baritone Quinn Kelsey, tenor Nicholas Phan, mezzo-soprano Simone McIntosh, soprano Brenda Rae, and Fellows from the Manetti Shrem Opera Program.
Renée Fleming returns to Festival Napa Valley as keynote speaker for the Music and Wellness Summit and as headliner in Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene, an Olivia Decker Power of Music concert. Other highlights include Uytengsu Family Opening Night: From Beethoven to Getty to Dylan with Time for Three and the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, conducted by Steve Hackman; soprano Lisa Delan and friends in an intimate art song recital; a tribute to Luciano Pavarotti as part of Maria Manetti Celebrates La Dolce Vita!; a Grand Cru performance with violinist Ray Chen and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet; a swinging concert with the LMR Jazz Orchestra; and a Symphonic Finale honoring America’s 250th anniversary.
Signature events include A Night at the Ballet: From Swan Lake to The Stones, directed by Live Arts Global’s Melanie Hamrick; a performance of Opera Scenes with the Manetti Shrem Opera Fellows; and an outdoor film screening of The Wizard of Oz with live orchestra.
Returning Festival favorites include the popular Taste of Napa grand tasting at The Meritage Resort and Spa and the Arts for All Gala at Nickel & Nickel. The headliner and featured chef for this special 20th anniversary edition of the Gala will be announced in January.
Daily admission-free Festival Live! concerts feature participants from the tuition-free Frost School of Music at Festival Napa Valley, Blackburn Music Academy and the Manetti Shrem Opera Program. Additional free events include Bouchaine Young Artist Concerts and family-friendly Novack Concerts for Kids. For evening performances, the Festival’s Choose Your Price ticketing model allows attendees to select ticket prices that best fit their budgets.
Venue and event hosts include Beringer Vineyards, Bouchaine Vineyards, Cameo Cinema, Castello di Amorosa, Charles Krug, Copeland Olive Hill Estate, Freemark Abbey Winery, Gargiulo Vineyards, Jarvis Conservatory, Nickel & Nickel, Opus One, Raymond Vineyards, The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Copia, and The Meritage Resort and Spa, with additional venues and hosts to be announced.
Concerts at Charles Krug feature the Festival Napa Valley Culinary Garden, offering guests exceptional fare from acclaimed local restaurants and artisan purveyors.
