Festival Napa Valley 2019 Summer Season Announcement

Festival Napa Valley, recognized for transforming California Wine Country into a cultural destination, announces its 2019 summer season, July 12 - 21. The 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing will be celebrated with more than 60 concerts and events in a season of innovation, exploration and discovery.

Now in its 14th year, Festival Napa Valley offers a rich program ranging from symphonic concerts, opera, film, and dance to chamber music and jazz.

In addition to presenting the finest performing arts, Festival Napa Valley is committed to supporting underserved members of the community by providing over 6,000 free tickets to students, veterans and seniors. The Festival is expanding its educational program with Arts for All camps for 1600 Boys & Girls Club youth ages 6-18, and a tuition-free music academy for 90 pre-professional musicians from around the world.

"We are honored to dedicate this season to celebrating one of humanity's transcendent achievements and our passion for continued exploration and discovery," said Richard Walker, President & CEO of Festival Napa Valley. "From Holst's The Planets to Diavolo's Voyage to the Moon, we will take our guests on an unforgettable journey."

Festival Napa Valley 2019 Highlights:

· Italian tenor Francesco Demuro and Georgian soprano Nino Machaidze kick off the 14th season on the fairway at Meadowood Napa Valley with Opera Under the Stars.

· Four-time Grammy Award-winner Seal headlines Wine Country's biggest arts charity event, the Arts for All Gala at HALL Napa Valley.

· British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, 2016 BBC Young Musician of the Year, makes his Bay Area debut with the Havana Chamber Orchestra at Far Niente.

· Broadway legend Patti LuPone performs in a private evening at Calistoga Ranch.

· Festival Orchestra Napa performs John William's Academy Award-winning score to Star Wars: A New Hope while the iconic 1977 film is projected on a giant screen.

· Rising stars - cellist Sophia Bacelar, violinist Charlie Siem, and percussionist Mitya Nilov - shine in Grand Cru Concertos with the Festival's Blackburn Music Academy Orchestra at Castello di Amorosa.

· Opera at the Castello features Bastianello, John Musto's hilarious one-act opera about marriage and wine.

· The renowned Los Angeles-based dance company Diavolo | Architecture in Motion performs two inspiring works: Voyage, about a trip to the moon, and Trajectoire, a voyage of destiny and destination in the Festival's Dede Wilsey Dance Series.

· Festival Live! Chamber Series returns with 12 free concerts at locations throughout Napa Valley.

· The popular Bouchaine Young Artist Series showcases the next generation of classical music artists.

· Festival Orchestra Napa performs Song to the Moon, a concert on the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing featuring works by Holst, Dvorak, Getty and Strauss. Rising star soprano Andriana Chuchman joins Maestro Joel Revzen for this performance.

· The legendary jazz fusion band The Yellowjackets perform a free Community Concert at Napa Valley College.

· Rock and roll party band Wonder Bread 5 headlines Taste of Napa, Festival Napa Valley's signature celebration of food, wine and music.

· Karen LeFrak's multimedia orchestral work, based on her eponymous children's book Sleepover at the Museum, marks its California premiere at the Concert for Kids.

· The Festival's Blackburn Music Academy Orchestra performs a lively admission-free Sunday at the Symphony concert.

· Postmodern Jukebox star Robyn Adele Anderson brings her sassy interpretations of modern hits in the Season Finale at Alpha Omega.

Single concert tickets starting at $39 are now on sale. For an elevated Festival Napa Valley experience, Patron Passes including access to exclusive lunches, dinners and lounges are also available. To view the full schedule and to purchase passes, visit FestivalNapaValley.org.

About Festival Napa Valley: Blending the beauty and bounty of Napa Valley with the very finest performing arts, Festival Napa Valley offers programs that enrich the economic and cultural vitality of the region and make the arts accessible to all. The Festival presents world class performances staged in iconic Napa Valley venues and inspiring educational programs offered at Napa County public schools year-round. It is presented by Napa Valley Festival Association, a nonprofit organization governed by a board of prominent vintners and local leaders. More than 200 artists, wineries, resorts, theaters, restaurants, chefs and vintners participate each year. Festival Napa Valley 2019 takes place July 12 - 21. To learn more, visit festivalnapavalley.org.