Napa Valley Opera House Kicks Off Year-Long Anniversary Celebration

One hundred and thirty years ago this week, the Napa Valley Opera House opened its doors for the first time. From Jack London to Steve Martin, John Philip Sousa to Wynton Marsalis, Luisa Tetrazzini to Joan Baez, the Opera House has held audiences enthralled by legends of their time. Singers, musicians, writers, dancers and speakers have graced the stage since the doors opened in January 1880. We invite you to a year-long celebration of 130 years of imagination, renovation and artistic excellence. We will soon announce additional performances that pay tribute to some of the historic Opera House presentations.

Honor the 130th anniversary of the Opera House's first performance with an event on 1/30 featuring renowned soprano Ruth Ann Swenson followed by a reception in the Cafe Theatré including live music, entertainment, sparkling wine, dessert and a display of rarely seen historic photos and memorabilia including a colorful, hand-painted backdrop curtain used to advertise local businesses in the early 1900s.

With her performance, Ruth Ann Swenson, accompanied by Whitney Crist on piano, honors the tradition of Luisa Tetrazzini, the widely famous Italian soprano of the early 1900s who performed on the Opera House stage. Ms. Swenson has won critical acclaim for her performances in the world's major opera houses including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Opera National de Paris, Royal Opera Covent Garden, and Berlin State Opera, as well as in many other international opera houses and concert halls. She is praised as an artist with an instrument of uncommon warmth and beauty matched by dazzling technical abilities. She will perform pieces by Handel and Gershwin, tunes from Broadway and film, and a tribute to Tetrazzini.

Price: $75 (performance only); $130 (performance & party), Tickets NVOH.org, 707.226.7372 or in person at the NVOH box office (1030 Main Street)