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Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Festival Napa Valley proved again that the vineyards are a fertile ground for both vintages and fresh artistic talent. After a day that began with a music and wellness seminar led by soprano Reneé Fleming, and a display of classic cars, it was time for the orchestra to take over at Uytengsu Family Opening Night on Friday, July 10. 

With its 2026 season underway, California’s Festival Napa Valley is presenting VC Artists Hina & Fiona this weekend in two significant world premieres. The first on July 11 will be John Corigliano’s The Red Violin: Suite for Two Violins and Orchestra. 

Sienna Peck, Executive Producer of Festival Napa Valley, appeared on Mornings on 2, to talk about the summer season, and the big name performers coming to the wine country.

Sienna Peck, Executive Producer of Festival Napa Valley, joined host Jessica Wills to preview the festival’s 20th anniversary season and share how audiences can experience everything from concerts and culinary events to wellness programming and cultural experiences across Wine Country.

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.

While there’s nothing new about violin prodigies, the sisters Hina and Fiona Khuong-Huu are causing quite a stir in the classical music world as a performing duo. 

The peak of summer has arrived in California, buoyed by July 4th celebrations and America 250 festivities across the state. Beyond Independence Day, July brings plenty of classic fairs and rodeos, as well as long-running festivals. Here are 20-plus ways to build a summer getaway around a ready-made party in Northern, Central, and Southern California.

Two decades ago this July, the strains of Mozart wafting from Joshua Bell’s violin inaugurated the experience now known as Festival Napa Valley. The ensuing week of performances, dinners and parties paired classical music with regional food and wine to great effect. The festival sought to define Napa Valley as a cultural destination to match Napa’s world-class wine, and well it has.

A legendary wine competition, Napa Valley, and opera may not sound like they belong in the same sentence. Inspired by the famous 1976 Judgment of Paris wine tasting that changed California wine forever, this new opera is bringing one of the state's most iconic moments to the stage.