Programs
Celebrating outstanding contributions to the arts, the Angels of the Arts Award is Festival Napa Valley’s highest honor. In 2022, Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem were the inaugural recipients of this distinction. The Angels of the Arts Award is presented every two years to a deserving supporter and patron of the arts.
The 2024 Angels of the Arts Gala will honor Gordon Getty, a legend of the arts world and one of Festival Napa Valley’s Founding Benefactors. A celebrated composer, vintner, and philanthropist, Getty’s artistry and generosity have made their mark on audiences and arts organizations across the globe.
This sparkling evening takes place at the San Francisco War Memorial’s glamorous Green Room, in the heart of the city where Getty was born and where he discovered and honed his passion for music. Getty’s orchestral, choral, and chamber works have been performed to critical acclaim around the world, but some of the most memorable performances have taken place at home: San Francisco Symphony premiered his first opera Plump Jack in 1984; San Francisco Opera gave his opera Usher House its U.S. premiere at the War Memorial in 2014; and Festival Napa Valley proudly presented the world premiere of his most recent opera reimagined for film, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, in 2021.
On this unforgettable occasion, you’ll enjoy a spectacular dinner prepared by culinary stars Sarah and Evan Rich, the duo behind San Francisco’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Rich Table. Each course will be expertly paired with wines from Festival Napa Valley’s partner wineries. You’ll also be treated to tributes by vintners and musicians who have special connections to Getty and his work.
Among the evening’s performers are sopranos Alexandra Armantrading, Lisa Delan, and Melody Moore, mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, tenor Nathan Granner, baritone Lester Lynch, pianist Kevin Korth, and composer Jake Heggie. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of an extraordinary artist on his milestone birthday, an Angel of the Arts, and a beloved artistic partner, supporter, and friend.