Festival Napa Valley kicked off its 10-day Bay Area takeover with drama and style at Opening Night: Opera Under the Stars at Meadowood Napa Valley. The alfresco affair featured stunning performances by three operatic stars — soprano Joyce El-Khoury, tenor Francesco Demuro and baritone Lucas Meachem — who commanded the stage surrounded by weeping willows. The Blackburn Music Academy Orchestra, conducted by Christian Reif, joined the performers.
Opening night guests noshed on a gourmet dinner by the Meadowood culinary team, accompanied by fine wines and mood-setting candles in a lush enclave of the verdant estate. Boldface names in attendance included Timothy and Athena Blackburn, Gordon and Ann Getty, Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem and Mayor London Breed, among others.
