Trisha Yearwood among artists on tap for Festival Napa Valley’s 16th summer season

Carlo Ponti will conduct Festival Orchestra Napa at Festival Napa Valley’s 2022 summer season opener.Photo: Leah Millis / The Chronicle

Festival Napa Valley‘s 2022 summer season returns with eclectic programming that features a mix of symphonic concerts, opera, dance, jazz and family-friendly events, alongside wine tasting, art exhibitions and five-star meals.

“The performances at Festival Napa Valley this summer illuminate the importance of the arts in today’s world,” Richard Walker, the festival’s co-founder, said in a statement announcing the 16th season on Friday, March 25. “Our mission is more vital than ever.”

The theme for this year’s festival, set for July 15-24, is “the sounds of America,” said Robin Baggett, chairman of the festival’s board of directors. “From Copland and Bernstein to jazz, swing, Broadway, bluegrass and country, this is the music that celebrates our common heritage.”

Trisha Yearwood is one of the artists scheduled to perform at Festival Napa Valley this summer.Photo: Mickey Bernal / FilmMagic 2021

Festival Napa Valley’s opening night concert is expected to feature Carlo Ponti conducting Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide Overture” with Festival Orchestra Napa, and Sophia Bacelar performing movements from Daniel Brewbaker’s cello concerto “La Serenissima” and Dvorák’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World.”

Two days later on July 17, country star and Food Network personality Trisha Yearwood is slated to perform at the Arts for All Gala.The fundraiser provides scholarships to emerging musicians andfree music education and cultural activities for Napa Valley students, veterans and seniors. Its summer music academy offers 95 college and conservatory musicians hands-on performance experience during the festival.

The program also featuresBay Area violin prodigy Amaryn Olmeda on July 18, the jazzy Brubeck Brothers Quartet on July 19 and London recorder player Tabea Debus performing a concert for children on July 21.

Violin prodigy Amaryn Olmeda performs at Festival Napa Valley on July 18.Photo: San Francisco Chamber Orchestra

Performances will be held outdoors on the Festival Napa Valley Stage at Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena, the Jackson Family Wines Amphitheater at the Culinary Institute of America at Copia in Napa, andacross the wineries and concert halls of the region.

Concert tickets run up to $35, with several admission-free events throughout the week. A limited number of Patron Passes are available for special events, including the Arts for All Gala. Passes for Taste of Napa range from $150 to $295.

To view the full schedule and purchase tickets and passes, visitwww.festivalnapavalley.org.

  • Aidin Vaziri
    Aidin VaziriAidin Vaziri is The San Francisco Chronicle’s pop music critic. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MusicSF