IMG Artists Announces "Festival de Sole" in Napa Valley and "Tuscan Sun Festival" in Cortona, Italy
13 December 2005
For Immediate Release:
IMG ARTISTS ANNOUNCES "FESTIVAL DEL SOLE" IN NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, AS THE SISTER TO THE "TUSCAN SUN FESTIVAL" IN CORTONA, ITALY
Successful, Multifaceted Concept Previously Introduced To Tuscany
To Be Launched In Napa Valley
"Festival Del Sole"
July 16-23, 2006
Inaugural year artists to include such notables as Renée Fleming, Joshua Bell, Alan Gilbert, Nina Kotova, the Emerson String Quartet, Anne Sofie Von Otter, Piotr Anderszewski, Stéphane Denève, Samuel Ramey, Frederica Von Stade, Nikolaj Znaider, Carlo Ponti Jr. and Sarah Chang.
"Tuscan Sun Festival"
August 5-20, 2006
The fourth year of the Festival to include such distinguished artists as Antonio Pappano, Anna Netrebko, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Lang Lang, Joshua Bell, Stéphane Denève, Susan Graham, Nina Kotova, Pinchas Zukerman, Marcelo Alvarez, Vadim Repin, Sarah Chang, Piotr Anderszewski, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, and Nikolaj Znaider.
13 December, 2005 − IMG Artists proudly announces the musical programs for the fourth annual Tuscan Sun Festival and the inaugural edition of the Festival del Sole in Napa Valley, California. As producers of both, IMG Artists will extend the successful concept developed for the Tuscan Sun Festival - a combination of concerts performed by the world’s most acclaimed musical artists, exhibitions with leading visual artists, discussions with top literary figures, and culinary delights with the finest chefs and winemakers - to Napa Valley with the launch of the Festival del Sole. The inaugural Festival del Sole will be held from July 16-23, 2006 and will be followed by the Tuscan Sun Festival, based in Cortona, Italy, from August 5-20, 2006.
“We are extremely excited about creating unique, multi-sensory events that unite the world’s best and most adventurous music making in concert with the visual, literary and culinary arts. We could not imagine a better place than Napa Valley for the expansion of our concept already thriving in Tuscany. Napa Valley embodies the very essence of what we are doing in Cortona and is a natural location for the extension of the Tuscan Sun Festival”, said Barrett Wissman, Chairman of IMG Artists, founder of the Tuscan Sun Festival and co-founder of the Festival del Sole in Napa Valley.
Keeping the festival experience unique, concerts at the Festival del Sole in Napa Valley will take place at multiple venues including the Lincoln Theater and several other interesting locations such as vineyards, caves, chapels and outdoor amphitheatres. Additionally, there will be art exhibitions and culinary and wine events at several venues throughout the valley, including The Napa Valley Museum and COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts. Each of the concerts will be followed by exclusive receptions and dinners, featuring the best food and wine Napa Valley has to offer.
Festival del Sole’s Co-Founder and Co-Director, Richard Walker said, “With the launch of Festival Del Sole, the Napa Valley, already renowned for its fabled wine and cuisine, joins the ranks of the world's leading cultural destinations as well. The spectacular roster of artists appearing on stages across Napa Valley next July will quickly establish the Festival del Sole at the front ranks of international summer festivals.”
With the charming Teatro Signorelli, the atmospheric medieval open-air Piazza Signorelli and Fortezza Medicea as venues for the Tuscan Sun Festival concerts, Cortona continues to distinguish itself as the ideal host of the annual Italian event, which includes daily concerts, lectures and literary programs, multiple art exhibitions, and nightly receptions with culinary events and wine tastings. Frances Mayes, one of the Festival’s artistic directors and whose book and film, “Under the Tuscan Sun” helped introduce Cortona to the world, says,"The Tuscan Sun Festival is a wonderful way of bringing the joys of Tuscany to life. Those of us who love living in Cortona are delighted to help create a tradition that honors its heritage and celebrates its future.”
Along with the distinguished roster of soloists who will perform at each festival, IMG Artists is pleased to announce the Chamber Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, under the leadership of Antonio Pappano, and the New European Strings Orchestra, under the baton of maestro Dmitri Sitkovetsky, will be returning to the Tuscan Sun Festival. In addition, the Russian National Orchestra joins as a new participant in Tuscany and will be the founding orchestra of the Festival del Sole in Napa Valley.
With further details of art, literature, food and wine events forthcoming for both festivals, IMG Artists is pleased to announce the following concerts. Details:
FestivalDel Sole, Napa Valley, California and Tuscan Sun Festival, Cortona, Italy
Festival Founder and General Director: Barrett Wissman
Festivals Artistic Directors: Nina Kotova, Frances Mayes
Napa Valley Co-Founder and Co-Director: Richard Walker
Music Directors: Antonio Pappano, Stéphane Denève, Alan Gilbert, Dmitry Sitkovetsky
Orchestras: Chamber Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Russian National Orchestra, Cherubini Orchestra, New European Strings
FestivalDel Sole, Napa Valley, California
July 16 Anne Sofie Von Otter, Joshua Bell, Alan Gilbert, Russian National Orchestra
July 17 Christopher Taylor; Recital
July 18 Nikolaj Znaider, Piotr Anderszewski, Nina Kotova; Chamber Concert
July 19 Frederica Von Stade, Samuel Ramey, Carlo Ponti Jr., Russian National Orchestra
July 20 Emerson String Quartet
July 21 Nikolaj Znaider, Stéphane Denève,
Russian National Orchestra
July 22 Sarah Chang, Russian National Orchestra
July 23 Renée Fleming, Nina Kotova, Stéphane Denève, Russian National Orchestra
Tuscan Sun Festival, Cortona, Italy
Aug 5 Marcelo Alvarez, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, New European Strings
Aug 6 Piotr Anderszewski; Recital
Aug 7 Pinchas Zukerman, Zukerman Chamber Players
Aug 8 Susan Graham, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, New European Strings
Aug 9 Pinchas Zukerman (violin), Stéphane Denève, Russian National Orchestra
Aug 10 Chamber Evening; Susan Graham, Piotr Anderszewski, Vadim Repin, Nina Kotova
Aug 11 Anna Netrebko, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Nina Kotova, Nicola Luisotti, Russian National Orchestra
Aug 12 Joshua Bell; Recital
Aug 13 Joshua Bell, Piotr Anderszewski, Stéphane Denève, Russian National Orchestra
Aug 14 Joaquin Achucarro; Recital
Aug 15 Lang Lang, Antonio Pappano, Chamber Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Aug 16 Chamber Evening; Lang Lang, Nina Kotova and friends
Aug 17 Sarah Chang, Cherubini Orchestra
Aug 18 Chamber Evening; Sarah Chang, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Nikolaj Znaider and friends.
Aug 19 Nikolaj Znaider, Antonio Pappano, Chamber Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Aug 20 TBA
Details for both festivals, as well as program developments, can be found at www.tuscansunfestival.com and www.festivaldelsole.com.
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LINKS
Festival del Sole: www.festivaldelsole.com
Tuscan Sun Festival: www.tuscansunfestival.com
The Napa Valley Museum: www.napavalleymuseum.org
Lincoln Theater: www.lincolntheater.org
COPIA: www.copia.org
Russian National Orchestra: www.rno.ru