The San Francisco Opera's rising stars will come to Napa Valley next week to perform in a first-time ever collaboration with the Napa Valley Symphony and the Napa Valley Chorale to present Mozart's "Don Giovanni," at the Lincoln Theater in Yountville.

The San Francisco singers, who have earned highly prized spots in the San Francisco Opera's prestigious two-year residency known as the Adler Fellows Program, have been rehearsing in San Francisco and Yountville for weeks in preparation for the March 3 and 5 presentations of one of Mozart's most beloved operas, the tale of Don Juan, the infamous seducer of women.

Symphonies, orchestras, singers, musicians, theaters and music lovers worldwide are celebrating the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth this year.

The "Adlers," as the program participants are known, are advanced singers and stage directors offered intensive individual training and roles of increasing importance in the San Francisco Opera season. They come from throughout the world to audition and then make a two-year commitment to the program.

"The Adler Fellowship is one of the top resident artist programs," said Sheri Greenawald, director of the San Francisco Opera Center who is also directing this production of "Don Giovanni." "We choose four to five singers each year from the 23 singers brought in for our 11-week Merola Opera Training Program, and those singers are chosen from over 600 applicants." The length of the Merola Program gives the Opera the chance to choose the most promising operatic talent for the Adler Fellowship.

Michael Savage, Lincoln Theater's executive director who has long been a supporter of the Adler Fellows Program, said, "To see these artists perform now, at the beginning of their careers provides an early look at the talent of the next generation of operatic stars. These young singers, who have already risen to the top of their field at this stage, are on the path towards expected international operatic stardom."

For Savage, bringing the Adlers to the Napa Valley is a dream come true, "I have wanted to bring the San Francisco Opera to the Napa Valley for many years," Savage said. "This show will be a special treat as this year's Adlers are unusually talented, we will hear some spectacular voices that will only be heightened by the acoustics of Lincoln Theater, and this will be the only chance this year to hear these artists performing as an ensemble."

The Lincoln Theater, Greenawald said, "is a wonderful facility -- excellent acoustics, the perfect size for an opera such as Giovanni."

"Don Giovanni" at Lincoln Theater provides the exclusive opportunity to see the Adlers perform as an ensemble, this season.

Former Adler Fellows include sopranos Nicolle Foland, Nancy Gustafson, Mary Mills, Patricia Racette, Ruth Ann Swenson and Deborah Voigt; mezzo-sopranos Zheng Cao and Dolora Zajick; countertenor Brian Asawa; baritone Mel Ulrich and bass-baritones Monte Pederson and John Relyea.

The current Adler Fellows performing in "Don Giovanni," who range in age from their mid 20s to early 30s, include Eugene Brancoveanu (Don Giovanni), Jeremy Galyon (Leporello), Matthew O'Neill (Don Ottavio), Elza van den Heever (Donna Anna), Melody Moore (Donna Elvira) and Rhoslyn Jones (Zerlina). Former Adler Fellows Ricardo Herrera (Masetto) and Gregory Stapp (the Commendatore) are also in the production.

"Don Giovanni" was written in Italian but audiences will be able to follow the story in English from supertitles above Lincoln Theater's stage.

In addition, ticket holders can attend noted musicologist and author Dr. James Keolker's free talk one hour prior to each show. .He'll discuss why Mozart's "Don Giovanni" is considered to be the "perfect opera," what to listen for, and how to most enjoy this exciting work.

Keolker is a voice critic for San Francisco Classical Voice and a professor of opera studies at the Fromm Institute at the University of California. The talks are at 7 p.m. on March 3, and 2 p.m. on March 5, and are free to "Don Giovanni" ticket holders.

While this won't be a period presentation, Savage said it is a timeless adaptation of the show that will be fully acted against scenery projected onto the backdrop of the stage. The intentional focus of the production is upon the stellar voices of the Adlers.

"It's a classic and exciting story, but it has a lot of funny moments too," said Savage, who said his first love is opera. As managing director of San Francisco Opera he spent two years overseeing the renovation of San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House following the Loma Prieta Earthquake before bringing his expertise to both the Napa Valley Opera House and Lincoln Theater.

"Everyone will leave the theater uplifted by both the music and the power of a story so well-told," Savage said.

Mozart's "Don Giovanni" performances are at 8 p.m. March 3 and 3 p.m. March 5. Tickets are $30, $50, $60, $75. For information and reservations, call the Lincoln Theater Box Office at 944-1300..