The art of song became part of the rich musical mix at this year’s Festival del Sole, and never more so than at Saturday afternoon’s concert at the Napa Valley Opera House starring soprano Danielle de Niese.

De Niese wowed audiences at the Festival’s earlier program with her sensuous Cleopatra in scenes from Handel’s “Giulio Cesare.” Baroque splendor and coloratura fireworks are seemingly her high calling. But she refuted that restrictive perception in this performance with her easy mastery of songs by widely divergent composers in widely divergent styles.

De Niese is a physical singer, immediately engaging her listeners as much with her broad smile and flashing eyes as her vivid voice. Her first offering was a pair of songs by Gabriel Fauré to texts by the French sensualist, Paul Verlaine, “Mandoline” and “Claire de Lune,” each filled with beautifully voiced longing. She was elegantly accompanied by none other than Antonio Pappano at the piano, the internationally famous conductor and music director of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and an example of the depth of musical talent at this year’s festival. 

The high point of the Fauré, however, was de Niese’s interpretation of “Après un Réve” ( “After the Dream”), with its lovely elongations of poetic lines such as “Reviens, ô nuit mystérieuse,” (“Return, o mysterious night”) and its soft trailings of voice.

In contrast, the two artists then effortlessly shifted their styles to songs by one-time modernist William Walton and Edith Sitwell’s acerbic poems, “Façade.” The resulting “Through Gilded Trellises” was all jazzy irregularity, sly dischordancy and fun word pointing (“They flirt their fans, flaunting”), de Niese showing her classical flair with seamless vocal runs, polished dimenuendo and expressive rubato. This was followed by “Old Sir Faulk,” an impetuous fox trot, and it, too, was full of rushes and flurries of piano and voice.

The art of song is a delicate one, and a challenging combination of poetic thought, musical style and the singer’s and accompanist’s interpretations. And it was the warm acoustic intimacy of the Opera House that greatly added to de Niese and Pappano’s delivery of the next set by Francis Poulenc, and then James Joyce’s tangled texts set by the American modernist, Samuel Barber. While “Solitary Hotel” had a sense of melancholic drama, and “Sleep Now” was a kind of keening lullaby, “Nuvoletta” was intense, de Niese’s voice in full thrall with glowing golden tones. The resulting applause was considerable.

French seems the language of choice for this soprano, however, and she beautifully articulated Bizet’s romantic “Chanson d’Avril” (“Song of April”) with its delicate poetic endings (“A réveillée l’amour endormi dans les bois!”  “It is Eros who has been awakened in the woods!”), followed by the joyous “La Coccinelle” (“The Ladybug”) with its little rhythmic teasing.  But it was the “Tarantelle” that made a wonderful finale, de Niese tossing off prepared trills and glorious runs, Pappano always in stylish support.

De Niese is undoubtedly the soprano of the moment, with interviews and photo-layouts in the recent musical press as well as acclamations for her appearances at Glydebourne and the Metropolitan Opera.  For those lucky enough to have been in attendance at her festival appearances, they will surely say: Ah, we remember her in Napa!

The program concluded with Mendelssohn’s “Piano Trio in D Minor” sensitively played by Dmitry Sitkovetsky on violin, Orion Weiss on piano and Nina Kotova on cello. Sitkovetsky’s tone was honeyed throughout, Kotova’s burnished. The “Andante espressivo” that followed was both lively and lyrical, the scherzo brimming with pianistic brilliance by Weiss, and then the “Allegro appassionato” filled with grand final flourishes.

To this observer, this second festival has been especially well-balanced with exciting vocal, instrumental and orchestral listening opportunities. The list of international artists has been formidable, and it certainly has offered not only the Napa Valley but the greater Bay Area a sonic feast. But there has been another aspect, and that is the accessibility of these artists.

What a pleasure it was seeing violinist Joshua Bell as a member of the audience, the admirers surrounding young pianist Conrad Tao, those listening to David Daniels rehearse, the ease with which Danielle de Niese chatted at intermission, watching such conductors as Carlo Ponti Jr., Nicholas McGegan, Stéphane Denève, Nicola Luisotti and Antonio Pappano in animated conversation, the charming Galways and the violinist Dmitry Sitkovetsky greeting local friends, the composer Marco Tutino explaining his ballet, and pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Christopher Taylor and Orion Weiss in such close proximity. And who cannot but admire the smiling members of the Philharmonia Baroque and the outstanding Russian National Orchestra?

As a result, this has been a truly festive time for both musicmakers and audiences, and Festival organizer Barrett Wissman and artistic director Nina Kotova are to be congratulated for creating such a rewarding musical ambiance. Many of us now eagerly await festival number three, and even more vocal splendors.