The third Festival del Sole is set to return to the Napa Valley July 12-20. The 10-day schedule includes concerts,  visual art exhibitions, free community concerts and family events.

This year’s returning guest artists include violinists Joshua Bell and Dmitry Sitkovetsky, the French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and 13-year old piano prodigy Conrad Tao. Artists making their festival debut include award-winning pianists André Watts and Simone Dinnerstein, oboist Alexei Ogrintchouk, soprano powerhouse Measha Brueggergosman, San Francisco Opera favorite Jill Grove, and one of the music world’s newest stars mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca. Featured ensembles are the Dallas Symphony, UBS Verbier Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco Opera Festival Orchestra and the Napa Valley Symphony.

In advance of its formal opening Festival del Sole will present a free Independence Day outdoor concert on July 4 featuring the Napa Valley Symphony and pianist Conrad Tao. Included in the program are George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with Tao as soloist, and Aaron Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait.” The evening concludes with a fireworks display.  

Headlining the official opening on July 12 are Brueggergosman, Watts and the San Francisco Opera Festival Orchestra in concert at Lincoln Theater in Yountville. The performance is followed by a dinner at the Robert Mondavi Winery.   

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jaap van Sweden also makes its Festival debut in Lincoln Theater performances on July 18 and 20.  

The festival also presents three consecutive nights of chamber music, July 15, 16 and 17, featuring the UBS Verbier Chamber Orchestra and acclaimed artists including Bell, Garanca, Sitkovetsky and Thibaudet. These concerts take place at the Castello di Amorosa, vintner Daryl Sattui’s Tuscan-style castle complete with guard towers, dungeons, escape tunnels, a moat and a torture chamber. For lovers of literature, the festival plans an Edgar Allan Poe poetry reading in the castle’s dungeon.  

Other programming includes a performance of the Grammy-nominated Cuban group Tiempo Libre, presented in collaboration with the Robert Mondavi Winery Summer Music Festival; and an evening celebrating Persian culture at Darioush Winery, the Napa winery inspired by the ancient Persian capital of Persepolis. Back again this year at Copia are the Festival’s popular Family Day and the Young Artists Series showcasing new talent in noontime recitals.  Both activities are free and open to the public.  

Gala events with the artists and other special guests are the culinary highlight and social center of Festival del Sole. For the third year running Far Niente opens its historic doors for one of the post-concert dinners. Also hosting dinners are Betsy and Steven Moulds, Opus One, Calistoga Ranch and Grgich Hills. Dominus Estate plans a Mexican fiesta for its festival guests. In addition to the opening night dinner, Mondavi Winery also hosts a party with the musicians of Tiempo Libre. Thomas Keller is slated as the chef for Maria Manetti’s Farrow’s luncheon at her Villa Mille Rose estate. Clos Pegase, Far Niente and Sullivan Vineyards are the venues for other Festival lunches.  

This year, the festival expands its visual arts program to include three outstanding exhibitions of works by Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol, and J Henry Fair.

Tickets for concerts at Lincoln Theater, Castello di Amorosa and Robert Mondavi Winery range from $45-$125. For tickets, please call 226-8742.  

Passes include exclusive access to gala lunches, dinners and other VIP events, and prime seating at performances. For information and purchases, please call (888) FDS-NAPA.

For further information, please visit www.fdsnapa.com.