by The Violin Channel
December 11, 2025

Written with librettist Gene Scheer, the new work will celebrate the pioneers of California wine tasting

Festival Napa Valley announced the commissioning and world premiere of a new one-act opera by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer, titled “The Judgment of Paris.”

The work will debut with full orchestra on July 18, 2026, on the Festival Napa Valley Stage at Charles Krug Winery, as part of the festival’s 20th Anniversary Season.

The production will feature sopranos Danielle De Niese and Brenda Rae, baritone Quinn Kelsey, tenor Nicholas Phan, and mezzo-soprano Simone McIntosh. They are joined by Festival Napa Valley’s Manetti Shrem Opera Program Fellows. The opera will be directed by Jean-Romain Vesperini and conducted by Kent Nagano, with projections by a team of designers whose credits include the Paris Olympics.

“The Judgment of Paris reimagines the iconic 1976 blind tasting that put Napa Valley wines on the global stage and forever changed the relationship between tradition and innovation,” the Festival shared. “The opera brings the gods of Olympus together with the pioneers of California winemaking in a hilarious and heartfelt celebration of discovery, creativity, and transformation.”

“In the opera, the god of wine Bacchus defends the eternal supremacy of French wine, while Venus champions curiosity and change,” they continued. “Their celestial rivalry spills from Olympus into 1970s Paris and Napa Valley, where Steven Spurrier, Patricia Gallagher, and a group of visionary winemakers stage the audacious blind tasting that shocks the world. When the results reveal Napa wines at the top of the rankings, gods and mortals alike are forced to reconsider what tradition, excellence, and innovation truly mean.”

The cast will portray the Napa and Paris pioneers at the heart of the story: Joanne DePuy, Mike Grgich, Warren Winiarski, and George Taber. A chorus will represent the customers at the Académie du Vin and the French judges who take part in the fateful tasting.

The premiere marks a convergence of three major milestones: the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Judgment of Paris, the 250th anniversary of the United States, and the 20th anniversary of Festival Napa Valley.

“Wine and opera – a pairing made in heaven,” Jake Heggie said. “I am having the time of my life writing The Judgment of Paris and collaborating with the first-rate creative team assembled by Festival Napa Valley. This story has such great heart and its high stakes, infused with the antics of Bacchus and Venus, make for a truly fun piece. The music that’s emerging is vital, rhythmic, and filled with the soaring vocal lyricism I adore. I’d been yearning for a joyful new project that sets my creative spirit on fire – this is the one!”

“This opera captures the essence of Napa Valley — curiosity, courage, and the joy of discovery,” said Charles Letourneau, Vice President and Director of Artistic Planning at Festival Napa Valley. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer on a project that unites artistry, history, and the enduring power of innovation.”