The Judgment of Paris • 2026
Libretto by Gene Scheer
Opera in one act
World Premiere: July 18, 2026
Commissioned by Festival Napa Valley
Duration: 80’
About
Commissioned for Festival Napa Valley's 20th Anniversary Season, The Judgment of Paris is a one-act opera inspired by the legendary 1976 blind tasting that transformed the world of wine. Blending myth with modern history, the opera brings Bacchus and Venus from Olympus to 1970s Paris and Napa Valley, where they encounter the visionary vintners who dared to defy tradition – sparking a cultural turning point that reshaped both wine and art.
Premiere Cast & Creative
Conductor: Kent Nagano
Director: Jean-Romain Vesperini
Choreographer: Natasha Adorlee
Video Designer: Étienne Guiol
Scenic Designer: Nimblist
Costume Designer: Amanda Gladu
Lighting Designer: Kille Knobel
Technical Director: Duncan Gallagher
Chorus Director: Noah Lindquist
Stage Manager: Erin McCoy
Venus: Danielle De Niese
Bacchus: Quinn Kelsey
Steven Spurrier: Nicholas Phan
Patricia Gallagher: Simone McIntosh
Odette Kahn: Brenda Rae
Joanne Depuy: Allison Fahey
Mike Grgich: Trey Fitzgerald
Warren Winiarski: Theodore McAlindon
George Taber: Ross Macatangay