Festival Napa Valley knows how to set a stage. On February 6, the stage was the St. Regis San Francisco where art, sophistication, and a stylish crowd came together for an evening of music, wine, and cultural exchange.
The occasion was the Lunar New Year, and Festival Napa Valley celebrated the Year of the Snake by marking the first stateside program of its newly launched Festival Napa Valley/China Cultural Exchange. The intimate performance by the Beijing Guitar Duo featured acclaimed guitarists Su Meng and Wang Yameng. The duo’s virtuosic performance was part of the FNV’s Olivia Decker Power of Music series and seamlessly fused Eastern and Western musical traditions.
With its art-filled halls and prime location in the heart of San Francisco’s cultural district, the hotel was the perfect setting for the event. Guests were treated to Domaine Carneros’ exceptional sparkling and still wines, an array of elegant hors d’oeuvres, and good fortune icons painted by hand on-site by calligraphy artist Tao Tao, providing personalized keepsakes of wishes for prosperity and good health to take home.
Adding to the evening’s international flair, Deputy Consul Zhou Maoyi along with Song Jiameng, Weiwei Liu, and Tongyao Wang from the Chinese consulate were acknowledged from the stage by the festival’s executive producer, Sienna Peck.
Attendees included festival board members Olivia Decker and Romana Bracco, philanthropist Fred Levin, art maven Heide Betz, luxury realtor Joel Goodrich, the St. Regis San Francisco’s Lilian Wagner, festival patrons Fariba and Iraj Zolnasr, West Edge Opera and Diablo Ballet board member Elizabeth Green-Sah, and Festival Napa Valley co-founders Rick Walker and Charles Letourneau. Italian tenor Pasquale Esposito and his wife, Samira Ghazvini, along with influencer Stephanie Chung with Matias Castello added to the evening’s allure.
Featuring year-round events, the Festival Napa Valley’s Olivia Decker Power of Music Series presents globally recognized performing artists and emerging talent on spectacular stages in the Bay Area and beyond. For upcoming FNV events, visit www.festivalnapavalley.org.