Stage director Jean-Romain Vesperini was introduced to the Versailles Royal Opera by Festival Napa Valley co-founder Charles Letourneau, leading to a notable international collaboration.

This production features Gaetano Donizetti’s opera La fille du régiment as part of the Festival Napa Valley, which runs from July 5 to July 20, 2025.

Innovatively addressing logistical challenges, the production utilizes digital projections of original Versailles sets, allowing for a seamless transfer to the Napa venue.

The Versailles Royal Opera, renowned for its historic home in the Palace of Versailles, is making its first U.S. tour this summer, with a performance scheduled at the Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena on July 18, 2025.

To engage modern audiences, Vesperini has adapted the staging to include contemporary humor and references like TikTok, reflecting current cultural trends.

The production maintains a focus on historical accuracy, featuring period costumes by Christian Lacroix and an orchestra using period instruments tuned to the original 1840 pitch.

What was once considered a 'crazy idea'—hosting the Versailles opera in Napa—became feasible thanks to shared cultural values and support from local vineyard owners, according to Letourneau.

Festival Napa Valley has made the opera accessible with ticket prices starting as low as $5, broadening the audience for this high-caliber cultural event.

Letourneau highlighted that this collaboration exemplifies a positive cultural exchange between countries and underscores the importance of more such initiatives.

In addition to La fille du régiment, the Versailles Royal Opera Orchestra will perform a second program of Baroque favorites on July 19, 2025, at Copeland Olive Hill Estate.