Rappahannock County Virginia Office of Tourism

World-renowned singers will appear in the Castleton Festival's fifth anniversary season, July 3 through July 28. Held at Castleton Farms in the rolling hills of Rappahannock County, the festival will feature more than 20 performances this month. Emerging talent and established artists come together in a beautiful setting to present music, opera and theater with fresh energy. The festival's operatic offerings explore contrasting themes of love, forgiveness and betrayal.

Maestro Lorin Maazel will conduct a new production of Puccini's "The Girl of the Golden West" ("La Fanciulla del West") and the Sir Peter Hall/Glyndebourne Festival production of Verdi's "Otello." "La Voix Humaine" ("The Human Voice") appears as a double bill, pairing for the first time the Cocteau play and the Poulenc opera, conducted by Malko Competition co-winner Antonio Méndez.

Renowned tenor Neil Shicoff will be featured in the Salute to Britten/Tchaikovsky, under the baton of Maestro Maazel. Internationally renowned violinist Dmitri Berlinski will make his Castleton debut playing Samuel Barber's "Violin Concerto."

Castleton will round out its artistic program with Mostly Mahler—four symphonic concerts, chamber music and song recitals featuring works of Mahler, Tchaikovsky, Britten, Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Requiem" and a new work, "Metropolitan," by Charles Peck, the new Castleton Young Composers Forum work selected by Maestro Maazel. The festival also will include song recitals and chamber concerts that showcase the young talent working on the Castleton Festival campus. The new Castleton Chamber Players will perform three concerts in the Theatre House.

In addition to singing supporting and chorus roles in the festival's operatic productions, the 2013 class of 55 CATS (Castleton Artists Training Seminar) participants will perform in recitals of opera scenes during the festival. The CATS program selects young artists to spend the summer living, training and rehearsing with Maestro Maazel, soprano Nancy Gustafson, actor Dietlinde Turban-Maazel, opera stars Denyce Graves, James Morris, Neil Shicoff and other distinguished musicians.

Enjoy an elegant Pre-Concert Gala Dinner on July 6 at 5 p.m. Dinner precedes the premiere of Castleton's performance of "The Girl of the Golden West." After the show, continue the celebration by joining Maestro Lorin Maazel and the stars of the Golden West for dessert.

Purchase tickets on Castleton's website or call 866-974-0767.

The Castleton Festival kicks off the 4th of July events on Wednesday, July 3 at 7 p.m., with a wink and a nod to Virginia's musical heritage. Folk duo Robin & Linda Williams and Their Fine Group will perform at this family-friendly event. Their Fine Group has gained widespread national prominence on Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion." The concert will be followed by fireworks.

On Thursday, July 4, gates to Thornton Hill Race Course open at 1 p.m. for Rappahannock County's July 4th Celebration. Food, antique cars, children's games, face painting, kiddie rides, mechanical bull, moon bounce, cliff hanger slide, dunk tank, medi-vac helicopter display and, of course, fireworks at dusk! Music by Dontez Inferno and Gold Top County Ramblers.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 4, Flint Hill Public House Restaurant will be serving up traditional 4th of July offerings for lunch. Burgers, fries, coleslaw, baby-back ribs and more. Reservations are recommended. Recently, Flint Hill Public House Restaurant and Inn received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award which is given only to establishments that consistently receive outstanding traveler reviews on TripAdvisor. Way to go!

Gadino Cellars celebrates America's 237th birthday on Saturday, July 6, from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Local fav
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