The Castleton Festival is a summer music festival that brings a sophisticated line of classical music, theater and opera to the hills of Rappahannock County, Virginia, approximately 60 miles southwest of Washington DC. The event combines modern acting with a mentoring program for young artists and theater professionals. Each summer, rising singers, musicians, makeup artists and costume artists, technicians and actors work at their craft alongside seasoned professionals for eight weeks of rehearsals and performances.
Castleton has opened the view to more than 3,000 young people through open dress rehearsals, master classes and through its artist training seminar.
Dates: the festival had a temporary hiatus for 2016 – 2017 details to be announced
Castleton Festival Tickets
Tickets for the 2015 summer season will go on sale on January 5, 2015 at castletonfestival.org and at the Festival box office at 866-974-0767.
Location
7 Castleton Meadows Lane, Castleton, VA
Set in one of the most beautiful areas of Virginia, Castleton Festival performances take place in two locations on the Maazel family’s 600-acre Castleton Farms:
- The Castleton Festival Theater – A 650-seat, air-conditioned proscenium theater featuring multi-level seating and an orchestra pit that seats 90 musicians.
- The Theater House – An intimate, modern 140-seat proscenium theater, featuring split-level seating and an orchestra pit that seats 20 musicians.
Directions from Washington DC area: Take I-66W to exit 43A, US-29 S and follow Route 29 towards Warrenton, VA. In Warrenton, turn right onto US-211 W. After approximately 10 miles, turn left onto 642 (Viewtown Road, which becomes 640 / Forest Grove Road). Turn right at the stop sign at 729 (Richmond Road, which becomes 618 / Laurel Mills Road). After approximately 5 miles, turn right onto 618 (Hope Hill Road). Turn right on Castleton Meadows Lane.
Castleton Program 2015
The 2015 program will feature Castleton’s rising stars alongside world-renowned artists in new productions of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette (Romeo and Juliet), a new production of Ravel’s L’heure espagnole (The Spanish Hour), a world premiere of Derrick Wang Scalia / Ginsburg’s comic opera and a Castleton production of Thornton Wilder’s classic Our Town. Jazz at Lincoln Center, in conjunction with JALC founder Wynton Marsalis, will host a Jazz Academy Summer Residency for High School Musicians, featuring four concerts in Castleton from July 19 to August 2, 2015.
The festival will also feature symphony concerts, chamber music, vocal recitals, 4th of July weekend bluegrass, and All-American Band concerts.
This year, Castleton welcomes jazz to the performance line as Wynton Marsalis, a friend and colleague of Maestro Maazel, brings the Jazz at Lincoln Center summer training program for high school students to Castleton. The first-ever Jazz at Lincoln Center Summer Jazz Academy will take place July 19 – August 2, 2015 and will include two weekend performances following the Castleton Festival classical and opera program.
Places to stay near the Castleton Festival
Attending the Castleton Festival is a great weekend getaway and there are a variety of accommodations available in the area. Here is a list of convenient places to stay.
- Airlie – 6809 Airlie Road Warrenton, VA (540) 347-1300
- Belle Meade Bed & Breakfast – 353 FT Valley Road (Ruta 231) Sperryville, VA (540) 987-9748
- Fairlea Farm Bed & Breakfast – 636 Mount Salem Avenue Washington, VA (540) 675-3679
- Flint Hill Public House Restaurant & Country Inn – 675 Zachary Taylor Highway (Ruta 522) Flint Hill, VA (540) 675-1700
- Casa Foster Harris – 189 Main Street Washington, VA (800) 666-0153
- Fountain Hall Bed & Breakfas t – 609 S. East Street Culpeper, VA (540) 825-8300
- Gay Street Inn – 160 Gay Street Washington, VA (540) 316-9220
- Glen Gordon Manor – 1482 Zachery Taylor Highway (Ruta 522) Huntly, VA (540) 636-6010
- Harmony Manor Bed & Breakfast – 65 Clark Lane Washington, VA (540) 987-3300
- Holiday Inn Express – 787 Madison Road Culpeper, VA (540) 825-7444
- Cama y desayuno ordinario de Hopkins – 47 Main Street Sperryville, VA (540) 987-3383
- Perennial Inn at Desiderata Farm – 7366 Laurel Hill Lane Rixeyville, VA (703) 856-6003
- Suites en 249-249 East Davis Street Culpeper, VA (540) 827-1100
- The Blue Rock Inn – 12567 Lee Highway Washington, VA (540) 987-3388
- The Conyers House Inn & Stable – 3131 Slate Mills Road Sperryville, VA (540) 987-8025
- The Inn at Little Washington – Calles medias y principales Little Washington, VA (540) 675-3800
- The Inn at Mount Vernon Farm – Sperryville, VA (800) 765-0604
- Tomillo en Culpeper – 128 East Davis Street Culpeper, VA (540) 825-4264
- Trail & End Ranch Bed & Breakfast – 9232 Frontier Lane Castleton, VA (540) 937-3213
- White Moose Inn – 291 Main Street Washington, VA (540) 675-3207
