The Napa Valley Opera House is a theatre in Napa, California, USA which opened on February 13, 1880 with a production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore. At the time, the town had a population of 5,000 people. Its original owner was George Crowey and the building was designed in the Italianate architecture style.
During the height of vaudeville, the theatre flourished with the presentation of music and variety acts. In 1905 Jack London read from the stage. The facility was closed in 1914 due to damage from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the decline of vaudeville, and the advent of film. During the following fifty years the building was used for a variety of commercial purposes, and although it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, it was not until 1985 that a non-profit group was set up to restore the theatre.
In 1997 Robert and Margrit Mondavi issued challenge grant of $2.2 million to spur the theatre's reconstrucion and in June 2002 jazz singer Dianne Reeves reopened the theatre with the first performance in 88 years. The remodeled facility has seating for an audience of 500, modern lighting and sound systems, and an orchestra pit large enough for 40 musicians.
The venue now hosts several headline entertainment acts every month including plays, musical performances and dance.
