June 18, 2014, Castleton, VA – The Castleton Festival’s Founder, Artistic Director and Composer in Residence, Maestro Lorin Maazel, is welcoming several new guest artists to the roster of previously announced stars and rising young talent participating in the Festival’s summer program. In 2014, the Castleton Festival will present two full-length operas, Madama Butterfly (June 28, July 6, 11, & 20)and Don Giovanni (July 5, 12 & 18), as well as threesymphonic concerts and an All American Band show, a theatrical reading of Don Juan in Hell, bluegrass with The Seldom Scene and fireworks, chamber music, recitals, talks, pre-performance cabaret, cooking classes, and fine dining.

Starring in the July 12 1:30pm theatrical reading of Don Juan in Hell are Broadway and television star Maria Tucci (Law & Order, To Die For) Dylan Baker (The Good Wife, Zero Hour, Spider Man 2), and Patrick Breen (Blue Bloods, CSI Miami) who previously appeared in the DC region in the summer 2012 Arena Stage production of A Normal Heart. Ms. Tucci will also direct the reading.

The Castleton Festival also welcomes Donald Runnicles, Music Director of Deutsche Oper Berlin, who will be conducting a King Mozart symphonic concert on Sunday, June 29 at 2pm.

Acclaimed musician Joe Alessi, Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic, will be a soloist in the Festival’s All American Band Concert on July 4 at 2pm.

These artists join 250 young musicians, faculty, and previously announced performers and participants including master flutist Sir James Galway, famed mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, violin virtuosi Eric Silberger and Julian Rachlin, famed cellist Alisa Weilerstein, baritone Javier Arrey, acclaimed journalist Margaret Warner, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, The Seldom Scene and former U.S. Marine Band conductor Colonel John R. Bourgeois.

“In the last two weeks, we’ve seen the arrival of our orchestra, singers, production team and faculty, begun rehearsals, and welcomed our largest group of visitors yet — 200 third and fourth grade students from Culpeper who came here as part of Castleton Alive to get a behind-the-curtains peek at Castleton and learn about opera. We’re positively buzzing,” said Nancy Gustafson, General Manager of the Castleton Festival. “We are so fortunate to have Maestro Maazel here at this festival, held quite literally in his backyard. He is in great spirits, working daily with his 15 master class conductors, our impressive young orchestra, and our talented singers.”