Blue Note out, Napa Music Hall in as historic Napa Valley Opera House evolves
The Blue Note is gone.
Welcome to the Napa Music Hall.
John Truchard, who owns the historic Napa Valley Opera House, is assuming overall management of the venue. He’s keeping what Napans love and adding even more.
Truchard has dubbed the 1880s Opera House the more fan-friendly and probably historically appropriate Napa Music Hall, with the downstairs called the Club and the upstairs simply the Ballroom.
Historically, it will remain the Napa Valley Opera House, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but for programming, marketing and communications, it will be the Napa Music Hall.
He said he will continue with the popular programs including locals night and add more. He will bring in comedy to the downstairs Club and even plans to experiment with karaoke once a month.
Perhaps most significantly, he intends to make the Ballroom available at a reasonable cost to community groups for proms, reunions and other event.
Truchard and his wife, Michele, already own the Uptown Theatre and offer local and upcoming musicians at the JaM Cellars Studio downtown. His variety of venues accommodates 50 in the Studio, 120 in the Club at the Music Hall, 150 seated or up to 600 standing and partying upstairs in the Ballroom and 850 at the Uptown, one suitable for almost any artist.
That’s a lot of shows, but Truchard has already expanded the offerings at the Uptown, from about 35 a year before he bought it to 50 to 75 at the present. They’ve turned over booking to Thomas Cussins of Ineffable Music Group, which books entertainment for about 10 clubs.
They will simplify the food service at the Club, he said, since most people want hamburgers and “Napa tapas,” not multi-course dinners.
Truchard doesn’t expect to make money on the theaters but wants them to be a community resource and benefit. And he wants them to be sustainable.
They’re undertaking renovations, but nothing major at this point. They plan to consolidate the box office at the Uptown.
And when does the music start? Probably in April, with a full schedule following. Napa Music Hall. 1030 Main St., Napa
