Margrit Mondavi on The Mondavi Jazz Festival

Margrit Mondavi speaks about the inspiration and the creation of the Mondavi Summer Jazz Festival that incorporates wine, food and the arts. The jazz festival was created in Napa Valley by her and her husband Robert Mondavi and has become a fixture in the wine region of Napa Valley in California.

When Margrit started working at Robert Mondavi Winery, there were very few visitors frequenting Napa Valley. "I had a dream to show wine with art, music and food," said Margrit, who is a working artist. "We began modestly, with a Sunday art show under the arches, accompanied by wine and food." Gradually, the fine arts program evolved to the stature it holds today, with Margrit encouraging talented unknown artists and supporting established ones such as Richard Diebenkorn, Wayne Thiebaud and Nathan Oliveira.

Margrit Biever Mondavi is Vice President of Cultural Affairs at Robert Mondavi Winery. A pioneering woman of the modern-day California wine industry, she joined the winery in 1967, pursuing a life-long interest in uniting wine with fine arts, music and culinary artistry. Under her direction, Robert Mondavi Winery developed original cultural and culinary arts programs that are now benchmarks for the wine world."She created a showplace for painters, sculptors, photographers, jazz and classical musicians and the great chefs and winemakers of the world," said Robert G. Mondavi.

Margrit founded the winery's popular Summer Music Festival in 1969 as a benefit for the Napa Valley Symphony. This concert series has hosted some of the world's most recognized jazz, R&B and pop artists. Headliners have included Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Belafonte and Tony Bennett. The Mondavi Summer Jazz Festival always opens with the famed New Orleans Jazz Band Preservation Hall. "I am very proud we have contributed to the success of the Napa Valley Symphony through our annual donation," said Margrit. "Now this beautiful valley has a beautiful symphony."

Interviewed by travel reporter Ilona Kauremszky at the Hazelton Hotel in Toronto, Canada on June 25th 2009.

video: Stephen Smith
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[HabeebMuna]

interesting piece