New York, NY (Top40 Charts / Festival of the Desert) Festival of the Desert
Director and Chairman of IMG Artists, Barrett Wissman, today announced the addition of celebrated chef Cat Cora as Culinary
Director of the premier cultural event in the Coachella Valley. Presented by the Del Sole Foundation, the inaugural March 18 event features a stellar lineup of some of today's top music, dance, culinary, and theatrical artists, such as opera royalty Renée Fleming and the Paris Opera's
Music Director Phillippe Jordan.
Music icon
Quincy Jones curates the evening gala music program; American and Bolshoi Ballet's Principal Dancer,
David Hallberg, serves as the artistic director of the dance program; and Cora will oversee and prepare the culinary experience for the evening's gala.
"We are so proud to have Cat Cora as the Festival of the Desert's culinary curator," said Barrett Wissman. "I know she will create a wonderful experience on March 18, and be instrumental in crafting the future of our culinary program."
"I am excited to be in the company of the best artists in the world," said Cat Cora, "anytime this type of talent comes together you know that they are contributing to something special and I couldn't think of a better location than Sunnylands. This opportunity will give me a chance to create awareness about my charity Chefs for Humanity and will help us pursue our goals of Nutrition Education and Hunger Relief."
With a longtime fondness for the Palm Springs area desert and a lifelong passion for music, the festival is the brainchild of Barrett Wissman and Maestro
Philippe Jordan, one of the world's rising star conductors, who approached philanthropists
Regina and Gregory Annenberg Weingarten about the notion of advancing performing arts and arts education in the desert. The idea resonated with the Annenberg Weingartens, and they agreed be the lead donors for the launch of the festival.
"The beauty of Palm Springs, its weather, and its silence - in conjunction with the people who come to visit and live there from around the world - make for the perfect environment for launching such a festival," said Maestro Jordan. "Palm Springs gave me so much, and I would like to give something back to it through my work, which is why I asked Barrett Wissman to collaborate with me on the project."
The program features a centerpiece recital by today's reigning soprano, Renée Fleming, at the McCallum Theater, with Maestro Jordan himself at the piano. The concert is followed by a gala reception at the Sunnylands Center and Gardens, where celebrity chef Cora will team up with the legendary Spencer's Restaurant to provide an unforgettable dining experience. The gala features a musical program curated by
Quincy Jones, and a dance program by one of the world's most acclaimed dancers,
David Hallberg.
"Any chance to work with
Philippe Jordan is really an opportunity not to be missed," said Renée Fleming. "Philippe envisions bringing the best that classical music has to offer to the Coachella Valley."
"I decided to become involved with the festival to bring the highest quality of artistic excellence in dance to Palm Springs" said
David Hallberg. "It is destined to be a festival of the highest standards, given the level of my curating colleagues and the artists involved."
An 11:00 am concert, curated by Maestro Jordan, kicks off a day of events at the Sunnylands Center & Gardens. This is followed by lunch and a discussion, "The
Future of the Arts in America," led by Michael Kaiser, former President of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Tickets for Festival of the Desert are available on the web at https://www.festivalofthedesert.org.
