Castleton Festival highlights, information

What to see, hear at summer festival in Virginia countryside

Getting there: Castleton is about 60 miles southwest of D.C., via I-66, and Virginia Routes 29 and 211. Detailed instructions can be found on the festival Web site (see below). Count on about two and a half hours of driving from the Baltimore area. The address is 663 Castletone View Road, Castleton, Va.

Opera productions: Puccini's "Il Trittico" premieres at 7 p.m. tonight; this is a gala festival-opener with gala ticket prices ($250). After that, the prices and formality drop. Other complete performances of "Il Trittico" are at 2 p.m. Sunday, 2 p.m. July 18 and 7 p.m. July 24. Components of this triptych will also be performed: "Il Tabarro" and "Gianni Schicchi" at 7:30 p.m. July 9 and 2 p.m. July 11; "Suor Angelica" at 2 p.m. July 10; "Suor Angelica" and "Gianni Schicchi" at 7:30 p.m. July 22.

"The Turn of the Screw": 2 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 p.m. July 8 and 7 p.m. July 11.

"The Beggar's Opera": 7:30 p.m. July 15 and 7 p.m. July 17.

"The Soldier's Tale" and "Master Pedro's Puppet Show": 7:30 p.m. July 23 and 2 p.m. July 25.

Orchestra concerts: All-Italian program at 7 p.m. Saturday; all-French program at 7 p.m. July 10; all-American program at 7:30 p.m. July 16; all-Beethoven program at 7 p.m. July 25.

Tickets: $20 to $85. Various weekend passes are also available. Call 866-974-0767 or go to castletonfestival.org.

Staying over: The festival Web site has links to a variety of accommodation options in the Rappahannock area, from modest chains to luxury level.

Tim Smith