Grammy Award-winner Melissa Manchester, who has established her place as one of the most compelling singers in contemporary music, will perform at the Napa Valley Opera House on Friday, March 3 at 8 p.m.

With her luminous voice and captivating style, she has set the standard for today's young artists. For Opera House audiences, Manchester will perform an intimate one-woman show playing piano and singing songs from her new album, When I Look Down that Road, as well as her hits including Don't Cry Out Loud, Midnight Blue and more. She will be preceded by an opening act to be announced.

"With a voice that leaped from a whisper to a brassy whoop, she suggested a combination of Laura Nyro and Ethel Merman, at once ungainly and grand," is how The New York Times described Manchester's voice.

When I look Down That Road, Manchester's first album of all-new material in 10 years, was described by Performing Songwriter magazine (May 2004) as "a brilliantly understated intimately soulful 12-track collection of tunes." The album's personal quality inspired her to go on tour in October of 2005 through June 2006.

The Napa Valley Opera House set list will include highlights from When I Look Down That Road such as the top ten radio hit After All This Time and Manchester's current iTunes exclusive It's The Light. The Dallas Morning News (July 22, 2004) has hailed the new work as an "Absolutely beautiful return-to-form for singer-songwriter Ms. Manchester, who quit recording a decade ago to raise her children. She writes all the songs, plays the piano again and sings in the rich, sultry tone that characterized her early albums. Everything sounds so organic, so inspired."

Fans can expect to hear a new arrangement of Don't Cry Out Loud, recently covered by American Idol finalist Diana DeGarmo. Manchester will perform her classic Grammy-nominated song "The way I originally wanted to do itŠthe way I've always heard it." She will also revisit some greats she hasn't performed in years, such as Easy (from her 1973 debut Home To Myself), So's My Old Man (from 1976's Help Is On The Way) and I Got Eyes (from 1975's Melissa).

Tickets are $50/$45/$40 and available by calling 226-7372, or visit www.nvoh.org.

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