What began in 1978 with three evenings of lectures and one-act operas has grown into the Ash Lawn Opera Festival that we know today. Now in its 31st year, the Festival has expanded over time to include six to eight weeks of full-length opera and musical theatre productions, lectures, the Music at Twilight and Summer Saturdays series, and many educational programs, including the apprentice program, Kids Fest, Artist in Residence, and Opera Connects for Teachers. The Festival is proud to host talented artists from across the United States to Central Virginia.