Central City Opera is the fifth-oldest opera company in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, founded in 1932 by Julie Penrose and Anne Evans. Each festival is presented in the 550-seat historic

Central City Opera House The Central City Opera House is located in the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District in Central City, Colorado, United States. It was constructed in 1878. It has offered operatic and theatrical productions that drew prominent actors and perfor ...

built in 1878 in the gold mining era town of

Central City, Colorado The historic City of Central, commonly known as Central City, is a home rule municipality located in Gilpin and Clear Creek counties, Colorado, United States. Central City is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Gilpin County ...

. Pelham G. Pearce was selected in 1996 as Managing Director for Central City Opera, and he was named General/Artistic Director in May 1998, when John Moriarty became Artistic Director Emeritus. Since 2006 John Baril is the first

Music director A music(al) director or director of music is the person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert band, the di ...

of the opera. Most recent six-week summer festivals have included both traditional and progressive works. About forty performances, including those specifically for young people, are presented each season. 2007 marked the 75th anniversary of the company and a single-season move from 3 to 4 opera productions. "Short Works" (selected ten-minute opera scenes), selected one-acts, and "Lunch & a Song" (solo luncheon performances) are produced alongside the main opera season by assistant directors and apprentice singers as part of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program.

Commissions

Successful commissions for the company include the American classic '' The Ballad of Baby Doe'' by

Douglas Moore Douglas Stuart Moore (August 10, 1893 – July 25, 1969) was an American composer, songwriter, organist, pianist, Conducting, conductor, educator, actor, and author. A composer who mainly wrote works with an American subject, his music is genera ...

, premiered in 1956, the popular one-act opera '' The Face on the Barroom Floor'' by Henry Mollicone, premiered in 1978 and the 2003 world premiere of '' Gabriel's Daughter'', also composed by Henry Mollicone. The World Premiere of Chinese opera, '' Poet Li Bai'', commissioned by the Asian Performing Arts of Colorado, was presented in 2007.

Artist training

Central City Opera's prestigious Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program, founded by Artistic Director Emeritus John Moriarty, has served for more than two decades as a national model for training young singers. The rigorous 10-week program integrates daily training in diction, movement, and

stage combat Stage combat, fight craft or fight choreography is a specialised technique in theatre designed to create the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers. It is employed in live stage plays as well as operatic and ballet p ...

with individual coaching, sessions in career management and rehearsals and performance opportunities in the summer's mainstage and auxiliary productions. The program selects 30-32 participants from nearly 1,000 applicants each year.

Opera traditions

Noteworthy Opera traditions include the annual presentation of the Central City Flower Girls and the Yellow Rose Ball, Colorado's oldest debutante ceremony, on opening day. The Ushers Song (sung by the Usher Corps as they march up the street to open the theatre for each mainstage performance). The Usher Corps, composed of collegiate and young professional interns from all production and administrative departments, includes the traditional Bell Ringer to announce the time.Jettandwilly, , 31st October 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2021 :Lyrics for The Ushers' Song: :Well, what do you know, here we go / we're off to start the show. :You'll know who we are from afar; /frankly we sing better than the star. :We're the ushers, who show to your seat / then nonchalantly, we step upon your feet. :You may have bought a ticket / for Row A and seat 3. :But when we're through with you / you'll find you're in the balcony. :We're the ushers who heed your beck and call / yet when you need us, we're never there at all. :Our flashlights never working to show the pitfalls lurking / We're the ushers of the Central City show!

References

External links

Central City Opera website
{{authority control Opera festivals American opera companies Musical groups established in 1932 1932 establishments in Colorado Performing arts in Colorado

Commissions

Artist training

Opera traditions

See also

References

External links