Central City Opera
Encyclopedia
Central City Opera is the fifth-oldest opera company in the United States, founded in 1932. Each festival is presented in the 550-seat historic Central City Opera House
built in 1878 in the gold mining era town of Central City, Colorado
. 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.
Most recent six-week summer festivals have included 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. "Opera à la Carte" (selected ten-minute opera scenes), The Face on the Barroom Floor (a 30-minute cabaret opera), and Victorian Salon Recitals (solo luncheon performances), are produced alongside the main opera season by assistant directors and apprentice singers as part of the Bonfils-Stanton Artists Training Program.
Commissions
Successful commissions for the company include the American classic The Ballad of Baby Doe
by Douglas Moore, 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 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 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.
Central City Opera House
The Central City Opera House located in the National Historic Landmark District in Central City, Colorado, USA was constructed in 1878 by Welsh and Cornish miners....
built in 1878 in the gold mining era town of Central City, Colorado
Central City, Colorado
Central City is a home rule municipality in Clear Creek and Gilpin counties in the U.S. state of Colorado, and the county seat of Gilpin County. The city population was 515 in the 2000 United States Census...
. 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.
Most recent six-week summer festivals have included 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. "Opera à la Carte" (selected ten-minute opera scenes), The Face on the Barroom Floor (a 30-minute cabaret opera), and Victorian Salon Recitals (solo luncheon performances), are produced alongside the main opera season by assistant directors and apprentice singers as part of the Bonfils-Stanton Artists Training Program.
Commissions
Successful commissions for the company include the American classic The Ballad of Baby Doe
The Ballad of Baby Doe
The Ballad of Baby Doe is an opera by the American composer Douglas Moore that uses an English-language libretto by John Latouche. It is Moore's most famous opera and one of the few American operas to be in the standard repertory...
by Douglas Moore, premiered in 1956, the popular one-act opera The Face on the Barroom Floor by Henry Mollicone
Henry Mollicone
Henry Mollicone is an American composer and musical instructor. He currently resides in Saratoga, California.-Career:Mollicone is known for his one-act operas, including Emperor Norton, Starbird, and The Mask of Evil. One of his most popular works is the one-act chamber opera The Face on the...
, 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
John Moriarty (Conductor)
John Moriarty , is a conductor and stage director of productions at opera companies throughout the USA, and a noted vocal coach and accompanist. He was born in Fall River, Massachusetts...
, 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 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 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.
- 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 / and then politely, 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're at your beck and call / but when you need us, we've never there at all.
- Our flashlights' never working to show the perils lurking / We're the ushers of the Central City show!