Grapevine Fall 2022

2022

ENJOY GOOD COFFEE & BRING A FRIEND!

Join us for the annual Central City Opera Guild Membership Coffee, and vote for the new Board! Friends welcome!

This year’s Fall Membership Coffee will be held:

Thursday, October 6 9:30 to 11 AM

At the home of Debbie and John Raeder, 1001 East Oxford Lane, Cherry Hills Village. The morning will include a per formance by Central City Opera singers and the announcement of the annual Belle Award.

Please RSVP to Emily Eck eeck@centralcityopera.org.

SAVE THE DATE

ANNUAL MEETING AND INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS LUNCHEON

Thursday, January 19, 2023

11 AM to 1 PM

Invitations coming soon.

Please contact Karen Ritz (amkrritz@comcast.net) or Louise Atkinson (louiseatkinson@comcast.net) with any questions.

GLENMOOR COUNTRY CLUB NEIGHBORHOOD

NOVEMBER 18 & 19, 2022

LOUISE ATKINSON AND KATIE GRASSBY, CO-CHAIRS

The 2022 L’Esprit de Noёl Holiday Home Tour is fast approaching, and we are thrilled to announce this year’s title sponsor, the Joseph-Haarer Group! Justin Joseph and Ryan Haarer are real estate brokers with a long history of supporting philanthropic causes around Denver. This partnership is a great fit for us, and we couldn’t be happier!

This year, tour goers will get to see five beautiful and architecturally diverse homes in the Glenmoor Country Club neighborhood, masterfully decorated by ten incredibly talented local florists and table designers listed below.

As it has been a while since we’ve been able to gather like this, we are going BIG!! The holiday boutique, led by Mena Moran and Wendy Wenkstern, is returning and will be open on Saturday of the tour. There will be some wonderful exhibitors selling a wide range of wares including jewelry, home goods, clothing, etc. In addition, this year’s tour ticket will come with a lunch option on Saturday (while supplies last). Two lunch seatings will be offered at 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM in the Glenmoor Clubhouse, adjacent to the boutique. Guests will be able to make a full day of it!

And finally, L’Esprit’s annual “Twas the Night Before” donor appreciation and patron party will kick off the tour festivities on Thursday, November 17. Susan Adams is leading this effort, and Shaver-Ramsey has once again generously donated their space for the evening. It will be a really fun and festive night, so Save the Date!

How you can help:

We are still accepting sponsorships and are beginning to solicit for advertisers in the tour program. If you’d like additional information or have a recommendation for a potential sponsor or advertiser, please reach out to Katie Grassby at katie.grassby1@gmail.com or 303-590-5723.

2022 Secured Designers: Birdsall, Enjoué Studio, Flower Power, Home with Holliday, Lulu’s Furniture & Décor, KaraKara Flowers, Plum Sage Flowers, and T is for Table.

WELCOME TITLE SPONSOR JOSEPH-HAARER

PRESIDENT'S LETTER

To Our Wonderful Guild Members, I hope you were able to enjoy many amazing performances and world class productions in Central City this summer! Audiences were thrilled to return to seeing live performances in the Opera House for the first time since the 2019 season. The artists, technicians, and orchestra overcame quite a bit to put together a truly memorable 90th Anniversary Season. My husband, Bill, and I loved it all but especially Die Fledermaus!

Central City Opera Guild is moving into our Fall and final stretch of 2022. It has been such a great year thanks to all of our special Guild members, hardworking volunteers, and generous supporters. Please join us in the next few months for more exciting opportunities that are offered as part of your annual membership. Outlined below are highlights of what the rest of the year looks like, as well as ideas to join us in a volunteer role:

Fall Membership Coffee: October 6th at the home of Debbie and John Raeder. Enjoy a lovely fall morning, coffee and treats, and the big announcement of our presti gious Belle Award.

Membership: A friendly reminder that It is time to renew your membership for 2023. Your Guild dues give you access to all parts of our mission and provide important funding needed to keep opera thriving in Colorado.

L’Esprit de Noёl: November 18 to 19, in-person home tour plus a holiday boutique. Patron and Donor Party on November 17. This year’s tour will take place in the Glenmoor Country Club neighborhood and includes five incredible and diverse homes. Learn more at: www. lesprithometour.com.

Contact katie.grasssby1@gmail.com or louiseatkinson@

comcast.net for sponsorship details. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year so please bring family and friends to support it!

Volunteer for L’Esprit de Noёl: A perfect opportunity to support the Central City Opera Guild! Home Staffing Volunteers spend four hours as ambassadors in one of the 5 homes AND in honor of their donation of time, receive a ticket to enjoy the entire Holiday Home Tour. It is even more fun to gather a group of six to volunteer together! Flower Girls and Flower Girl moms are especially welcome to participate. Please contact Karen Ritz at amkrritz@ comcast.net or call/text 303-807-9464 if you are inter ested.

Serve on the Guild Board: A great way to get to know the Guild better and donate your time to a mission we all care about. Available positions include: Co-Chair Historic Prop erties, Co-Chair of Greet a Singer Program, and Co-Chair L’Esprit de Noёl. Please contact Cindy Koch at cindy@ agingat5280.com if you are interested in joining our Board or any committee.

This year has gone by quickly and I have had an amazing leadership experience, thanks to all of the great people I work with at Central City Opera and its Guild each and every day. We will be making an official transition at the Annual meeting on January 19, 2023, so I won’t say goodbye yet. Your incoming President is Nancy Hemming and she is poised for great success. Nancy has been a part of the Guild for several years. She has served in many roles including Flower Girl Chair and she is a past recipient of the Belle Award. Welcome Nancy!

Thank you so much for your support.

Sincerely, Louise Atkinson Guild President

YELLOW ROSE BALL 2022 HITS A HOME-RUN SUCCESS

Highlighting the festivities in Central City this summer, 29 accomplished rising high school seniors graced the steps of the Opera House Gardens on June 25 for the 90th presentation of the Central City Opera Flower Girls. The festive evening was a homerun and raised over $70,000 for Central City Opera.

Passing rain showers did not dampen enthusiasm, as families enjoyed all the traditions associated with this historic celebration. The Central City Opera apprentice artists opened with a short performance in the Opera House, Flower Girls waltzed with their fathers on Eureka Street, and Kevin Taylor served a gourmet dinner followed by dancing to Home Slice.

Central City Opera is extremely thankful for the evening’s chair, Brooke Maloy, who, together with her committee of over 50 volunteers, hosted an exceptionally successful and memorable event. Brooke Maloy passes the baton to Stacy McHugh, the Central City Opera Yellow Rose Ball Chair for 2023. Save the date! Saturday, June 17, 2023!

PRESIDENT Nancy Hemming

Grassby

Atkinson

Stiff

Bender

Cathy Groene

Sara Blackwelder

Marilyn Rhodes

SUMMER OPERA FESTIVAL CELEBRATED 90TH ANNIVERSARY

This summer marked the 90th Anniversary of Central City Opera and this season’s festival was certainly a memorable one! Returning to live performances inside the Opera House for the first time since 2019 was special for everyone: the company, the patrons, and the City of Central.

Despite running into a few challenges this summer, including shutting down performances for a week due to COVID-19, the festival was a success. From the beautiful production of The Light in the Piazza to the uplifting Die Fledermaus and the moving Two Remain, this year’s festival showcased incredible talent and high-quality art.

Planning for the 2023 festival season is already underway and Central City Opera is pleased to announce the return of three full-scale productions. The Shake speare-themed season includes produc tions of Romeo & Juliet, Kiss Me Kate, and Othello Subscription renewals will start in mid-September and new

By Karen Ritz

subscriptions will be available in late November. Stay tuned for future details!

BEHIND THE SCENES

Being part of the Die Fledermaus cast was amazing! These behind the scene people are very impressive, so efficient and cheerful and make the experience loads of FUN! They whisk you into their domain and 15 minutes later you have been

transformed! Jim McGough and Elyse Messick, Supervisor and Assistant respectively for Wigs and Makeup, prepared my head for the wig and feather adornment. And Bettina Bierly, Costume Coordinator for Die Fledermaus, tailored my gown and accessorized with fan, shoes & gloves.

CCO EDUCATION CONTINUES TO ENGAGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

After a successful Opera Festival Season that provided many learning and engaging opportunities, Central City Opera Edu cation continues its mission in Denver and beyond.

CCO Opera Education offered a "KidZone during the Plein Air Festival. Young people had the chance to paint on a large reusable mural, created by A.J. Kazlouski, CCO Box Office Associate. Special thanks to Karen Ritz and other Guild members who volunteered to help with KidZone on Saturday, September 24.

◊ In October, CCO artists will be bring the production of Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World to area schools.

◊ At the Boulder Phil on Sunday, October 16, the artists will present Storytime and Music with two shows at 1 PM and 2:30 PM.

◊ CCO is delighted to be bringing back Amahl and the Night Visitors in December. Productions will run December 11-18 as follows:

December 11, 2 PM at Armstrong Hall in Colorado Springs.

December 13 and 14, 7:30 PM at First United Methodist Church in Boulder.

December 16 and 17, 7:30 PM and December 18, 2 PM at Trinity United Methodist Church in Denver.

For tickets and more information, visit the Central City Opera website or contact the Box Office.

FIFTH ANNUAL CENTRAL CITY PLEIN AIR FESTIVAL

This December, Central City Opera is pleased to present a new production of the enduring, family-friendly opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors. This opera by Gian Carlo Menotti is the story of a magic star, a shepherd boy, and how unselfish love and good deeds can work miracles. The production will be presented at various times in three dif ferent locations.

Sunday, December 11 at 2 PM at Armstrong Hall at Colorado College in Colorado Springs.

traveled to Central City. Artists enjoyed painting the incompa rable Colorado scenery and historic atmosphere. The festival culminated in an exhibition and sale, where paintings created during the event were displayed and sold.

New this year were two performances of an art-themed concert featuring two works: "Pictures at an Exhibition" by Modest Mussorgsky and Camille Claudel: "Into the Fire" by Jake Heggie. These performances were held both Saturday, and Sunday.

For the fifth year, Central City Opera was pleased to present the Plein Air Festival from September 22-25. Many of us joined up on the hill as specially selected artists from across the country

FALL HAS ARRIVED IN THE HISTORIC PROPERTIES!

After a beautiful summer back in Central City in the Opera House, the Historic Properties volunteers have inventoried, straightened, covered, and closed down the 22 houses for the winter. We had a beautiful day September 8, followed by a dreary fall day on the 10th, but the houses are buttoned up and lists are ready for repairs and replacements to be made next spring.

Many thanks to volunteers Kay Fiege, Sue Janssen, Cindy Koch, Bette and Dave Poppers, Marilyn Rhodes, Mark and Maxine Rossman, and Shelley Zerr for several hours around the properties. We will be doing yard work in October for those who might like to assist with raking and pruning, as well as Guild closet inventory. Contact Cathy Groene for dates and spring work dates will be published in the next Grapevine. We welcome volunteers from your business and social groups as well. Donations including some furniture, yard tools, cordless weed trimmers, blankets, and other household donations are always appreciated. Email Cathy at cgggroene@msn.com for volunteer dates, donations, and questions.

THE

and silver was discovered in Leadville. Denver became the state capital and the influential citizens moved there. They left their homes, gardens, churches, banks, railroad, hotel and Opera House for Denver or Leadville. By 1881, (just 3 years after it opened) Central City’s Opera House could no longer pay its bills. By 1890, the Opera House was in such a state of disrepair that it was viewed as uninhabitable. Peter McFarlane, pioneer and businessman, managed the property and tried to keep the Opera House open, personally paying for repairs but finally locked the doors in 1927. Central City was virtually a Ghost Town.

Guild Member Meg Nichols composed The Yellow Rose Tour booklet in 2004 Over the next few Grapevine issues, we will share the complete book with you.'

Foreword

It was quite unusual for an Opera Company to win the coveted National Historic Trust Preservation Award in 2004 for Excel lence, in the Stewardship of Historic Sites. It was even more remarkable that the Opera Company’s competition included San Francisco’s Ferry Dock and Wharf Restoration Project and the Mid Atlantic Lighthouse Project. Very few people are aware that the Central City Opera House Association owns and maintains 31 Historic Properties in Central City, each with its own story. A few of them are familiar but most are hidden in the hills but worth discovering. It is important to know and understand the history of the Central City Opera House Association to appreciated the significance of this honor and cherish the legacy left to us “up on the Hill”.

They came for gold! By 1861, two years after gold was dis covered by John Gregory, Central City was the most prominent town in Gregory Gulch and over 5,000 people were crowded into the narrow valley that is now Gilpin County. Over the next several decades, over 85 million dollars were extracted from these hills and Central City became the “richest square mile on earth.” By 1871, (10 years later) Central City boasted 7 doctors, 5 tailors, 12 grocery stores, and 18 lawyers. Mine operators needed experienced hard rock miners and they came from Cornwall and Wales. These Cornish and Welsh miners brought their families, their love of music and the Cornish yellow rose. They built homes, gardens, churches, banks, a railroad, hotel and an Opera House.

The Opera House opened in 1878, the first in Colorado, but in just three short years, mining for Gold became more expensive as the veins of ore became more difficult to reach

The 1929 restoration of the pigeon infested, neglected and damaged Opera House was due to the foresight of two women and their families, Anne Evans and Ida Kruse McFarlane. Anne Evans, daughter of Territorial Governor, John Evans, and founder of the Denver Art Museum in 1893, raised the money needed to restore the Opera House. Businessmen were accustomed to being tapped for financial support by Anne and respectfully pulled out their checkbooks to fund her new cause. Ida Kruse McFarlane, Peter McFarlane’s daughter-in-law, was dedicated to bringing theater back to the Opera House stage and suggested a Summer Festival in Central City. An English Professor at the University of Denver and Superintendent of the Gilpin County Schools, she con vinced the McFarlane heirs to deed the Opera House to the University of Denver.

By 1932, The Central City Opera House Association was formed and the original charter reads, “to preserve and protect the town of Central City and its Opera House”. The new orga nization’s Board Member, Alan True painted the murals in the restored Opera House as well as in our State Capital Building. Another board member, Dos Chappell used his Broadway con nections to convince Robert Edmonds Jones to produce the first Central City Opera Festival. NBC broadcast the festivities nationwide as Denver Society, dressed in 1880 regalia, traveled to Central City by chauffeur driven limousines up Virginia Canyon and private trains to Black Hawk for the opening night of Camille starring the ever popular, Lillian Gish on July 16,1932. Oscar Williams, Gilpin County Sheriff, was hovering in the wings to protect the socialites’ jewelry some of which was on loan to Lillian Gish.

Cindy Koch and Marilyn Rhodes volunteer at Nicholas House.

Shelley Zerr, Marilyn Rhodes, Maxine and Mark Rossman, Dave and Bette Poppers, and Kay Fiege all graciously volunteered their time in the Foundry during Historic Properties Inventory Days September 8, 2022.

Parking Lot House kitchenLake House

Central City Opera House by Achkasov

Central City Opera House Association 4875 Ward Road, Suite 100 Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

Central City Opera Box Office: 303.292.6700 centralcityopera.org

2022 CCO Guild Fall Newsletter

Coeditors

Priscilla Mead and Christy Darling

THE 46TH ANNUAL

THE 46TH ANNUAL

PRESENTED BY: THE 46TH ANNUAL

PRESENTED BY: