Marriage of Figaro delights patrons as Central City Opera begins 94th season
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Hilary Ginther as Marcellina, Andrew Wilkowske as Figaro, Maureen McKay as Susanna and Ashraf Sewailam as Dr. Bartolo embrace in a happy reunion in "The Marriage of Figaro."
A crowd waits for the curtain to go up on the 94th opening night. The Central City Opera House Association was formed in 1932 and is the fifth-oldest active opera company in the United States.
Before the opening night performance of "The Marriage of Figaro," on June 27, the Central City Opera House Association hosted a dinner at the Teller House.
Maureen McKay as Susanna and Luke Sutliff as Count Almaviva sing together in "The Marriage of Figaro" on opening night. Susanna is trying to fend off the Counts advances.
Maureen McKay as Susanna and Andrew Wilkowske as Figaro in a tender scene from "The Marriage of Figaro."
Curtain call for the cast of "The Marriage of Figaro." The opera will play through the end of July.
CENTRAL CITY — Walking into the Central City Opera House is like stepping into a time machine and being teleported into the past for an evening. The opera house was constructed in 1878 by Welsh miners and is an acoustic masterpiece that doesn’t need microphones or electronic amplification for the music to reach the upper balcony seats.
The Central City Opera House Association (CCO) opened their 2026 summer festival June 27 with their production of "The Marriage of Figaro" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The comedic opera about class conflict and trust issues will rotate with their other two productions during their festival season.
From the opening curtain to the final bow, the opera house was alive with the wit and music of the 18th century. The sets, music, and acting highlighted opera at its finest.
"The Marriage of Figaro" is one of the most popular operas ever. It has been estimated that it has been performed over 20,000 times over the centuries. This is the fourth time that it has been performed in the Central City Opera House (1952, 1972, 2014, and 2026).
Opening night at the opera started with a dinner that included a welcoming speech by the President and CEO of CCO Scott Finlay and an informative history of the opera by Tyler Tucker who is the Director of Choruses and Assistant Conductor.
Director David Radames Toro considers "Marriage" a perfect comedy opera because it explores the human condition with humor and insight. Supervising Stagehand Dave Mazzeno called it an exciting challenge as the 2014 set was brought back and updated.
The actors, versed in both physical slapstick and possessed with astonishing vocal ranges, gave memorable performances. Luke Sutliff, playing Count Almaviva, gave a bass voice to the frustrations of men, while Erica Petrocelli was sublime as a wife who laments the loss of love from her man.
Tenor Andrew Wilkowske as the title character Figaro and Maureen McKay as his intended, Susanna, performed several duets that mixed comedy with themes of love and devotion. Their chemistry and complementary vocals were a treat to watch and listen to.
Opening night operagoers ranged from young to old, scruffy to elegant, and from local to pan-Front Range. They waited in the gardens on a warm summer evening until the ushers marched across the street, singing as they opened the opera house to the public.
The opera lovers clapped enthusiastically after dramatic pieces were performed and gave a standing, heartfelt ovation when it was over. Taking bows along with the cast were the director, conductor, and the production staff.
After the performance, the audience came back to the 21st century and either headed home or down to the casinos to enjoy a midsummer night.
Opening night for "The Ballad of Baby Doe" will be Saturday July 4. "Masterclass" will open on Saturday July 18.
For ticket information or the schedule for the 2026 summer festival season visit: centralcityopera.org, email: boxoffice@centralcityopera.org or call: 303-292-6700.
