CENTRAL CITY - Saturday, June 28, 2025, was a beautiful day. And the most beautiful time of day, for me, was 5 p.m. when I wandered into the Central City Opera garden. After talking to a few friends and neighbors, I collected our table assignments and we went up the stairs to socialize with quite a few friends I don't see in other places. This is a magical place for me.
It was a magical place for my mentor, Barbara Lawlor, who absolutely loved opening night at the opera. After she passed in 2018, I made it a personal goal to attend my first opera. And in 2022 I made it a reality. And it was an amazing reality!
In January of 2025, my dear friend Chip Smith passed away. Chip was a huge opera enthusiast; he performed at Carnegie Hall (as did my son Hayden). He had a doctorate in music and taught at Hastings College for many years. He talked all the time about the opera, reminding me over and over that I needed to go. He inspired me to stop, listen, enjoy, and most of all expand my love of opera. I dedicate this season of my life, to the final season of his life, in memory of Chip.
Not only did I get to attend the opera, I was blessed to attend the opening night dinner with one of my best friends, who had been to the opera with Barbara Lawlor many times. It was special for both of us. After a delectable dinner, we found our seats in the opera house and watched The Light in the Piazza.
And thus began my fascination and love of opera. Not just opera: local opera, right here in my small town community. In 2023, I attended an opening night, as well as all three operas, Romeo and Juliet, Kiss Me, Kate, and Othello. And in 2024, The Pirates of Penzance, The Girl of the Golden West, and Street Scene.
This year, I am blessed to have tickets for opening night for all three operas. We attended the opening night dinner.
The opera: The Barber of Seville. I brought my youngest son (this is his third opera), and a good friend who had not only "never been to Central City," she had never been to our opera. It was such a special treat to bring both of them and share my love of opera with others.
This Saturday I will attend, with two of my best friends, the opening night dinner for The Knock! I am so incredibly excited. And then I will attend opening night on July 12, with dinner and the musical comedy Once Upon a Mattress.
The coolest thing this year is that The Mountain-Ear partnered with the Central City Opera to offer $10 tickets to the opera. Here is the information from Adam Scurto:
"Central City Opera is proud to announce a new community access initiative in partnership with The Mountain-Ear Newspaper. For the entirety of the 2025 Central City Opera Summer Festival, Gilpin County residents can purchase $10 rush tickets to any performance with available seats, one hour before the performance begins.
"We're committed to making our performances accessible to local community members, who do so much to support us each summer," says Adam Scurto, Managing Director of External Affairs at Central City Opera, "Thanks to the generous sponsorship of so many, including The Mountain-Ear, we can now offer these significantly discounted tickets to ensure our neighbors can experience the magic of live performance regardless of financial constraints.
"The Locals Rush Ticket program allows Gilpin County residents to purchase any unsold seat to mainstage productions for just $10 including fees, beginning one hour before show time at the box office. Residents must present a valid photo ID or piece of mail showing a Gilpin County address to qualify."
"The Mountain-Ear newspaper is thrilled to support this initiative that strengthens our community's connection to the arts," says Barbara Hardt, Managing Editor at The Mountain-Ear, "We believe everyone deserves access to world-class cultural experiences right here in our county."
For more information about the Locals Rush Ticket program, visit centralcityopera.org/locals-rush.
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