Opera Colorado
is an opera company located in Denver, Colorado. It was founded in 1981 (with its first performances in 1983) by husband and wife team Nathaniel Merrill and Louise Sherman, who came to Denver from long careers at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. They had hoped that opera would flourish in Denver, but there was no suitable venue, and performances were given in the in-the-round Boettcher Hall, a part of in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and used primarily as a concert hall.
In spite of the location, there has been an impressive list of international opera stars who have appeared in Denver. These include Plácido Domingo, Catherine Malfitano, James McCracken, and Pilar Lorengar in the first season, and following seasons have seen Justino Diaz, Eva Marton, Cornell MacNeil, James Morris, Sherrill Milnes, and Samuel Ramey appear in Opera Colorado productions.
With his appointment as Artistic Director of the company in 2000, James Robinson set about re-configuring the hall to provide a three-quarter thrust stage which also required required the use of microphones. As Peter Russell, the new President and General Director appointed in 2001, noted: “if you tried to sing in that big cavern of a space without amplification, the voices would simply go nowhere”. [1]
Robinson's work has been seen at such companies as New York City Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and Opera Ireland, and many more. Russell joined Opera Colorado after leading the Lindemann Young Artist Program at the Metropolitan Opera following his directorship of the Wolf Trap Opera Company.
However, beginning in September 2005, Opera Colorado moved its performances to the new Ellie Caulkins Opera House. This move to a house conducive to the proper presentation of opera has led to increases in the donor base and subscribers for the present season. It will also allow the company to work with others on co-productions in ways which were not possible before. As Russell notes, the effect of the new opera house “has changed the complexion of this opera company in a way that is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience”.
In addition to performances in the theatre, education and outreach performances have been given in countless schools, community centers, assisted living facilities in the Denver metro. Since 2002, Opera Colorado's education programs have grown dramatically and now serve more than 40,000 students and adults throughout the state annually. Programs serving students include touring school programs such as Richard Wargo's "The Music Shop" and Charles Gounod's "Romeo and Juliet" as well as residency programs, in-school workshops, masterclasses and field trips to the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. For adults, Opera Colorado provides opportunities to meet the artists in our productions, pre-opera lectures and broadcast programs created in cooperation with Colorado Public Radio (broadcast on 88.1 FM KVOD).
In August 2007, Russell and Robinson announced their resignations from Opera Colorado. Greg Carpenter was named the new general director. [2]
During the 2007-2008 season, Opera Colorado celebrated its 25th anniversary. The season opened in November with a gala celebration featuring a performance by Broadway legend Patti Lupone followed by performances of Verdi's La Traviata
, February performances of Donizetti's Don Pasquale
, a concert performance of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman
starring James Morris and concluded with Adams' Nixon in China
. Under the leadership of Greg Carpenter and education director Leigh Holman, Opera Colorao education programs grew to serve over 43,000 adults and students throughout the season. In recognition of this anniversary, Opera Colorado was awarded the Downtown Denver Partnership Award, “for 25 years of contributing to the vibrancy and diversity of Downtown Denver’s performing arts environment.” [3]
The Bonfils-Stanton Foundation announced that General Director Greg Carpenter would receive a 2009 Livingston Fellowship. The Livingston Fellowships, each providing up to $25,000, are intended to give promising leaders in the nonprofit sector the opportunity for advanced study, research, and professional development. Carpenter was appointed the General Director of Opera Colorado in 2007. Prior to joining Opera Colorado, Greg worked as the Manager of Development with the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. He received a Bachelor of Music from Wittenburg University and a Master of Music from Michigan State University. With his fellowship he hopes to expand his understanding of the various business aspects of management, leadership strategies, and how to better connect himself and his organization to local communities. He plans to create mentorships with opera industry leaders, participate in an executive education program, and study best practices from other successful performing arts organizations. [4]
Opera Colorado's 2009-2010 Season begins with a new co-production of Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann
. The sets and costumes, designed by Andre Barbe, were created in cooperation with Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Boston Lyric Opera. The Tales of Hoffmann
will open at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House on November 7, 2009 and play through November 15th. Starring Julian Gavin in the title role and featuring soprano Pamela Armstrong as Olympia, Antonia, Giulietta and Stella, as well as Gaetan Laperriere as the four villains, this will be the first production of Hoffmann
by Opera Colorado in 25 years. Hoffmann
will be directed by Renaud Doucet and conducted by Emmanuel Joel-Hornak. [5]
The Opera Colorado 2009 Gala is scheduled for Friday, November 20 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. The Gala will star Pamela Armstrong and Julian Gavin along with The Opera Colorado Young Artists. The event begins at 6:00 pm with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres and a silent auction. A gala concert begins at 7:30 pm followed by dinner and dancing at 8:30 pm. The event is co-chaired by Opera Colorado board members Merrill Shields and Bob Swift. The event will benefit Opera Colorado Education and Community Programs which serve more than 40,000 youth and adults throughout the state of Colorado.
The season will continue with Rossini's The Barber of Seville
, playing February 6 through 14, 2010. The comedy will be directed by David Gately and conducted by Leonardo Vordoni. The cast will include Isabel Leonard as Rosina, Lucas Meachem as Figaro, Brian Stucki as Count Almaviva, Thomas Hammons as Doctor Bartolo and Wayne Tigges as Basilio.
The final opera of the 2009-2010 season will be Puccini's Tosca
, playing April 24 through May 2, 2010. Conducted by Stephen Lord and directed by Ron Daniels, Tosca
will star Sondra Radvonovsky in the title role. Greer Grimsley will sing the role of Scarpia and Antonello Polombi will sing the role of Cavaradossi.
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OPERA COLORADO TICKETS
| EVENT | DATE | AVAILABILITY |
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| Opera Colorado: The Barber of Seville Tickets 2/19 | Feb 19, 2025
Wed, 1:30 PM |  | | Opera Colorado: La Boheme Tickets 2/22 | Feb 22, 2025
Sat, 7:30 PM | | | Opera Colorado: La Boheme Tickets 2/25 | Feb 25, 2025
Tue, 7:30 PM | | | Opera Colorado: La Boheme Tickets 2/27 | Feb 27, 2025
Thu, 7:30 PM | | | Opera Colorado: La Boheme Tickets 2/28 | Feb 28, 2025
Fri, 7:30 PM | |
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