NINA ODESCALCHI KELLY FAMILY MATINEES SHOWCASE OPERA’S RISING STARS

NINA ODESCALCHI KELLY FAMILY MATINEES SHOWCASE OPERA’S RISING STARS

Central City Opera’s Apprentice Artists present

Family Matinees of Puccini’s MADAMA BUTTERFLY and

Offenbach’s ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD

 CENTRAL CITY OPERA GUILD’S “TAKE A CHILD TO THE OPERA DAY”

Activities Introduce Opera and History to Children

Denver , Colo. – The talented young artists of Central City Opera’s Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program will take the stage for two Nina Odescalchi Kelly Family Matinee performances this summer of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly on Tuesday, July 27 at 2:30 p.m. and Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld on Tuesday, Aug. 3 at 2:30 p.m. These special performances of this season’s festival productions offer an ideal opportunity for an afternoon of family entertainment at a special ticket price of $15 for children and $20 for adults.

The glorious music and poignant plot of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly makes audiences fall in love with this devastating tale of East vs. West. The story follows the marriage of a naïve geisha, Cio- Cio-San (Madama Butterfly), and her aloof husband, Naval Officer Lt. Pinkerton. In the end, heroine Cio-Cio-San is left with only one tragic solution to restore honor in her life. Set in Japan during the early 20^th century, this opera is sung in Italian with English supertitles and directed by world-renowned director/soprano Catherine Malfitano.

Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld takes a satirical look at the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice and the meddling gods who send them on a journey to hell and back. Evoking the days of the Moulin Rouge, this operetta promises not only plenty of tulle, but plenty of tunes, including the famous “Can-can” dance.

Designed specifically for young audiences, a narrator guides the opera goers through the story, characters, and music of both operas prior to the opening of each act. English supertitles help everyone follow the action as the story unfolds. After the final curtain of each performance, audiences are invited to the Opera House courtyard where they can meet cast members for autographs, pictures, and to ask questions about the opera.

All roles in the family matinees are performed by members of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program, one of the most respected apprentice programs in the country. Central City Opera Artistic Director Emeritus John Moriarty founded the program in 1978. Today, 30 participants are selected from over 800 applicants through a rigorous application and audition process. After arrival in Central City, they divide their time between performing in Festival productions and classes designed to help them develop and utilize useful skills for a rewarding opera career. Samuel Ramey, Denyce Graves, Cynthia Lawrence, Franco Farina, Emily Pulley and Chad Shelton are just a few of the alumni from the program who have gone on to prolific careers.

Nina Odescalchi Kelly Family Matinees are economically priced for families with general admission $15 for children ages six to 18 and adult admission $20. It is recommended that all children be accompanied by an adult. Attendees are encouraged to go online to Central City Opera’s website to download the Opera Insider publication for a behind-the-scenes look at the opera. Tickets may be purchased through the Central City Opera Box Office by calling 303.292.6700 or by visiting www.centralcityopera.org.

Patrons can also elect to participate in the “Take a Child to the Opera Day” activities hosted by the Central City Opera Guild, which includes lunch, a tour of the Gilpin History Museum, and a pre-performance meeting with an artist. “Take a Child to the Opera Day” ticket prices are $37 for adults, $32 for children six and older. Call Central City Opera at 303.292.6700 to purchase tickets. A full list of “Take a Child to the Opera Day” activities is located below.

THE CENTRAL CITY OPERA GUILD PRESENTS A FUN WAY TO INTRODUCE CHILDREN TO OPERA AND HISTORY

The Central City Opera Guild presents “Take a Child to the Opera Day” on Tuesday, July 27 for Madama Butterfly and on Tuesday, Aug. 3 for Orpheus in the Underworld. Both events take place from 11:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., prior to the Central City Opera Family Matinee performance.

This annual Guild Event combines an engaging opportunity for children, ages six and older, to learn about the Gilpin County History by taking a tour of the Gilpin County History Museum, to visit with a Central City Opera artist, to see a professional performance, and collect autographs from their favorite singers. The following is the day’s schedule for both July 27 and Aug. 3:



12:00 p.m.– Lunch at the Teller House

12:45 p.m. – Visit the Gilpin County History Museum

1:30 p.m. – Sing with a Central City Opera Artist in Williams Stables

2:00 p.m. – Watch the Usher’s March and Song as the summer interns ceremoniously open the opera house doors

2:30 p.m. – Attend the Family Matinee performance of Madama Butterfly (July 27) or Orpheus in the Underworld (August 3), with a “what-to-listen-for” introduction before each act.

Ticket prices are $37 for adults and $32 for children ages six and older. All participants will receive a family study guide in advance. Call Central City Opera Box Office at 303.292.6700 to purchase tickets.

Celebrating its 78^th year, Central City Opera is the nation’s fifth-oldest opera company, located just 35 miles west of Denver in one of Colorado’s official National Landmark Historic Districts. The company continues to present artistically excellent professional opera; to offer career-entry training to young singers; to produce education and community service programs; and to preserve and maintain the Opera House and 30 other Victorian-era properties. For the 2010 Summer Festival, June 26 to Aug. 8, Central City Opera will feature a revival of CCO’s best-selling show to date, the popular 2005 production of Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini, the tragic tale of one woman betrayed by love and her ultimate sacrifice; Orpheus in the Underworld, the satirical operetta based on the story of Orpheus from Greek mythology featuring the famous “Can-can” dance; and Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers, a modern chamber opera about the struggles of a famous actress and the twists and turns of the relationships with her two adult children. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.centralcityopera.org or

call 303-292-6700.