Archive for: Guild

Contact

Kelly Nelson, Publicist
303-909-5716; kelly@citruspr.com

Valerie Hamlin, Director of Marketing
303-292-6500, ext. 108; vhamlin@centralcityopera.org

Featuring America’s Got Talent Finalists: FORTE

Denver, Colo. (Nov. 21, 2013) — Central City Opera announces the Theatre of Dreams Gala, an elegant evening in a beautiful downtown Denver venue to raise money for the company’s opera and musical theater productions and year-round programs. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 5 at the newly renovated McNichols Civic Center Building located at 144 West Colfax (corner of West Colfax and Bannock) in Denver.

Gala patrons and guests will be treated to an evening of fine food and exceptional live musical entertainment. The attire is “Creative Black Tie,” and the event will include a cocktail reception & seated dinner with musical guest FORTE, a multicultural tenor trio whose performances on NBC’s 2013 America’s Got Talent captivated millions and launched the group into the national spotlight. Capping off the night will be a rockin’ after-party hosted by CCO’s YP group, The Scene.

The event will be held at the stunning downtown McNichols Civic Center Building which was renovated and re-opened in 2012 as a contemporary hub for arts and culture for the people of Denver. Built in 1909, the breathtaking Greek revival building originally housed the Carnegie Library.

The Gala will honor Barbara Ferguson and the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. Ms. Ferguson is being honored for her longstanding commitment to Central City Opera, her financial support to the organization and many volunteer hours, including her involvement in founding the CCO Guild. Barbara was the first President of the CCO Guild, which celebrates its 40th Anniversary in 2014. The Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, which was created from the estates of May Bonfils-Stanton and Charles E. Stanton, has been a generous contributor to Central City Opera over the years. When they were alive, May provided funding to establish the garden and terrace linking the Teller House to the Opera House, and Ed lent his considerable design expertise to restoration of Victorian authenticity in the public rooms of the Teller House. The Foundation has multiplied their generosity to Central City Opera, most notably with important grants to name and sustain CCO’s artists training program.  The Bonfils-Stanton Foundation strategically invests in imagination and innovation in Colorado because they believe that cultivating the creative spark is vital to making the community an exciting place where people want to live, work and thrive. Since its founding, the Foundation has distributed over $54 million in charitable contributions.

Theatre of Dreams Gala tickets are $250 per person and young professionals (ages 21-35) can purchase tickets for $150. Single Patron tickets with preferential seating are available for $350. To purchase tickets, call Alicia Holt at 303-331-7014.

About Central City Opera
Central City Opera (CCO) revises its special events schedule in 2014 to focus on one major fundraiser in the spring: Theatre of Dreams Gala. This event will replace Central City Opera’sMusic & Martinis and Party for Preservation fundraisers, and will celebrate and support all of Central City Opera’s programs which include: world-renowned opera and musical theater performances; the preservation and maintenance of the Opera House and more than 30 other Victorian-era properties; the nationally acclaimed Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program; and educational and community engagement programs, which serve more than 100,000 people each year through performances in elementary and secondary schools, community centers, senior residences and theaters.

About FORTE
FORTE is a multicultural, operatic tenor trio whose performances on NBC TV’s 2013 America’s Got Talent captivated millions and launched the group into the national spotlight. Their self-titled debut album was just released on November 11, 2013 on the Columbia label.

Having met just days before their first audition for America’s Got Talent, the trio mesmerized millions on the eighth season of the reality competition series. Solo artists in their own right, Josh Page, Sean Panikkar and Fernando Varela combine their individual talents to create FORTE’s one incredible, multicultural vocal force. For more information on FORTE, visit fortetenors.com.

Sean Panikkar’s operatic journey includes a strong connection to Central City Opera. In 2003, Sean was a Studio Artist (singers between the ages of 21 and 25) in CCO’s prestigious Bonfils-Stanton Artists Training Program. CCO is thrilled to welcome Sean back to the stage in Colorado. For more on the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program, visitwww.centralcityopera.org/artiststraining.

Central City Opera 2014 Festival
Central City Opera’s 2014 Festival runs June 28 through August 10 featuring Mozart’s beloved opera, The Marriage of Figaro; Jake Heggie’s opera Dead Man Walking, based on the true story and famous book written by Sister Helen Prejean about her relationship with Lousiana death row inmate Joseph De Rocher which was also an award-winning movie; and Rodgers and Hammerstein II’s glorious musical The Sound of Music performed in Denver at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Subscriptions to see all three shows in the 2014 Festival are now available for purchase starting at just $56. Single tickets for each production will be available in January of 2014. For more information, visit www.centralcityopera.org or call the Box Office at 303-292-6700.

Contact

Kelly Nelson, Publicist
303-909-5716; kelly@citruspr.com

Valerie Hamlin, Director of Marketing
303-292-6500, ext. 108; vhamlin@centralcityopera.org

Denver, CO (June 13, 2013) – The Central City Opera Guild (CCOG) presents its annualGirlfriends’ Day at the Opera event in Central City, along with a new event titled Overture Night before a performance of Show Boat at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. The dates for these fun and festive events are: Tuesday, July 23, including a performance of Rossini’s beloved The Barber of Seville, and Thursday, August 8, including a performance of Kern and Hammerstein II’s Show Boat.

Girlfriends’ Day in Central City - The Barber of Seville: Tuesday, July 23 – The day begins with a buffet lunch at Noon in the Terrace Room at Central City Opera’s Teller House prepared by Lifestyles Catering, followed by a short opera preview at 1:50 p.m. at the Williams Stables Theatre. Guests will then proceed to the Central City Opera House for the 2:30 p.m. matinee performance of The Barber of Seville. Tickets for Girlfriends’ Day, including lunch and the opera are $79 each, and may be purchased by calling the Central City Opera Box Office at 303-292-6700. Parking is available in the Teller House lot (adjacent to the Opera House) for $12.
Rossini’s comic opera about the matchmaking barber Figaro is set among the everyday characters and places of 17^th century Seville, Spain. Figaro’s advice and actions lead to the adventures and mistaken identities for which the opera is known.  It will be performed in Italian with English supertitles above the stage.
“Girlfriends’ Day appeals to music lovers as well as business women who want to experience a beautiful summer day in Central City with friends, clients and colleagues,” says Denise Sanderson, CCOG President.

Overture Night in Denver - Show Boat: Thursday, August 8 – An event for girlfriends or for a date night, guests will enjoy refreshments before the show at the Westin Denver Downtown Hotel’s V’s Lobby Lounge from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., followed by the 7:30 pm performance of Kern and Hammerstein II’s Show Boat at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Tickets for this special Denver evening are $79, which includes one theater ticket and assorted appetizers and two drink tickets at V’s Lobby Lounge (additional cocktails may be purchased at the bar). Tickets may be purchased by calling the Central City Opera Box Office at 303-292-6700. Parking is available at the Tabor Center garage for $6 or at the Denver Performing Arts Complex.
Kern and Hammerstein II’s popular musical features favorites like “Ol’ Man River,” and “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man.”  This story of the workers on a Mississippi show boat combines the lightness and spectacle of musical theater with the serious themes of racial prejudice and tragic love. The show is performed in English.
“Since the run of Show Boat will be in Denver at the Buell Theatre, we hope to attract new patrons to Central City Opera, one of the longest-running opera companies in the country celebrating 81 years in 2013,” says Sanderson.

One of the premiere summer music festivals in Colorado and a leader among opera festivals internationally, Central City Opera’s 2013 Festival runs June 29 – Aug. 11. It opens with two new productions in the Central City Opera House including Rossini’s comedic opera featuring a matchmaking barber, The Barber of Seville and Ned Rorem’s opera,Our Town, based on the classic Pulitzer Prize winning play by Thornton Wilder about life in small town America.  The CCO Festival then comes to Denver with a new production of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II’s story of love on the Mississippi, the glorious American musical, Show Boat, which will only be performed at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. The ultimate opera experience, each production features internationally acclaimed artists, visually stunning sets and costumes and a professional live orchestra. For more information on the 2013 Festival, go to www.centralcityopera.org.

Contact

Christina Dinegar, Opera Rocks Co-Chair 303-278-9541; christinadinegar@q.com
Ericka McDaniel, Opera Rocks Co-Chair 303-798-8923; emcdaniel5@earthlink.net
Kelly Nelson, Publicist 303-909-5716; kelly@citruspr.com

Denver, Colo. – Central City Opera Guild announces Opera Rocks, a series of fun and interactive events to engage children and introduce them to the art of opera:

Storytelling through Opera and Art

On Sunday, April 21, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Central City Opera Guild will present Storytelling through Opera and Art at the Denver Art Museum (DAM). Children and their families will be captivated by a magical afternoon in the stimulating surroundings of the Denver Art Museum.

Opera and art tell stories in unusual ways– through singing, music, painting, sculpture, photography and textiles. Participants will spend an afternoon with Central City Opera artists at the Denver Art Museum as they bring the elements of storytelling to life through music and theater activities, including a performance of The Great Opera Mix-up and some Mad-Lib style games, followed by a visit to the Fox Games installation where families can create a mini stage set inspired by the artwork. Participants will then have access to all of the galleries at the DAM.

The price is $10 per person and includes free Museum access following the program. This event is ideal for children ages 5 to 12 years. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Storytelling through Opera and Art will be held in the Hamilton Building at the Denver Art Museum, located on 13th Avenue between Broadway and Bannock in Denver. For directions, contact (720) 865-5000 or visit www.denverartmuseum.org. Parking is available at the Cultural Complex Garage located at 12th Avenue and Broadway. Tickets can be purchased through the Central City Opera Box Office at (303) 292-670 or www.centralcityopera.org/art.

Opera Inside Out

Central City Opera Guild presents Opera Inside Out, a behind-the-scenes experience for families on Tuesday, June 18 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., starting at Williams Stables Theater, 113 Eureka St., Central City.

Opera Inside Out opens with a short family performance presented by Central City Opera’s Education and Community Engagement artists. The program will progress with age-appropriate activities (for children 6-12 years) and a tour of the historic Central City Opera House, including views from all areas of the intimate 550-seat space.

The behind-the-scenes opportunities continue with a backstage tour that includes the orchestra pit and the adjoining Cast House with views of the singers’ dressing rooms, the costume shop and the wig and make-up studios. Families will discover the inner workings of opera through this up-close experience. Interactive games and activities will also be included. Tickets are just $10 and can be purchased through the Central City Opera Box Office at (303) 292-670 or www.centralcityopera.org/insideout.

Take a Child to the Opera

On Thursday, July 18 from 11:30 – 5:00 p.m., the Central City Opera Guild will present Take a Child to the Opera, for a full day of fun and the opportunity to see a family matinee performance of The Barber of Seville at 2:30 p.m.

Families can enjoy a historical scavenger hunt around Central City, bring a picnic to enjoy in the Opera House Garden, learn about the famous Barber of Seville from Central City Opera singers, participate in interactive theater games and head to the opera with a special gift. Perfect for ages six and older.

Central City Opera will present an all-new production of The Barber of Seville from June 29 to July 27. This Italian comic opera in two acts about a matchmaking barber is set among the everyday places and characters of 17th century Seville, Spain. The opera follows Rosina, the ward of Dr. Bartolo, who plans to marry her so he can have her dowry. But Rosina is in love with the poor student, Lindoro, who has been serenading her and is really the Count Almaviva in disguise. Figaro, the barber of Seville, is employed by Almaviva to help him meet Rosina. Figaro’s advice and actions lead to the adventures and mistaken identities for which the opera is known. The Barber of Seville will be performed at the Central City Opera House in Italian with English supertitles. The Family Matinee features Central City Opera’s talented members of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program in lead roles.

Take a Child to the Opera tickets, which include the opera performance of The Barber of Seville, are $25 for children and $30 for adults. Visit www.centralcityopera.org/takeachild for tickets and more information.

Central City Opera’s Education and Community Engagement artists have presented performances and workshops in more than 125 communities across Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska. Each year, the Central City Opera Ensemble presents more than 150 performances and workshops in schools, senior centers and communities large and small. These performances provide opportunities for audiences to hear and learn about less familiar works along with old favorites and for new audiences to be introduced to the art form of opera.

The Central City Opera Guild, established in 1974, assists Central City Opera through work in historic preservation, education, cultural and social events, and fundraising. Visit www.centralcityopera.org/guild for more information.

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