November 22 & 23 | 10 am – 4 pm
Sponsored by the Central City Opera Guild
DENVER, Colo., October 25, 2019—A Denver tradition for 43 years, this year’s L’Esprit de Noël Holiday Home Tour will take guests through the historic University Park neighborhood. On Friday, November 22 and Saturday, November 23 from 10 am – 4 pm, five architecturally unique homes will be open to the public and beautifully decorated for the holidays by the area’s finest florists and table designers.
A major fundraiser for Central City Opera, last year’s home tour raised $80,000 from over 2,200 visitors and sponsors. Tickets are on sale now for $28 at www.centralcityopera.org/lesprit and at all King Soopers’ locations. Day-of tickets will be available at Fitzroy Place, current home to Accelerated Schools (2160 S. Cook Street), for $30.
Each home on the tour will showcase the floral and table designers’ creative spin on holiday décor, from traditional to modern. This year’s floral designers include Birdsall & Co., Bouquets, Flower Power, Perfect Petal and Plum Sage Flowers. Table designs will be provided by Dwell Antiques, Home with Holliday, lulu’s furniture, T is for Table and White Peacock.
Organized by the volunteers of the Central City Opera Guild, L’Esprit proceeds support Central City Opera’s programs including its annual Summer Festival, the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artist Training Program, the preservation and maintenance of the historic Opera House and 27 additional historic properties in Central City, CO, and its education and community enrichment programs.
University Park and Central City Opera have a long history that dates back to the late 1880s, when architect Robert S. Roeschlaub designed the Opera House in Central City (1878) and the Chamberlin Observatory for Denver University (1890), historic buildings that are still in use today. In the early 1900s, the Opera House fell into decline after the collapse of the mining industry. Anne Evans, daughter of DU co-founder and second governor of the Territory of Colorado John Evans; and Ida Krause McFarlane, head of DU’s English Literature program and daughter-in-law to Peter McFarlane, owner of the Central City Opera House, arranged for the Opera House to be donated to Denver University.
After restoring it to its former glory, Anne and Ida had the idea for a summer opera festival in Central City, a tradition that continues to this day. Denver University is now home to Central City Opera’s historical archives and the partnership forged in Colorado history continues to unfold.
For more information about L’Esprit de Noël, visit www.lesprithometour.com or www.centralcityopera.org.