Welcome to High Desert Opera's Home Page! |
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If you are already an opera buff, you can feed your thirst for opera without having to travel. If you are not yet an opera buff, we intend to make you one.
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Summer Opera 2010 - Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado" - July 16,17,24 |
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Opening night in Grand Junction is Saturday July 17th with an encore performance Saturday July 24th. Both performances will start at 7:30 p.m. at the Avalon Theatre. Doors open at 6:30. Purchase your tickets starting June 21st. Tickets will be available on our website, Roper Music and by calling 970.523.9605. Purchase your tickets early! Clever lyrics and lively melodies bring to life this entertaining story of "love triumphant." The scene opens in the courtyard of Ko-Ko's palace in the Japanese town of Titipu. Nanki-Poo, son of "The great and virtuous Mikado," has fled from Court to avoid marriage with the shrewish Katisha. Elderly and ugly, she describes herself as "an acquired taste," claiming that beauty resides not in the face alone. "I have a shoulder-blade that is a miracle of loveliness," she boasts. "People come miles to see it." Disguised as a second trombone player, Nanki-Poo has made the acquaintance of the lovely Yum-Yum and fallen in love with her. Nanki-Poo learns that she is officially engaged to her guardian Ko-Ko, an ex-tailor, and now the Lord High Executioner... |
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Music of the Heart Concert February 12, 2010 |
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A special Valentines treat for music lovers. This concert will have many of your favorite Grand Valley vocalists singing a festive tribute to love.
At 7:30 p.m. of February 12th at General Admission Tickets available in advance at Roper Music at 5th & Rood Or purchase your tickets at the Door. Seating is limited. Get your tickets early! $10 for adults - $5 for 12 and under This is a High Desert Opera fundraiser. |
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Dinner and an Opera ~ February 12, 2010 |
Dinner and an Opera presents Orfeo ed Euridice by C. Gluck ~ February 12, 2010. A wonderfully romantic love story for Valentines Day, melodious music and Prime Rib for dinner. Enjoy a dinner followed by a screening of a recorded opera. Ed Arnos, High Desert Opera's Outreach Spokeperson presents a brief opera Informance before beginning the viewing. Reservations are required. Call Melinda Wilson at 970.242.3703. |
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8th Annual High Desert Opera New Year's Eve Gala |
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"Man of La Mancha" Miguel de Cervantes, aging and an utter failure in his varied careers as playwright, poet and tax collector for the government, has been thrown into a dungeon in Seville to await trial by the Inquisition for an offense against the Church.
Cervantes, seeking to save it, proposes to offer a novel defense in the form of an entertainment. The "court" accedes and before their eyes, donning makeup and costume, Cervantes and his faithful manservant transform themselves into Don Quixote and Sancho Panza and proceed to play out the story with the participation of the prisoners as characters in the play.
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A Successful High Desert Opera Summer 2009 Opera Festival |
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Christopher McKim's character, "Dr. Daly, the Vicar of Ploverleigh," wistful thoughts of "love unfulfilled" transformed after drinking the philtre. He found every woman of Ploverleigh "quite comely" (attractive). You could hear the chuckles from the audience as he sought to control his affectionate heart upon meeting some one new of the fairer sex. Expressing that they to where "quite comely." McKim's choice of character attributes made one feel humorously sympathetic towards Daly's magically induced desire for love. With "John Wellington Wells," played by Thom King, it was easy to get caught up in his energetic and contagious personality when it came to the use of his family's magical "philtre." His addition of current events used during his deflection of the unwanted philtre induced affections of "Lady Sangazure," played by Shazy King, caused a resounding laugh from the audience. The mixture of all the talented vocalist/performers in this production set in motion a performance filled with fun and memorable scenes. It just must be said that this was a production that should not have been missed.
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2008 New Year's Eve Gala. December 31 (2 Performances) |
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Our New Year's Eve Gala was the perfect event to begin the New Year's Eve celebration. High Desert Opera's Artistic Director James Werner brought together talented local singers, musicians and dance troupes from the Grand Valley and invites guest artist to produce an exceptional program. Our 6th Anual New Year's Eve Gala! The curtain rose on Act I, a series of three operatic Vignettes, sung in English. Verdi's La Traviata, Strauss' Die Fledermaus and Giordano's Andrea Chenier. Act II was a party atmosphere full of musical favorites from Broadway's Oklahoma, Guys & Dolls, Momma Mia, Chess and much more!
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Opera is one of life's great delights. Come and join with us as we bring Grand Opera to Grand Junction. |
Summer Opera Festival Presents Tosca July 26, 2008 |
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Welcome Everyone to High Desert Opera's Website! We hope you will feel a little of our excitement and pride as you enjoy our site. We are a young and growing nonprofit company, founded by a love of great vocal music and dedicated to creating excellent productions. 
High Desert Opera's Summer production of Gilbert & Sullivan's
"The Mikado"
High Desert Opera's Summer production of Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Mikado" Opens 7:30 p.m. Friday the 16th at the Montrose Pavilion. Sponsored by The Montrose Arts Council and The Magic Circle Players. Doors open at 6:30. Purchase your tickets starting June 21st by calling The Montrose Pavilion event staff at 970.249.7015
High Desert Opera presents a concert
"Music of the Heart"
On December 31, 2009 and January 2, 2010 High Desert Opera Presented
There he is hailed before a kangaroo court of his fellow prisoners; thieves, cutthroats and trollops who propose to confiscate his meager possessions, one of which is the uncompleted manuscript of a novel called "Don Quixote." 
Audience members at three different performances on the Western Slope enjoyed Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Sorcerer." This production provided many humorous and memorable moments to expound upon. To mention a few; the character played by James Werner "Sir Marmaduke Pointdexter" appeared to have the most grave face and demeanor. Once he drank the philtre (potion) his obvious un-bounding joy, plus his choice of love, took his son (Alexis) and his betrothal (Aline) completely by surprise. The humorous change was not lost on the audience. Alexis and Aline quickly regained their composure to support Marmaduke's near rapturous affections.
Our goal is to continue our annual New Year's Eve Gala and to build
our summer opera performance into a ten day Summer Opera Festival
that will involve the entire community and become a popular annual
destination for travelers and opera lovers. 
The July 26, 2008 performance of Tosca ended with a standing ovation and resounding "Bravos". Sung in English, the updated libretto by Tom Boyd of the U.K. was set in 1944 when the Nazis occupied Rome. The minimalist sets were received with applause, as were the performances of our Tosca, Maria Ciccaglione of New York, Scarpia, Thom King of Baltimore, and Cavaradossi, Joshua Shaw of Los Angeles. A lot of people became opera lovers that night. Many of the audience weren't familiar with the story of Tosca. The audience had strong emotional reactions to the big moments in the story. Several people jumped out of their seats when the rifles were fired during the execution scene!
Local singers Jeffrey Stroud, Charles Jones, Brandon Motz and Mary Cuoco made great contributions as the Sacristan, Angelotti, Kappler, and a War Orphan. The High Desert Opera Chorus did a wonderful job with the beautiful choruses by Puccini. Scott Betts, a master Tango dancer and our conductor, was wonderful with the orchestra. You could see the dancer in him as he conducted. The orchestra, all members of the Grand Junction Symphony, provided a strong rendition of the gorgeous score.