Central City Opera celebrating rich history, bright future

One of the oldest opera companies in the U.S. is celebrating its 90th anniversary in Colorado this year. The Central City Opera kicked off the summer season at the beginning of July. The company has been around since 1932, making them the fifth-oldest opera company in the country.

Eric Lee Chinn is the Historic Properties Director for the Central City Opera, he says that the former mining town was once rich with ore, but now it's rich with history.

"People were coming in droves because they heard of the gold strike, a vein of gold about half a mile down the hill from [the opera house]," Chinn explained.

Chinn said that as many as 10,000 - 20,000 people surged into Central City 160 years ago, as part of the gold rush.

City leaders looked to capitalize on the influx by building an opera house in the middle of the mining town in the 1870's, along with a hotel next door. It was all in the hope of bringing influential people to town, and making Central City a candidate for the capitol of the territory.

"The opera house signified that there was culture here and not just a place to get robbed and shot at like the good old west shows and movies," Chinn told CBS4.

While Colorado's capitol ended up nearly 40 miles east and the mining operation dried up long ago, golden voices can still be heard echoing through the streets of Central City.

Kira Dills-DeSurra is among dozens of artists that flock to Central City for the Opera Festival each year.

"Opera is a little bit stigmatized of a word. People think kind of an older art form. Not something that's relatable, in a different language, you have to dress in a gown or be wealthy to attend the opera and it's just not that," Dills-DeSurra said.

Dills-DeSurra started as apprentice at the festival 5 years ago... now she's a leading lady so to speak.

"I'm playing a pants role which means I'm actually playing a man," she said of her latest role. 

Dills-DeSurra is taking on the role of Prince Orlofsky in the operetta Die Fledermaus. A comedy, with the songs sung in German and the dialogue in English. Dills-DeSurra says that is just one of the ways the Central City Opera Company is drawing in next generation of audience members.

"I feel like there's a lot of young people that are coming and we're getting new audiences and it's really exciting and it feels like okay there's this breath of new energy into the opera world."

She said that the small, nearly 150 year old Opera House also plays a large part in keeping the love of opera alive in Central City.

"This house is just so special. you feel like you're in Europe." Dills-DeSurra said of the small 550 seat theatre.  "You can really see people's expressions on their face and see the action and feel like a part of it. Which makes people feel like 'Oh, this is accessible. I can relate to this.'"

The company is performing 3 works over the course of the festival. The Light in the Piazza, Die Fledermaus and Two Remain. Tickets are available for all three shows right now.

The President and CEO of the Company, Pamela A. Pantos said that they chose a wide range of operas for this years festival—older and newer works, some entirely or partially in English.

"We need to honor the past while looking to the future and I think that's where we are." Pantos said. And she's already looking forward to the next 10 years.

"There is this 90-year history and yet it's only 10 years to the 100th so the question is what do we want to be doing for the Centennial?" Pantos added.