THE GUILD:
A History of the
Central City Opera Guild
In 1877, the citizens of Central City organized a fundraising drive for a grand new Opera House befitting the gold mining town’s reputation
as “the richest square mile on earth”. Many of the town’s residents were Welsh and Cornish miners, who brought with them a rich tradition
of music from their homeland. While locals pitched in during construction, the organizers also retained some of the best building professionals in the area. Prominent Denver architect Robert S. Roeschlaub provided an elegant, understated design for the stone structure
and San Francisco artist John C. Massman added elaborate trompe l’murals to the interior.
The early glory years following the 1878
grand opening were short-lived. Musical
and theatrical events appeared on its stage:
Buffalo Bill Cody performed here as well as
P.T. Barnum’s circus. When the Central City
mines were played out, the Opera House
fell into disrepair.
In 1929 a dedicated band of Denver preservationists and music lovers formed the
Central City Opera House Association and
went to work to turn the spotlights back on.
A volunteer-driven effort led by Ida Kruse
McFarlane, Edna Chappell and Anne Evans
led to an extensive restoration of the Opera
House in 1932. That summer, the legendary
actress Lillian Gish opened the newly restored opera house with Camille, launching
an annual tradition of summer festivals in
Central City that continues to this day. Although the maintenance of the building
began to decline after the 1950’s, the Central City Opera House was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973.
Continuing its history of peaks and valleys,
in 1974 a second band of dedicated
women, under the direction of leading lady
Barbara H. Ferguson, with Janet Phipps,
Gail Gordon, Linda Roberts, Betty Veit,
Judy Nichols, Marjorie Rentz, Mary McGlone and Celeste Fleming established The
Central City Opera House Association Guild
to assist the Central City Opera House Association with educational projects, with a
focus on youth education, apprentice artists
support, historic preservation and maintenance of over 30 Association owned properties in Central City, audience development
and various fundraising and social events
throughout the year.
eras, which are reviewed and selections are
performed at venues in and around Denver.
At the same time, “Ladies Day at the
Opera” was initiated and has become a
popular activity for Guild members to have
lunch in Central City and attend a matinee
The word opera means “work” in Italian (it
is the plural of the Latin opus meaning
“work” or “labour”) and what work and
labor these founding ladies did and today’s
Guild members continue on.
The first meeting of the Guild was held on
April 20, 1974 at the home of Barbara Ferguson and a founder’s tea quickly followed
on May 4, 1974 at the Polo Club home of
Mrs. McIntosh Buell. Two-hundred charter
members attended this event. Following
this tea, a membership drive was held
which boosted the Guild membership to
573 by September 1975.
In these early years, the Guild assisted the
Association with numerous events and projects including: Opera Stars of Tomorrow
Gala (staged in the Central City Cemetery),
Unexpectable and Collectibles Sale at the
Phipps Tennis House, extensive preservation and historic renovations to the numerous Association properties, expansion of
the education of opera to larger audiences,
which started as “brown bag Opera” and
has evolved to the “Opera Teasers”. These
events highlight the season’s upcoming Op-
CentralCityOpera.org
performance of an Opera. Youth education
has always been a focus for the Guild and
the “Take a Child to the Opera” was created
to enhance a family experience at the
opera. Adults and children enjoy lunch with
opera singers and additional educational
activities surround these family performances. Various other guild sponsored educational event’s occur throughout the year
in the Denver area.
In 1976, the “L’Esprit de Noel” home tour
was launched and is presently the largest
fundraising event presented by the Guild.
The tours, located in varying Denver area
neighborhoods each year, feature profes-
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sionally decorated private homes and historic properties, a holiday
boutique and cafe, a gala patron party and three days of holiday
cheer and fundraising for the Central City Opera. These annual
events require many “stage-hands” to perform and the grand-finale
contributes from $50,000 to $80,000 yearly to the Association and
funds the Guilds yearly sponsorship and educational awards to the
Apprentice Artists Training Programs and area Teacher Awards.
The Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program is a national model for the professional development of young singers.
Created by Artistic Director Emeritus John Moriarty in 1978, the rigorous 10 week program integrates daily training in diction, movement and stage combat; individual coaching and sessions in career
management with rehearsals and performance opportunities in the
summer’s main stage and surrounding productions. The program,
which selects 30-32 participants from nearly 1,000 applicants each
year, has provided valuable training for many of America’s most no-
table young opera professionals.
In addition to the Guild’s monetary awards, continued support to
the Apprentice Artists is provided in it’s “Greet-a-Singer” program
(singers are picked up at the airport and delivered to Central City),
the “Apprentice Artist Picnic” held at the beginning of the festival
season at a Guild members home. Even before the season opens,
Guild members are hard at work preparing the over 30 historic
properties for the artist’s summer stays with inventory, cleaning and
planting days all in preparation for a successful Festival Season.
As the Guild continues on to its almost 40th year, 34 women have
been Presidents of this vibrant Guild, broadening it’s reach to new
members and new activities. As 2012 Guild President, Anne McGonagle is thrilled to support this wonderful organization for a second year at the helm.
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