Opera Memories: The most memorable praise that I have heard regarding Central City Opera occurred a few years ago and 1580 air miles away! Prudy and I were in Florida, and attending a benefit dinner for the Sarasota Opera. The wine and dinner, combined with our fellow table guests good spirits, resulted in a most pleasant round-the-table conversation, with each guest in turn telling a little about his or herself, and their opera experiences. When it was Prudy’s and my turn, we mentioned where were from, what opera houses that we had visited overseas, and Prudy mentioned that I served as one of the Board Trustees of Central City Opera.

With that comment, the husband of the distinguished looking couple seated next to us, suddenly spoke out. “So you are from Central City Opera. We attended your production of Gloriana in 2001 and it was glorious. In fact, it made our entire season!

Since then, they have become our friends. As a Danish architect and a Danish embassy official and naval officer, they have traveled all over the world, and particularly in the U.S., attending opera festivals. For many years, they visit our Central City Opera festival, on an annual basis. The arts have their own way of building friendships between countries.

James and Prudy Hilger

Mrs. Roy H. Ott
111 Emerson St. Apt. 464
Denver, CO 80218-3779

The year was 1931. My name was Lenore Hays. I was a student at the University of Denver. My major was Speech and Dramatic Arts. I had a student apprenticeship in the registrar office where I was working when the telephone rang. The girl who answered said, “Lenore, it’s for you. You are to go to the Chancellor’s office right away. Don’t stop for anything.”

When I arrived, the chancellor, Dr. Frederick Hunter was sitting at his desk. Miss Anne Evans sat in a chair with arms. I sat down facing both of them. Betty Pollard, a student who worked in the office of the Dean of Women, Miss Gladys Bell came. We were introduced to Miss Evans. Her family had been prominent in many ways. Her father had served as Governor of Colorado. Mt. Evans was named for him. Miss Evans announced, “My family has given the Central City Theater to the University of Denver, I hope you and the Drama Department at the University will give recitals, plays and even an opera. We would all come. We all have summer homes I Central City,” The next morning the headline of the Rocky Mountain News read, “The Evans Family has given the Central City Opera House to the University of Denver.”

It was a decade before Dr. Roger Fee scheduled Summer School classes for students who wanted to study singing opera at the University of Denver and Central City. In 1932, the first opera performed at the Central City Opera House was Camille, with Lillian Gish, a soprano.

My mother had studied singing and encouraged me to have singing lessons and surely to attend the opera would be stimulation. It was made possible for me and my friend, William Rhodes to attend. He drove a Ford Roadster which had a rumble seat. He had earned the money cutting grass. The road was built of dirt. It was dusty as many of Colorado roads were at that time. After the opera, we toured the Teller House. We saw four or five brass gambling objects which had been in use during mining days.

I had worn a pretty dress which was not long but appropriate for a seventeen year old. It was a beautiful evening.

Lenore Hays Ott