Arts - Not your grandmother's opera house

Not your grandmother's opera house

OCTOBER 2006 — VOLUME 4 ISSUE 10

Opera houses aren’t just for opera. With all quiet on the Sun Peaks front, now’s the time to branch out and explore some entertainment options elsewhere in the region. A great place to start is the Ashcroft Opera House in Ashcroft, B.C.

The Ashcroft Opera House was built in 1889 at a time when Ashcroft was a major hub for the B.C. gold rush. With thousands of travellers passing through the boom town, town fathers wanted to provide entertainment beyond bars and brothels. The Opera House became a social nexus and attracted performers from all over the world. Opera companies from as far away as Australia came to perform for local residents and the transient population. The Opera House also hosted performers such as Pauline Johnson, the famous Canadian poet, and held lavish parties for the area’s social elite.

After its heyday as an opera house, the structure was reincarnated as a movie theatre and later, a retail store. In 2005, the Village of Ashcroft refurbished the heritage building and reopened it as the Ashcroft Opera House once more. Since reopening, the Opera House has established a reputation as an excellent small venue for performers. The intimate seating format lends itself well to many performance styles, making it a truly unique experience for both audience and musician. The Opera House has hosted many great names since its reopening, including Canadian folk singer Valdy, B.C. rocker Barney Bentall, mellow swing-kings the Polyjesters, and many others.

This month, the line-up at the Ashcroft Opera House is once again impressive. Juno award-winner Lennie Gallant will be playing Oct. 3. Other performances include Vancouver’s Andy Collins Band on Oct. 8, guitarist David Gogo Oct. 12, and folk band The Bills on Oct. 23.

The fall mix promises to be eclectic and entertaining, and definitely worth the drive to Ashcroft. To get complete concert listings for October or to book tickets, visit www.ashcroftoperahouse.com. Take your friends. Enjoy the grooves.

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