The 1891 Fredonia Opera House Performing Arts Center

Registration is OPEN for the 8th Annual 1891 Run for the Fredonia Opera House on Sunday, April 27, 2025! A flat, fast, USATF-certified 5K run through the village and campus that starts and ends at the Opera House (also part of Chautauqua Striders 2025 Runner of the Year series of races). Registrants who sign up before April 15 will receive a T-shirt. Prizes will be randomly drawn from all registrants, and medals will be awarded to male and female finishers overall and in different age categories. Students under 21 - $15, adult runners or walkers - $25 before race day, $30 day of the race. Armchair runners are also welcome to donate to support the Opera House. Bib and Swag Bag pickup will take place on Saturday, April 26, 9AM-NOON, at the Opera House on 9 Church St. in Fredonia. For more information or to register, visit our website at fredopera.org,

We had several people ask us if we recorded Dick Gilman's recent Chautauqua COunty History Series lecture, THE RESTORATION OF THE FREDONIA OPERA HOUSE: A VOLUNTEER'S PERSPECTIVE. We did - it's available on Youtube or you can watch it below. We hope you enjoy it! #1891foh #fredoniaoperahouse #localhistory #chautauquacountyhistory

Notes from the Aisle Seat Episode 4.08 - The "Long Night Moon" Edition

(Special Note - Notes from the Aisle Seat will be on hiatus as the 1891 Opera House is closed to install new seats. Our next episode will be on March 5, 2025. Have a safe and happy holiday season!) Welcome to Season 4 Episode 8 - the "Long Night Moon" edition - of NOTES FROM THE AISLE SEAT, the podcast featuring news and information about the arts in northern Chautauqua County NY, sponsored by the 1891 Fredonia Opera House. Your host is Tom Loughlin, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor and Chair Emeritus of Theatre and Dance at SUNY Fredonia. Guests on this episode include: Mr. Tim Wright, Lake Shore Center for the Arts Songwriters Circle Series; and Ms. Marcy O'Brien, author and columnist. Notes from the Aisle Seat is available from most of your favorite podcast sites, as well as on the Opera House YouTube Channel. If you enjoy this podcast, please spread the word through your social media feeds, give us a link on your website, and consider becoming a follower by clicking the "Follow" button in the upper right-hand corner of our home page. If you have an arts event you'd like to publicize, hit us up at [email protected] and let us know what you have! Please give us at least one month's notice to facilitate timely scheduling. Thanks for listening! Time Stamps (Approximate) 02:23 - Tim Wright/LSCFTA Songwriters Circle and Open Mic 19:00 - Arts Calendar 20:20 - Marcy O'Brien/Barker Library Book Talk 35:58 - A Note of Thanks Media "Starlight", composed and performed by Fridrick Karlsson, September 2012 "More Light", from the television series Northern Exposure, Episode 4.18 "Northern Lights." Included is "Ebudae", composed and performed by Enya, from the album Shepard's Moon, Nov. 4, 1991, Reprise Records (US)

Saturday, November 23 at 1PM - The Met: Live in HD continues with Puccini's TOSCA. Broadcast LIVE from the New York City stage, The Met: Live in HD not only brings you one-of-a-kind productions, but also takes you backstage and behind the scenes for an all-access look you can only get in cinemas! Extraordinary soprano Lise Davidsen stars as the volatile diva Floria Tosca for her first time at the Met. David McVicar’s thrilling production also features tenor Freddie De Tommaso in his eagerly anticipated company debut as Tosca’s revolutionary lover, Cavaradossi, and powerhouse baritone Quinn Kelsey as the sadistic chief of police Scarpia. Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts the electrifying score, which features some of Puccini’s most memorable melodies. Tickets - $20, $18, $10. Our concessions room will be open for both intermissions. Call 716.679.1891 or visit fredopera.org. #1891foh #fredoniaoperahouse #metliveinhd #puccinitosca #Tosca

Friday, November 15 at 7:30PM - LIVE ON STAGE! In celebration of 30 years of the Folk in Fredonia Music Series, the Opera House is bringing back some of the artists who performed in the earlier years of the series. Garnet Rogers first appeared in 1996, and we’re thrilled that he is returning! Garnet Rogers has established himself as “one of the major talents of our time.” Hailed by the Boston Globe as a “charismatic performer and singer,” he is a man with a powerful physical presence – close to six and a half feet tall – with a voice to match. With his “smooth, dark baritone” (Washington Post), his incredible range, and thoughtful, dramatic phrasing, Rogers is widely considered by fans and critics alike to be one of the finest singers anywhere. His music, like the man himself, is literate, passionate, highly sensitive, and deeply purposeful. Cinematic in detail, his songs “give expression to the unspoken vocabulary of the heart” (Kitchener Waterloo Record). An optimist at heart, Rogers sings extraordinary songs about people who are not obvious heroes and of the small victories of the everyday. As memorable as his songs, his over-the-top humor and lightning-quick wit moves his audience from tears to laughter and back again. Tickets are $20 Adults, $18 Members, and $10 Students and are available at the Box Office at 716.679.1891 or online at fredopera.org. The Folk in Fredonia Music Series is Sponsored by The Gilman Family. #1891foh #fredoniaoperahouse #folkinfredonia #garnetrogers

Friday, November 15 at 7:30PM - In celebration of 30 years of the Folk in Fredonia Music Series, the Opera House is bringing back some of the artists who performed in the earlier years of the series. GARNET ROGERS first appeared in 1996, and we’re thrilled that he is returning! Garnet Rogers has established himself as “one of the major talents of our time.” Hailed by the Boston Globe as a “charismatic performer and singer,” he is a man with a powerful physical presence – close to six and a half feet tall – with a voice to match. With his “smooth, dark baritone” (Washington Post), his incredible range, and thoughtful, dramatic phrasing, Rogers is widely considered by fans and critics alike to be one of the finest singers anywhere. His music, like the man himself, is literate, passionate, highly sensitive, and deeply purposeful. Cinematic in detail, his songs “give expression to the unspoken vocabulary of the heart” (Kitchener Waterloo Record). An optimist at heart, Rogers sings extraordinary songs about people who are not obvious heroes and of the small victories of the everyday. As memorable as his songs, his over-the-top humor and lightning-quick wit moves his audience from tears to laughter and back again. Tickets are $20 Adults, $18 Members, and $10 Students and are available at the Box Office at 716.679.1891 or online at fredopera.org. The Folk in Fredonia Music Series is Sponsored by The Gilman Family. #1891foh #fredoniaoperahouse #folkinfredonia #garnetrogers

Saturday, November 2 at 7:30 PM - Tapestry, The Carole King Songbook, starring Suzanne O Davis, is THE premier musical tribute to Carole King. Experience a legendary album LIVE in concert! Suzanne O Davis performs all the music from the Tapestry album, and also features many songs that Carole King and her husband, Gerry Goffin, wrote in the 1960s - composing more than 400 songs recorded by over 1,000 artists, including: The Drifters, The Beatles, Herman’s Hermits, Donnie Osmond, Aretha Franklin, The Shirelles, Bobby Vee, and more… Call 716.679.1891 or visit fredopera.org for tickets. #1891foh #fredoniaoperahouse #tapestrythecarolekingsongbook #caroleking #suzanneodavis

Saturday, November 2 at 7:30 PM - Tapestry, The Carole King Songbook, starring Suzanne O. Davis, is THE premier musical tribute to Carole King. Experience a legendary album LIVE in concert! This show recreates the sound and vibe of a 1970s Carole King concert experience following her legendary album, Tapestry. You will be transported back to the iconic image of her multiple Grammy winning album. The concert performance will also bring to life many hits from the Broadway musical smash, Beautiful. Suzanne O Davis performs all the music from the Tapestry album, and also features many songs that Carole King and her husband, Gerry Goffin, wrote in the 1960s. They proved to be one of the most successful song-writing teams in pop music history, composing more than 400 songs recorded by over 1,000 artists, including: The Drifters, The Beatles, Herman’s Hermits, Donnie Osmond, Aretha Franklin, The Shirelles, Bobby Vee, and many more… Released in 1971, Tapestry is one of the best-selling and most celebrated albums of all time. With heart, reverence, and impeccable attention to detail, Davis and her band perform this entire album, plus King’s hits from the 70’s, completely live. The performance takes you on a journey back to those great recordings with stories about the music history of Carole King’s incredible career, and a fun, sing-a-long, audience interactive performance. You will Feel the Earth Move under your feet with this show! Call 716.679.1891 or visit fredopera.org for tickets. #1891foh #fredoniaoperahouse #tapestrythecarolekingsongbook #caroleking #suzanneodavis

Saturday, October 26 at 1PM - National Theatre Live presents VANYA. Andrew Scott (Sherlock, Fleabag, Ripley) brings multiple characters to life in Simon Stephens’ radical new version of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. Hopes, dreams, and regrets are thrust into sharp focus in this one-man adaptation which explores the complexities of human emotions. The 2024 Olivier Award winner for Best Revival, Vanya was filmed live during its sold-out run in London’s West End. “Unquestionably theatre at its best” — Broadway World. “An acting masterclass” — (London) Evening Standard This production runs approximately 110 minutes with no intermission. Part of Arts in the Afternoon, sponsored by Dr. James & Marcia Merrins. Tickets - $15 Adults, $10 Students, call 716.679.1891 or visit fredopera.org. #1891foh #fredoniaoperahouse #adamscott #ntlvanya #unclevanya

Monroe Crossing at the Opera House

Tomorrow! October 24 at 7:30PM - Monroe Crossing - Bluegrass Back by Popular Demand! #fredoniaoperahouse #1891foh #folkinfredonia #BluegrassConcert #monroecrossing

Coming Thursday, October 24 at 7:30PM - MONROE CROSSING - Live in Concert! Named in honor of Bill Monroe, “The Father of Bluegrass Music,” Monroe Crossing dazzles audiences with an electrifying blend of classic bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, and heartfelt originals. Their superb musicianship and on-stage rapport have entertained audiences across the United States, Canada and Europe. They are favorites among bluegrass connoisseurs and non-bluegrass audiences alike (they love introducing newcomers to bluegrass music!). Tickets - $20 Adults, $18 Members/Seniors, $10 Students. Call 716.679.1891 or visit fredopera.org to purchase. Part of Folk in Fredonia - The Gilman Family Music Series. #1891foh #fredoniaoperahouse #folkinfredonia #BluegrassConcert #monroecrossing

Saturday, October 19 at 1PM - Tony Award–winning composer Jeanine Tesori’s powerful new opera GROUNDED premieres on the Met: Live in HD, wrestling with often-overlooked issues created by 21st-century war-making: the ethical conflicts created by the use of modern military technology and the psychological and emotional toll supposedly safe remote technology takes on our servicepersons. Canadian mezzo soprano Emily D’Angelo stars as the hot-shot fighter pilot whose unplanned pregnancy takes her out of the cockpit and lands her in Las Vegas, operating a Reaper drone halfway around the world. American tenor Ben Bliss costars in a production by Michael Mayer that brings this story to life in a high-tech staging which presents a variety of perspectives on the action. Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium to conduct Tesori’s kaleidoscopic opera, transmitted live from the Met stage. The most prolific female composer in theater history, Jeanine Tesori has written a diverse catalog for Broadway, opera, film, and television; her most recent musical, Kimberly Akimbo, earned five Tony Awards (of eight nominations), including Best Musical and Best Original Score. Tickets - $20, $18, $10 - Call 716.679.1891 or visit fredopera.org #fredoniaoperahouse #1891foh #metliveinhd #groundedopera