Celebrate the Holidays on the Colorado Historic Opera Houses Circuit

Celebrate the holidays with live entertainment in festive settings along the Colorado Historic Opera Houses Circuit! This winter, four mountain towns offer holiday concerts and celebrations.

See live music in intimate historic settings. Holiday concerts offer a wide range of music styles—soul and jazz, Motown and urban-Latino, folk and Appalachian music, and more. Catch comedy, dance, and kids’ theater. Join us for your favorite holiday movies and ski films and a Native American film festival. Take opera house tours, sleuth your way through a murder mystery, and much more.

The Circuit connects

• Aspen - Wheeler Opera House,
• Central City - Central City Opera House,
• Leadville - Tabor Opera House,
• Ouray - Wright Opera House, and
• Telluride - Sheridan Opera House.

Sheridan Opera House – Telluride

📷: Sarah Schwab Photography

After a great day skiing or riding Telluride’s premier slopes, warm up at the Sheridan Opera House. Be sure to catch the star-studded Holiday Concert Series:

• GRAMMY winner Shawn Colvin with contemporary folk (Wed., Dec. 27)
• An Evening with Jewel, singer-songwriter, actress, and best-selling author (Thurs., Dec. 28)
• Ozomatli’s GRAMMY award-winning urban-Latino fusion (Fri., Dec. 29)
• Brass Queens, female-led brass band (Sat., Dec. 30)
• A Motown New Year’s Eve Gala with the Motortown All-Stars (Sun., Dec. 31)

Or have dinner with Jewel, to raise funds for Jewel’s Inspiring Children Foundation and the Sheridan Arts Foundation (Wed., Dec. 27, 6:30 p.m.).

Don’t miss these fun December events:

• Son Little’s rhythm and blues and soul (Sat., Dec. 9)
• Young People's Theater presents “Aladdin” (Fri.-Sun., Dec. 15-17)
• Teton Gravity Research's “Legend Has It” ski film (Tues., Dec. 19)
• Warren Miller's “All Time” ski film (Thurs., Dec. 21)

Check the Sheridan's upcoming events for details.

Wheeler Opera House – Aspen

📷: An Appalachian Christmas, Courtesy Wheeler Opera House

Pair world-class Aspen skiing with world-class cultural events. Make plans to be at the Wheeler Opera House as it hosts celebrations of Native American voices and traditions:

• Shining Mountains Film Festival, two days of films produced and directed, and stories told by, Native Americans – First Nations’ voices (Fri.-Sat., Dec. 1-2)
• “Inspired by Tradition. Powered by Dance.” Colorful regalia, pulsating drumming, and fancy footwork by Native Pride Productions (Sun., Dec. 3)

Come back for holiday music, movie, and dance:

• Handel’s “Messiah,” presented by Aspen Choral Society (Fri., Dec. 8)
• A Give Back Screening of “The Polar Express” from Aspen Film & the Wheeler (Sun., Dec. 10)
• Mark O’Connor’s “An Appalachian Christmas” featuring Maggie O’Connor, with award-winning fiddle and vocals (Sat., Dec. 16)
• Allan Harris Sings “A Nat King Cole Christmas” with special guests Gloria Reuben and Jumaane Smith (Sun., Dec. 17)
• DanceAspen presents “A Snowy Soiree,” a holiday-themed show (Sat., Dec. 23)

You’ll also want to catch these great December shows:

• Changemaker Speaker Series, “The Helmsman: Songs & Stories from the 7 Seas” with Andy Mann (Thurs., Dec. 21)
• The “She Gone” Tour with comedian, writer, actor and voice-over star Becky Robinson of Entitled Housewife (Tues., Dec. 26)
• Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats with his own band (Thurs., Dec. 28)
• New Year’s Eve at the Wheeler with magician Michael Carbonaro: Lies on Stage (Sun., Dec. 31)

See the Wheeler's upcoming events for more details.

Wright Opera House – Ouray

Soak in Ouray’s unmatched hot springs, then enjoy these holiday-themed events at the Wright Opera House:

• Films at the Wright on Wednesday Nights: Elf more-than-a-movie-event (Dec. 6); It's a Wonderful Life (Dec. 13)
• Murder at the Christmas Feast, an interactive theatrical experience and a delectable three-course meal (Fri., Dec. 15)
• Yule Celebration at the Wright: Family gingerbread house decorating, Yule parade, and storytime with Mrs. Claus (Sat., Dec. 16)
• New Year’s Eve Party, Open the Door to 2024: Explore what's behind themed resolution doors throughout the building at this formal event (Sun., Dec. 31)

Plus enjoy stellar paintings and music:

• WOH Art Show: Melissa Demuth's "Follow the Sun” (Through Jan. 10, 2024)
• 80s Night in the Tavern featuring Wowzers hip hop/funk (Sat., Dec. 9)

Find details at the Wright's upcoming events.

Central City Opera House – Central City

📷: Eric Chinn

In Central City, visit the casinos and do your holiday shopping in the historic downtown. Then tour the Central City Opera House:

• Tours of historic Central City, including the jewel-box opera house, offered by Gilpin Historical Society at Washington Hall, 117 Eureka Street (Tues. – Sun., 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)

For a holiday event produced by the Central City Opera company:

• Central City Opera offers “Amahl and the Night Visitors," a family-friendly opera, in the Denver area (Dec. 23-24)

Learn more about the opera houses, and plan your trip today!

This blog was made possible through a grant from Visit Colorado.