Live at the Met: La Fanciulla del West at Fredonia Opera House

Puccini’s exhilarating drama of the Wild West returns in a new staging by celebrated British director Richard Jones, marking the company’s first new production of La Fanciulla del West in more than 30 years. Soprano Vida Miknevičiūtė’s will make her company debut singing the role of Minnie, the tough tavern owner with a heart of gold who finds love when she least expects it. Tenor SeokJong Baek is the dashing bandit who rambles into the remote California mining town to steal her heart, opposite baritone Christopher Maltman as the lawman determined to deliver rough justice – and win Minnie for himself.

Call 716-679-1891 for information or visit www.fredopera.org

Tickets: $20, $18 (Opera House Members), $10 (Students)

The 1891 Fredonia Opera House Performing Arts Center is a 390-seat restored Vaudeville theater that offers a wide range of programming including live music, theater, dance and an independent cinema series. The Opera House also presents live high-definition satellite broadcasts of opera productions from the renowned Metropolitan Opera in NYC, live theatre from the National Theatre, in London, and various special concerts and programs from various arenas and theatres around the globe.

A landmark fixture on Fredonia’s Barker Commons, the Opera House was saved from destruction in the early 1980s when the Fredonia Preservation Society (which came into existence in response to the threatened demolition) and a corps of committed volunteers undertook what was to become a nine-year restoration of the theater. At a cost of more than $1 million and with more than 30,000 volunteer hours, the Opera House was returned to its splendor and has operated year-round continually since its grand reopening in November 1994.

The recipient of a New York State Historic Preservation Award, the Opera House combines turn-of-the-century beauty and charm with modern comforts. In fact, many individuals and organizations find the Opera House an ideal venue and rent it for events, conferences, meetings and even weddings. For information on events, tours or rentals, contact the Fredonia Opera House at 716-679-0891 or visit www.fredopera.org.