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Willa Cather Foundation - Red Cloud Nebraska (NE)
 
 
 

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Opera House Events

Opera House Events

Built in 1885 and fully restored in 2003, the Red Cloud Opera House figured prominently in the life of Willa Cather. From performing on the Opera House stage to enjoying traveling productions that came by way of the railroad, Cather’s interest in the arts was spurred by the experiences she had here in her youth. She delivered her high school graduation address from the Opera House stage in 1890. The facility closed in 1920. In a 1929 letter to friend and journalist Harvey Newbranch, Cather wrote, “When I go about among little Nebraska towns, the thing I miss most is the opera house. No number of filling stations or moving picture theatres can console me for the loss of the opera house.” Today, a visit to the Opera House transports patrons back in time to the 1880s, when Willa Cather and her friends eagerly anticipated the arrival of traveling productions such as The Bohemian Girl and The Mikado. We are proud to utilize the facility to create rich educational and cultural opportunities for area residents and our visitors from across the nation.

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Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events

No events scheduled at this time.

Past Events
Past Events
Opera House
Friday, March 22, 2019 - 7:30pm to 9:00pm
With a voice rising “out of the Nebraska plain like cool summer swell,” Rascal Martinez blends rockabilly, folk, country and Latin sounds into covers, standards and heartfelt...
Opera House
Tuesday, February 19, 2019 - 7:30pm to 9:00pm
My Ántonia , Willa Cather’s seminal novel of immigration on the prairie, comes to life on the RCOH stage in an award-winning theatrical adaptation by Illusion Theater. The...
Opera House
Sunday, January 13, 2019 - 5:00pm to 7:00pm
The Red Cloud Opera House will be brimming with enticing aromas as local chefs dust off their favorite recipe for the 5th annual Soup Showdown. The event is open to the public...
Opera House
Friday, January 11, 2019 - 7:30pm to 9:00pm
Rave On! re-invents the ordinary tribute show with an electrifying, high-energy, rock n' roll extravaganza featuring America's premiere Buddy Holly interpreter, Billy McGuigan,...
Opera House
Saturday, December 8, 2018 - 7:30pm
Blue Plate Special is a unique band—for music fans with a hearty appetite. Their songs, whether covers or originals, give the audience a feeling for American Roots music, music...
Opera House
Saturday, December 8, 2018 - 6:30pm to 7:00pm
Join author Steven Rothenberger in the Red Cloud Opera House gallery as he talks about his first full-length book, Scottsbluff in ’62: A Rock 'N' Roll Retrospective of Small Town...
Opera House
Saturday, November 17, 2018 - 11:00am to 12:00pm
Family-friendly, youth-centered entertainment is on tap when The String Beans visit the Red Cloud Opera House on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 11 a.m. The Lincoln-based group will perform...
Opera House
Saturday, November 10, 2018 - 7:30pm
The Lightning Bugs will take you back to when the big bands were blowing, the dance floors were crowded, and the Mills Brothers helped everyone fall in love! The Bugs use smooth...
Opera House
Saturday, October 27, 2018 - 7:30pm
When a magical mishap leaves a million dollar inheritance up for grabs, the next trick will be figuring out who the lucky winner is, and who will end up behind bars for malicious...
Opera House
Saturday, September 15, 2018 - 7:30pm to 9:30pm
Hardened and Tempered: hard enough to hold an edge; soft enough not to break. Austin-based duo Kristin Davidson and Red Cloud-native Carolyn Phillips live that balance and express...

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