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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
Opera House
Thursday, April 13, 2023 - 7:00pm
Celebrate National Poetry Month with us! Poet Jamaica Baldwin will be on hand for a special poetry reading and discussion in anticipation of Bone Language , her brand new...
Opera House
Monday, April 17, 2023 - 1:00pm
Help us welcome poet Bruce Whitacre to Red Cloud! Whitacre will be reading poetry from his book The Elk in the Glade: The World of Pioneer and Painter Jennie Hicks. The book...
Opera House
Friday, August 4, 2023 - 5:30pm to Saturday, August 5, 2023 - 2:00pm
Join us for a production of Cinderella featuring local youth! Auditions will take place on Monday, July 31, at 10:00 a.m., and are open to students entering grades 1 through 12...
Opera House
Friday, September 1, 2023 - 7:30pm
World-renowned opera soprano and Red Cloud native Sarah Arneson returns Friday, September 1, for a 7:30 pm performance with violinist Anne Hooper Webb.
Opera House
Friday, October 6, 2023 - 7:30pm
Sing along to some of the most iconic country music of the 20th century! Bill Forness is back to pay tribute to music legend Johnny Cash, and he is sharing the stage with Melinda...
Opera House
Friday, November 3, 2023 - 7:30pm
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
Friday, December 1, 2023 - 7:30pm
Fill your cup with holiday cheer and join us for the one-of-a-kind entertainment experience that is Dueling Pianos! These talented musicians will provide a request driven show...
Past Events
Past Events
Opera House
Thursday, March 30, 2023 - 7:00pm
Kick off National Poetry Month in April with this dynamic group of writers and performers who are touring the state to bring poetry to rural communities.
Opera House
Thursday, March 16, 2023 - 7:00pm
We are proud to bring memoirist Taylor Brorby to our author series for a discussion about his book Boys and Oil: Growing up gay in a fractured land . Brorby will read from his...
Opera House
Friday, March 3, 2023 - 7:30pm
This show is Sold Out! Our Red Cloud Opera House 20th anniversary celebration continues with Blackberry Winter! Their playlist always includes a wide selection of iconic 60s and...
Opera House
Wednesday, March 1, 2023 - 7:30pm
Animal Engine Theatre Company presents an original play, Henrietta Solway , commissioned by the National Willa Cather Center, that combines the short fiction and serialized novels...
Opera House
Thursday, February 16, 2023 - 7:00pm
Join us for an evening with writer Ladette Randolph as she discusses her novel Private Way . Set in 2015, protagonist Vivi Marx winds up off the grid in Nebraska in order to...
Opera House
Friday, February 3, 2023 - 7:30pm
Joseph Hall is back for another, hip swiveling tribute to the one and only Elvis Presley!
Opera House
Thursday, January 19, 2023 - 7:00pm
Help us kick off the 2023 Author Series with critically-acclaimed novelist Oscar Hokeah! Calling for a Blanket Dance tells the story of Ever Geimausaddle and his struggle to carve...
Opera House
Friday, January 6, 2023 - 7:30pm
The Red Cloud Opera House is celebrating 20 years of top notch performances by bringing back fan favorites! Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience is the nation’s...
Opera House
Friday, December 9, 2022 - 7:00pm
Paramount hits the Red Cloud Opera House stage playing high energy '80s anthems from Journey, REO Speedwagon, Def Leppard, Poison, Bon Jovi, Guns N' Roses, and much more!
Opera House
Thursday, November 10, 2022 - 7:00pm
Settle in for a fascinating author talk with Joe Starita about his book, A Warrior of the People: How Susan La Fleshe Overcame Racial and Gender Inequality to Become America's...

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