Delaware Valley Opera Buys Its Very Own Theater!!!

Today is a day of BIG news! Announcement #1:  It is with enormous pride and considerable emotion that the Board of Directors of Delaware Valley Opera announces that DVO has purchased its very own theater, the former "Nutshell" bar, restaurant, art gallery, theater and nightclub on Route 52 in Lake Huntington, NY. After 35 years (remember that "Magic Number," 35!) performing at venues ranging from the theater at SUNY Sullivan to "Harmonie Hall" at the Western Hotel to the Lumberland Town Hall to the Tusten Theatre and beyond (with lovely memories attached to each and every one of them), DVO finally has its own, year-round home: The Delaware Valley Opera Center!

Although we will be doing upgrades, beautification and renovations for years to come, the Delaware Valley Opera Center is "performance ready" and we will be producing our inaugural production...David Conte's "The Gift of the Magi"...in its main theater this December. Amenities include a stage and large theater featuring flexible seating options, from traditional rows to dinner-theater and more, an intimate cabaret-style space (perfect for smaller concerts), office space, ample rehearsal, dressing room, and storage space, space for workshops and educational programs, a commercial kitchen and full bar capacity, and much, much more. 

What this means is that DVO can "up" its involvement in the region year-round, without the difficulties of securing rented space. Workshops (for both children and adults), lectures, concerts, and small productions (in addition to our traditional summer operas and operettas) will increase, with ample opportunities for involvement by regional and visiting performers, as well as by members of the community and interested children and youth. Now, more than ever, DVO will be YOUR company, a place to call "home," a venue to nurture your creative soul....

Which leads to Announcement #2...aka:  THE "MAGIC NUMBER" 35.....

 

 

HAPPY 35TH BIRTHDAY, DVO!!!

How many of us still remember that wintry day back in 1986, excitedly gathering upstairs in the Monticello Presbyterian Church for the first rehearsal of the brand-new opera company...Delaware Valley Opera...for their upcoming production of Die Fledermaus, to be performed that summer at SUNY Sullivan? And now, in 2021, DVO is turning 35 years old!!! This leads to our...

Magic Number 35!!!

In honor of DVO's birthday, the DVO Board has pledged a MATCH CHALLENGE...to MATCH all donations received from now through September 15th, up through a limit of THIRTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS!!! If you make a twenty dollar donation, DVO actually receives a forty dollar donation; fifty dollar donations magically turn into hundred dollar donations and...poof!...five hundred dollars becomes a THOUSAND dollars...MAGIC!!! If our limit of thirty-five thousand dollars is reached, DVO will actually gain a total of seventy thousand dollars...what a fabulous way to kickstart our exciting future, in our beautiful new home!

There has never been a better time to support the magic of opera, operetta, educational ventures, vibrant singers, up-and-coming youth and the arts scene in our beautiful region. If you are able to help support DVO's vision and participate in our MATCH CHALLENGE, kindly click on the link below. DVO tremendously values our donor family and gratefully welcomes new members...without you, there would be no Delaware Valley Opera.

Happy Birthday, DVO, and a million thanks to you, our loyal patrons, as we navigate beyond the fear and uncertainty of the past year and into a bright, optimistic, and wonderful future, filled with warmth, exquisite music, and exciting productions! Here's to the next 35 years and beyond!

DONATE TODAY!!

 

 

Introducing DVO's Summer Season...

Delaware Valley Opera is elated to announce that we will return to performing "live" again this summer, with three wonderful, staged concerts on tap.

The first production will be an "Operetta Concert ~ Feisty! Frivolous! Frothy!" (July 10th and 11th), featuring the music of Gilbert & Sullivan (The Pirates of Penzance, Iolanthe, The Gondoliers), Strauss (Die Fledermaus), Lehar (The Merry Widow), Romberg (The Student Prince), Herbert (Angel Face, The Red Mill), and many more light, tuneful songs that will have you humming upon leaving the theater. Our featured performers will include Annie Chester, Marcus Huber, Elise Mark, Ken Parks, Brooke Schooley, Jonathan Stinson, and Nicholas Wuehrmann, with Stage Direction by Nicholas Wuehrmann, Musical Direction by Matthew Rupcich, and Accompaniment by Erica Rome. 

The second production is an "Opera Concert ~ Lovers! Liars! Libertines!" (July 24th and 25th), featuring pieces from some of the best-loved, most beautiful opera classics that the world has known. Stay tuned for specifics about this fabulous production soon!

Our end-of-the-summer will feature a rollicking concert by the "Opera Cowgirls ~ Divas! Dolly! Done Me Wrong!" (August 14th and 15th) that we know you'll absolutely love. The Opera Cowgirls have been delighting audiences with their clever blend of opera, country, and rock, truly bringing Grand Opera to the Grand Ole Opry, melding The Three Tenors with The Dixie Chicks!

Our early winter production will be David Conte's beautiful and moving rendering of the classic O. Henry holiday tale, "The Gift of the Magi" (December 4th and 5th).

DVO has the tremendously good fortune to be staging its summer productions at the breathtaking Callicoon Hills Resort, in Callicoon Center, NY (website: https://callicoonhills.com/). Described by features writer Steven Israel in The Times-Herald Record article "Modern Pioneers" (May 31, 2021) as a popular, up-and-coming "...historic country resort," Callicoon Hills has the gorgeous, on-site Haypress Barn, site of sumptuous catering facilities, airy, and offering the flexible seating arrangements favored in our post-pandemic world. The Saturday evening performances will be at 8:00 p.m. and the Sunday matinees will be at 3:00 p.m., with dinner-theater packages available for our patrons at both performances.

Tickets for all summer events are on sale now at https://myrivertickets.com/categories/concerts Seating is limited, so get your tickets early!

Be sure to mark your calendars for July 10th/11th, July 24th/25th, August 14th/15th, and December 4th/5th.

We have missed our audiences dearly and look forward to welcoming you back with memorable nights and afternoons of music in a warm and lovely setting. See you at the opera!

 

 

After a year of being idled by the dreaded Covid-19 virus, the DVO is excitedly making plans to return to live performances in the Summer of 2021!

 

We will be announcing our season line-up shortly, which will bring wonderful music sung by glorious voices to our audiences in a concert format designed to conform to the safety protocols expected to be in place by July of 2021. All concerts will be held in a lovely rustic setting that will enhance the musical experiences we have planned. Stay tuned for more details soon!!

 

There are also lots of exciting developments on the horizon for the DVO, and we are eager to share that news with you when the time is right. We know you’ll be as excited hearing the news as we will be sharing it with you! Stay tuned!!

We're Celebrating Our 35th Season in 2021

Delaware Valley Opera 30th Anniversary

Our Mission is to provide opportunities for area talent to study and perform a wide range of opera repertoire; to introduce opera to young people and the general public through performances, workshops and educational programs and to foster collaborations between creative and interpretive artists and technicians.

The Delaware Valley Opera is a member of the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, the Arts Council for Sullivan County, NY. Our address is P.O. Box 505, Callicoon, New York 12723 and phone (845) 887-3083.

The DVO has been in residence each summer at the Tusten Theatre since 1991. A town-owned, former movie house, the Tusten Theatre is located at 210 Bridge Street in Narrowsburg, and is managed by the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance.

H.M.S. Pinafore

A Comic Opera in Two Acts by Gilbert and Sullivan

Music Director, Conductor: Matthew Rupcich
Stage Director: Nicholas Wuehrmann

Boatswain’s Mate: John Tobey, Jr.
Captain Corcoran: Seán Kroll
Carpenter’s Mate: Brandon Sparkman
Cousin Hebe: Carol Diefenbach
Dick Deadeye: Adam Cioffari
Josephine: Elise Mark
Little Buttercup: Mary Burkart
Ralph Rackstraw: Cole Tornberg
Sir Joseph Porter: Nicholas Wuehrmann



The Telephone

Tusten Theater, Narrowsburg NY
August 3, 2019 8pm

Music Director, Pianist: Jeremy Chan
Stage Director: Carol Castel
Lucy: Brooke Schooley
Ben: Erik Tofte

The Telephone, or L’Amour à trois is a humorous look at the way the telephone became a third party in the romantic relationship between a young couple, Lucy and Ben. Written over seventy years ago, we can still relate to the way this ubiquitous invention plays a large role in our lives today!

The Medium - Act I and Act II

Janice Meyerson as Madame Flora and Gregory DeCola asToby.

Tusten Theater, Narrowsburg NY - July 27, 2019 8pm

Music Director, Pianist: Jeremy Chan
Stage Director: Carol Castel

The Medium Cast

Madame Flora (Baba): Janice Meyerson
Monica: Brooke Schooley
Toby: Gregory DeCola
Mrs. Gobineau: Tesia Kwarteng
Mr. Gobineau: Erik Tofte
Mrs. Nolan: Carol Diefenbach

The Medium is a darker piece, exploring the boundaries of reality for all involved in the drama. In today’s world, where more and more we are challenged to assess what is real and what is “fake news,” Madame Flora’s struggle with this issue leads to a sad and tragic ending. Featuring Janice Meyerson, Mezzo-Soprano, as Madame Flora.

Act I



Act II

  1. 2019 - Gian Carlo Menotti - The Medium - Photo Gallery
  2. 2019 Season Opener GALA - Saturday, June 22
  3. DVO - Roundup app