The 1891 Fredonia Opera House Performing Arts Center

If you have ever considered being a member of the 1891 Fredonia Opera House Performing Arts Center, now is a great time to become a NEW MEMBER! What a perfect ...holiday gift! In appreciation of your support, anyone joining as a new member will be entered into one or more of three special drawings for Spirits and Scratch-Offs which have been donated by members of the Opera House staff and Board of Directors: Join at the $35 level, you will be entered into a drawing for a bottle of wine and a scratch off lottery ticket! Join at the $50 level and the drawing will be for two bottles of wine and a pair of scratch-offs; plus you’ll be entered into the drawing above! Join with a contribution of $100 or more and you’ll be entered into both drawings above, plus a drawing for a basket of six bottles of wine & spirits and six scratch-offs! Membership information: https://fredopera.org/home/

The Opera House is honored to have been named the 2020 WNY Arts Organization of the Year in the 7th annual Arts Services Initiative of WNY (ASI) Spark Awards competition. The awards are presented annually by the ASI to honor outstanding artists and cultural organizations in five counties of western NY, and were presented in a virtual ceremony which live streamed on YouTube Monday, Nov. 16. The Opera House was recognized for enhancing the cultural landscape of Chautauqua Co...unty since its grand reopening in November 1994 and creating a niche for itself as a year-round presenter of varied and quality entertainment amidst a thriving arts community. Opera House Executive Director Rick Davis accepted the award on behalf of the organization. We are so grateful to the Arts Services Initiative for all the work it does in serving the arts and for recognizing the Opera House this year. We couldn’t be more excited! he notes. Congratulations to the other winners and finalists, all of whom add immensely to western New York’s rich cultural landscape! And, of course, thank you to the Opera House’s members and contributors, who have supported and sustained us for the past 26 years. To view the entire awards ceremony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG_p-axrkds

Help us Celebrate!!

The 1891 Fredonia Opera House Performing Arts Center announced today that the remaining two live performance events scheduled for 2020 have been postponed due to the COVID-19 restrictions. With these postponements, the Opera House likely will be closed for events for the remainder of 2020. Solo Pianist George Winston, who was to have performed Nov. 4, has rescheduled his concert for Nov. 19, 2021. The Ed Croft Trio’s presentation of Vince Guaraldi’s score to A Charlie... Brown Christmas has been rescheduled for Dec. 10, 2021. Anyone currently possessing tickets for either of these events may hold on to their tickets; they will be honored on the rescheduled dates. Anyone wishing a refund should contact the Opera House Box Office at 716-679-1891 to discuss options. During COVID-19 restrictions, the Box Office is only staffed on Fridays, 1-5pm. Additional tickets to these events will not be placed on sale until sometime in 2021. It’s possible the Opera House may reopen for movie screenings in 2020, notes Opera House Executive Director Rick Davis. But until Chautauqua County’s average COVID test positivity rate for a rolling 14-day period falls below 2%, we are prohibited from doing so. In addition, Davis notes that in this time of closure, several capital improvement projects funded by an Empire State Development grant awarded to the Village are being undertaken. Currently our windows are in the process of restoration and either will be removed or uncovered, thereby allowing light to enter the theatre. This may inhibit movie screenings until completion of the project in late December. Opera House staff will continue to work throughout this closure and will be available by phone 716-679-0891 (Administration leave a message, if no answer) and 716-679-1891 (Box Office on Friday afternoons). You also can keep abreast of news and announcements by visiting the Opera House web site, and following it on Facebook and Twitter. The 1891 Fredonia Opera House is a member-supported not-for-profit organization located in Village Hall in downtown Fredonia. A complete schedule of Opera House events is available at www.fredopera.org.

The 1891 Fredonia Opera House Performing Arts Center announced today the most recent event cancellations and postponements due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Bluegrass band Cane Mill Road, which was to have performed Aug. 29, has been rescheduled for Apr. 10, 2021. Idol Kings, A Tribute to Journey, John Mellencamp and Tom Petty, which already had been rescheduled to Oct. 9, has now been cancelled. It will not be rescheduled.... The family focused Squawk! The Amazing Bird Show, scheduled for Sept. 25, has been postponed to a date in 2021 yet to be determined. John Denver tribute artist Ted Vigil, scheduled for Oct. 16, also has been postponed to a date in 2021 yet to be determined. Bluegrass band The Special Consensus, scheduled for Nov. 13, has been postponed to Oct. 22, 2021. Art & Architecture On Screen presentations of Frida Kahlo on Sept. 17 and Hermitage The Power of Art which was to have been on Aug. 27, have been postponed to dates in 2021 yet to be determined. The National Theatre Live presentation of Cyrano de Bergerac, scheduled for Oct. 3, has been cancelled. It is not yet certain whether it will be rescheduled in 2021. The Freedonia Marxonia lecture by Noah Diamond on 400 Years of Manhattan, scheduled for Oct. 2, has become an online livestream event titled Home Again: The Marx Brothers and New York City, still on Oct. 2. For more information and to view the livestream free, visit https://fredonia.libguides.com/marxonia Anyone possessing tickets for any of these events may contact the Opera House Box Office at 716-679-1891 to discuss refund options. During COVID-19 restrictions, the Box Office is only staffed on Fridays, 1-5pm. Opera House staff will continue to work throughout this closure and will be available by phone 716-679-0891 (Administration leave a message, if no answer) and 716-679-1891 (Box Office on Friday afternoons). You also can keep abreast of news and announcements by visiting the Opera House web site, and following it on Facebook and Twitter.

We dare you to try to use THIS bathroom!!! As workers continue their progress on the Opera House capital improvement projects, here's what the ground floor mens and ladies restrooms look like currently!!! The restrooms are being expanded to meet current ADA codes; ongoing moisture issues are being addressed; and all new finishings are being installed. But it's hard to imagine all that in their current gutted condition!!!!