Central City Opera House, Opera house in Central City, United States.

Central City Opera House is a stone and brick Renaissance Revival theater built in 1878 by Welsh and Cornish miners. Denver architect Robert S. Roeschlaub designed it with a crescent-shaped balcony, arched windows, and a ceiling mural by San Francisco artist John C. Massman featuring a central sky medallion, geometric patterns, and trompe-l'œil moldings.

In 1877 citizens formed the Gilpin County Opera House Association to fundraise for Colorado's first opera house, built in 1878 by Welsh and Cornish miners. Denver architect Robert S. Roeschlaub designed the Renaissance Revival stone and brick structure. It closed in 1927, was donated to the University of Denver in 1931, and reopened in 1932 after restoration led by Ida Kruse McFarlane, Edna Chappell and Anne Evans.

The opera house's ceiling mural by John C. Massman shows a central sky medallion framed by trompe-l'œil moldings. Since 1932, summer festivals have featured performers such as Lillian Gish, Beverly Sills and Samuel Ramey. The Central City Opera, founded that year, is the fifth oldest opera company in the United States.

The building stays naturally cool in summer thanks to a creek flowing through a specialized flume system beneath the foundation. With seating for approximately 550 people, the intimate size creates good acoustics and keeps visitors close to the stage action.

Since 2000, the house has presented all operas in their original languages, moving away from its previous decades-long tradition of English-only performances. This artistic choice has drawn opera lovers from across the region who value the authentic sound of international works.