The Face On The Barroom Floor Opera

Butch whidden 9 10 2020 12 37 00 pm this is one of dad s favorite poems.

The face on the barroom floor opera.

The eponymous face on the barroom floor in central city colorado that inspired the one act opera by composer henry mollicone and librettist john bowman. Commissioned by the central city opera in 1978 and produced there each year since its premiere in 78. The face on the barroom floor. Courtesy of teller house composer henry mollicone was a young man 40 years ago when the central city opera company in colorado commissioned him to write something short something.

It is a site to see and. The story of a strange ballad poem written in 1887 which became a unusual portrait on the barroom floor in a quaint former boomtown in colorado and became the inspiration for one of the most performed modern american operas in history. The face upon the barroom floor aka the face on the floor and the face on the barroom floor is a poem originally written by the poet john henry titus in 1872. Comments about the face on the barroom floor by hugh antoine d arcy.

The old maid and the thief giancarlo menotti the bmsm opera ensemble 2019 cast 1 duration. The face on the barroom floor may be proof that art rarely makes an effective revenge. The central city opera house association hired me to do a series of paintings and sketches of the famous mining town which they were then rejuvenating as an opera center and tourist attraction. Libretto by john s.

The poem the place the opera 2013. I stayed at the teller house while working up there and the whim struck me to paint a face on the floor of the old teller house barroom. I have been to the teller house bar in central city colo twice and saw the painting of the face both times. Henry mollicone s one act pocket opera the face on the barroom floor was commissioned in 1978 by central city opera in colorado also responsible for giving birth to the now classic the ballad of baby doe and has enjoyed a highly enviable success among contemporary american operas ever since this is due in part no doubt to its strict economy of scale.

A later version was adapted from the titus poem by hugh antoine d arcy in 1887 and first published in the new york dispatch. Directed by lawrence kraman. Opera in 1 act the new documentary video the face on the barroom floor the poem the place the opera is available for viewing on youtube.