Italian opera it reached the republic of Venice. It was here that the first public opera house, the Teatro di San Cassiano, was opened in 1637 by Benedetto Ferrari and Francesco Manelli. Its success moved opera away from aristocratic patronage and into the commercial world. In Venice, musical drama was no longer aimed at an elite of aristocrats and intellectuals and acquired the character of entertainment. Soon many other opera houses had sprung up in the city, performing works for a paying public during the Carnival season. The opera houses employed a very small orchestra to save money. A large part of
Central City Opera House picture theatre. The Opera House closed in 1927. The opera house was donated to the University of Denver in May 1931 by MacFarlane's heirs and restoration was organized by the newly formed Central City Opera House Association. The summer of 1932, actress Lillian Gish opened the newly restored opera house with "Camille". It began a tradition of offering summer opera and theater festivals, which have become nationally recognized. The Central City Opera company was also formed that year. It is fifth the oldest opera company in the United States. One of its popular performances is "The Ballad of Baby Doe",