Sizzle at SinFest: Opera. Cocktails. Sin.

[Editor's Note: This blog post comes from Heather Brecl, Central City Opera's Young Professional Project Manager.]

"Festivalization of the festival" is one of Central City Opera's innovative moves to make your experience in Central something to remember! If you headed to the Triple Bill for Opening Night this past Saturday, you may have peeked out the window of the Face Bar and done a double-take. Was that really a copper cowboy statue strumming his guitar down Eureka Street? Indeed, it's one of the first glimpses of the Fringe Festival, special added surprises to spice up your trip to the Opera. Keep your eyes peeled for what's to come.

This Saturday, July 17, you won't want to miss the hottest and edgiest festival on the hill. Grab your tickets and head to SinFest! Be prepared to push the limits during this progressive experience of the Seven Deadly Sins and all that makes opera what it is. It's opera, cocktails and sin. And it's something you've never seen before.

Expect a one-of-a-kind experience that starts as soon as you arrive in Central. Before the curtain even goes up in the Opera House, the search for the perfect sin kicks off with our very first geocaching hunt. What in the world is "geocaching"??? Grab a GPS or download the GPS app on your phone and go in search of treasure that we have hidden in the vicinity of the Opera House. Arrive early (you’ll need an hour or so) and check in at the Teller House Box Office. You'll get a clue card for our geocaching with GPS coordinates of the sins. Hunt down all four locations, write down the finds and return the card to be eligible for all kinds of awesome prizes from places like the Wizard's Chest, Museo de las Americas the Museum of Contemporary Art and more. It's easy, painless and has great perks.

Then head to the opera.

4:00 pm - Opera House: (Please check in by at least 3:45 at the Teller House Box Office.) The stage is set for the evening by what Pat Pearce, our Artistic/General Director, refers to as "a gritty little piece" - Kurt Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins. This opera defies what you might think is typical opera - it's contemporary, SHORT (yes, 37 minutes) and provocative (a morality piece meant to push boundaries). You won't walk away humming any of the tunes, but you will take a second glance at today's moral compass. And you're right, this is not your grandma's opera.

The Seven Deadly Sins, photo by Mark Kiryluk

5:00 pm - Williams Stables: Fire. Dance. Poetry. Art. Ready to light the night on fire? Melinda Rivers is! She's our hot and sexy fire dancer ready to turn up the heat in Central City. You'll see Melinda up and down Eureka Street in her red fire outfit with Isis wings drawing SinFest goers to the next party stop with her fire breathing, fire fans and...Come on, I can't give it all away! Let's just say that Central hasn't been this hot since the Great Fire of 1874 and we've just gotten started. Click here to see how Melinda lights up the night!

Fire dancer Melinda Rivers

Once you've seen the The Seven Deadly Sins, you'll know that Ballet Nouveau Colorado has dancers who can not only wrap their feet up around their ears, but are also alluring and can brilliantly illustrate the drama of the opera through movement. BNC's Sarah Tallman, who dances the part of Anna II, will also head to SinFest to check out her colleagues bringing something unseen and edgy to the second floor of the Williams Stables.

Anna I and Anna II - The Seven Deadly Sins, photo by Mark Kiryluk

The Spoken Truth: Ever spend Sunday night at the Mercury Cafe in downtown Denver? Then you've probably heard National Slam Poetry Champion Ken Arkind and fellow poets tearing up the stage with their raw poetic artistry. Ken and company unabashedly deliver the spoken word with a truth that is gutsy and unapologetic. Following BNC's short dance performance, prepare to be challenged by the slam poets' insight into sin - not the Sunday school version. See Ken Arkind tearing it up on the mic.

Ken Arkind - National Slam Poetry Champion

An Eye on Sin: If you've ever had your eye behind a camera, you'll be blown away by the photography exhibit at SinFest curated by one of Denver's legendary photographers, Mark Sink. Co-founder of the MCA (Museum of Contemporary Art), Mark has been a photographer of fine art, curator and teacher since 1978, working with and documenting the lives of legends like Andy Warhol. It's unlikely that you've truly seen the soul of a picture until you've looked through Mark's lens. Get your tickets to SinFest and you might be lucky enough to meet the artist himself at our intimate exhibit. You can view some of Mark's work on the Sink Gallery website.

Rachel by Mark Sink

6:30 pm - The Foundry: Everyone's favorite stop - GLUTTONY. The sin we just can't get enough of. An over-indulgence seems to heave us into SLOTH and get in the way of LUST. But SinFest's decadent bites from Kevin Taylor and a glass of the 7 Deadly Zins from the Michael David Winery will cause the ENVY of all. Sip on sin while listening to the tunes of my favorite bass player, Mike Fitzmaurice (of the well-known Irish band Colcannon), and his Exuberant Ensemble.

Mike Fitzmaurice of the Exuberant Ensemble

7:30 pm - Dostal Alley Brewpub and Casino: Yes, you know you want it... GREED. If you have been patiently itching to rob the one-armed-bandit, it's your chance to dance with Lady Luck at the Dostal Alley Brewpub and Casino, down the hill and around the corner from the Opera House. The only brewery in Gilpin County, Dostal Alley is famous for its award winning mountain brews and has created a special one just for SinFest, "The Eighth One". Don't miss the final stop of the night!

And it's all just $50.

Now, buy your tickets. Or you'll wonder why you didn't.

Any other questions? www.centralcityopera.org/sinfest or email hbrecl@centralcityopera.org.