CENTRAL CITY — The Central City Opera Orchestra will debut a chamber music series starting July 14, 2026, at St. James Church of Central City. The three events will showcase the musicians who perform in anonymity in the orchestra pit during the opera performances.

Chamber music became popular in the 16th and 17th centuries for intimate settings with small ensembles of performers. Compared to full orchestras, chamber music doesn’t have a conductor.

Jeremy Reger who is the Head of Music at the Central City Opera, wrote that the opera is a top-tier festival orchestra with musicians from all over the world auditioning for spots in the orchestra. For example, Artyom Pak, who plays the piano and harpsichord, is a pianist and chorus director for the Juillard School and Sarasota Opera.

The chamber music series gives these talented musicians a chance to emerge from the orchestra pit underneath the stage and interact with opera audiences in a new and exciting format.

The three performances will be on Tuesdays starting at 11:30 a.m., and set the stage for the matinee performances that will be performed that afternoon.

The first performance, on July 14, 2026, is titled "Mozart & Magic" and will feature members of the woodwind section. It is being billed as an extravaganza of Mozart works with an elegant piece by Francis Poulenc. "The Marriage of Figaro" will be the afternoon performance that day.

"American Folk Traditions" is the title of the second concert on July 21, and will be composed of members of the string section with a focus on Americana and folk music along with a few surprises. The concert will be a perfect prelude to the afternoon's performance of "The Ballad of Baby Doe."

The final concert of the series, on July 28, is titled "Intimate Voices," and features a vocal chamber piece with soprano soloist Sabina Balsamo accompanied by strings and piano. "Master Class" is the afternoon performance.

The Central City Opera House Association continues to offer new ways to listen to some of the finest musicians in the country. This summer’s chamber music series is an inexpensive way to hear them at their best.

The Mountain-Ear is proud to be the sponsor of this exceptional musical event in this beautiful location in Central City.

Tickets for the concerts are $22 and can be purchased from the opera website (centralcityopera.org). Click on the Tickets and Events tab and then 2026 Festival Extras. Subscriber tickets are $16.

The St. James Church of Central City is across the street from the opera house and was built about the same time as the opera house in the 1870s.