Utah’s liaison with Opera

As youngsters my LDS acquaintances and I sang, groaned under the weight of musical instruments and participated in “Road Shows.” A Mormon belief was being cultivated: divine inspiration is aligned with “great” music. The music of a Mozart, Haydn or Beethoven should play a vital role in our lives, for it was kindred to inspiration. “Taking part” in performances was de rigueur. Furthermore, we were urged to create. At age 14, I received a trophy for writing a play.

In addition to the ward chapels we had special houses of entertainment just like those uppity eastern folks or cultured Europeans. Music and the performing arts were vital in cultivating the human being to become “all that he could be.” Clearly venues for performances were needed and not just in the capitol city.

Mecca (SLC) with its tabernacle, social hall and Walker Opera House was the cultural center of the Great Basin Empire, but Logan (Thatcher Opera House), Provo (Cluff Hall) St. George, Monroe and even little Beaver also sported houses (however humble) for performances. To research Utah settlements is to discover dozens…and our Ogden?..Just note:
From 1890 until 1909 Ogdenites, numbering 18,000, sported a GRAND OPERA HOUSE complete with a Turkish turret which was removed when the building became the Orpheum. Some may scoff and say Junction City was (in)famous solely for drinking, brawling and gaudily-appointed bawdy houses (entertainment indeed, but not directly aligned with divine inspiration). Not so, degraders are kindly requested to peruse the facts:

On December 29, 1890, The Grand Opera House opened and the Ogden Standard exuded: “The vast auditorium contained 1,750 spectators and the box office sales reached the enormous sum of $2,150″. Our local periodical already evidenced hyperbole: “vast”? “enormous”?

Sure, Jack Dempsey and many lesser pugilists further damaged their brains in Ogden. Sure, a little booze was imbibed. Admittedly shots were fired. Even then a man had a right to bare (“bear”??) arms or “bare” his arms for a hardy fist fight (more enjoyable, less painful, if drunk). They lacked an official state firearm, but that did not deter self-defense or “carrying.”

It is said that Brigham Young down in Mecca was so thrilled with some play (opera…whatever) that he allowed ten of his daughters to perform. So what?..folks here in Ogden were captivated by the best. Jenny Lind, a true great, warbled at our grand house as did other “stars” of the day. Two of many stories follow:

One tells of Emma Abbot described as “the prima donna of the world’s stage.” It seems this prima donna of all primas died a week after singing in our fair city…bummer! Tragedies and mishaps were common.

Another Emma, E. Juch, the Austrian born in New York, sang like an angel at age 14, progressed to establishing her own company and was married to her “first love” for a couple months prior to journeying to Ogden via Idaho by two trains. The second was dispatched from Ogden to the southern side of a massive snow blockage which the opera company crossed on foot with tons of luggage. Doubtlessly, Euterpe, muse of music, was watching over our grand opera and plucky Emma who was to experience more adventures before dying at age 76.

By the 1920’s stars of the vaudeville circuit had replaced the prima donnas, but one day new ones would come (by air no less) to share their virtuosity with us. We need not hang our heads. The very best made their way to Manáos on the Amazon and crossed the Rockies to Ogden.

More tidbits will be forthcoming on the subject of Utah and opera. Consider for example the singers the state has produced.