Events Summer Opera Festival Presents Tosca Saturday, July 26, at 7:30pm, High Desert Opera will present a full production of G. Puccini's beloved opera, Tosca, at the Avalon Theatre. Guest Artists Maria Ciccaglione from New York as Tosca and Thom King from Baltimore as Scarpia will join Joshua Shaw from Los Angeles as Cavaradossi in what promises to be grand opera in Grand Junction. HDO has purchased a unique libretto that keeps all of Puccini's music unchanged but sets the text in English in a 1944 setting in Rome, Italy. If you like opera you won't want to miss this unique and rich production. All advance tickets will be sold by the Grand Junction Symphony. They can be purchased online at gjsymphony.org, over the phone at (970) 243-6787, or in person at the Symphony office in the Alpine Bank Bldg, 5th and White in Grand Junction Monday through Friday during business hours. All seats are reserved and assigned. Ticket prices range from $17 to $50, with the $50 ticket including an After the Opera Dessert with the Principal performers in the theater immediately following the performance. Any ticket buyer may also buy a ticket to the after party for $17. Librettos and program viewing lights may be purchased at the theatre. On Saturday, July 26, from noon-5pm advance tickets will be sold in the lobby of the Avalon Theatre. At the Door tickets, if available, may be purchased for $3-$4 more on the night of the event. Dinner & An Opera - Dinner & An Opera is offered 4 times a year to provide an opportunity for opera lovers and those seeking to become opera lovers to enjoy a dinner and an opera (DVD projection) together. Our next event will be on Friday, July 11, 5:45 pm at Dolce Vita Restaurant. After dinner we will walk to the City Hall Auditorium to see a video of Puccini's opera, Tosca, performed on-site in the actual cathedral in Rome in which the opening scenes of the opera are set. Click Dinner & An Opera for details & reservation information. Opera 101 Field Trip - Once a year, HDO organizes a field trip to an opera house outside the Grand Junction area. This year that trip is to the Utah Festival Opera Company in Logan, Utah to see their production of Verdi's opera, Aida. See Opera 101 Field Trip Opera 401 - Tosca Seminar - An one hour informance exploring Puccini's opera, Tosca. If you are planning to attend the High Desert Opera performance of Tosca at the Avalon Theater on July 26th, or if you would just like to learn more about this extraordinary opera, this seminar is a unique opportunity increase your understanding of the opera.. City Hall Auditorium 250 N. 5th St. Wedesday, July 23, 2008 12 noon - 1pm Click Opera 401 - Tosca for details. This seminar is being held in place of the monthly Opera 101 Introduction to Opera seminar customarily held on the last Wednesday of the month.