NewMexiKen was the first visitor of the day at the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, Tuesday morning (about 10:30). As such, he accompanied 4½-month-old Mia and her friendly and attractive mother as they turned on the lights in the auditorium and on stage. Mia’s mother was happy to have someone along and even happier to see that the piano used in Sunday’s production of “Baby Doe” had been removed. One previous time she told me, when her colleague was locking up, the colleague heard the piano playing on stage. Thinking she was about to lock some unsuspecting tourist in the building, the curator returned to the auditorium. As soon as she switched on the lights the playing stopped — and no one was there.
Evelyn Furman, who has owned and operated the Tabor Opera House since 1955 (that’s 48 years!), remains active. She wasn’t present Tuesday morning but she had been there over the weekend to celebrate her 90th birthday. To quote the previous posting about Ms. Furman, written in 1997, “This lady was delightful…. After I bought 50 cents worth of postcards she kept hustling me for other 25 cent items. When she said something about getting too old, I mentioned my grandmother living to 95 and she lit up and said she guessed she had time for lots more stuff then. What a pleasure to see anyone, of any age, so totally absorbed in loving life and what they were doing.”
Mia’s mother is from Costa Rica and has been in Colorado just three years where she met and married Mia’s father. She didn’t think much of Leadville’s winters — “too long.” And too many ghosts.