What do William Howard Taft, Eugene Debs, Helen Keller, John Philip Sousa, Roseanne Cash, great parking, and a horse all have in common?
If you live in central Vermont there is only one answer to this question. The Barre Opera House!
A classic “small” opera house which has been defined by, and helped define Barre's identity and character for more than a century, the Barre Opera House (located above the municipal offices in downtown Barre) is a real Central Vermont treasure.
I had the pleasure recently of seeing Roseanne Cash there - their first "sold out" show of the 2017-2018 season - and it was absolutely amazing. Though it was sold out, it didn't feel crowded and just looking around the audience, I could tell there wasn't a 'bad' seat in the house.
But the horse? Really?!?
Really!
A neighbor of one of my colleagues at Coldwell Banker Classic Properties was an employee in the box office the day the fabled horse was ridden up the stairs to perform onstage. My colleague couldn't remember the performer or name, but a quick review of the Barre Opera House website refers to “Tom Mix and his horse.” Mystery solved? You tell me!
In the meantime, I'm heading out to check out the restaurants in Barre—look for future posts on this subject that include the Cornerstone Pub, the Firehouse, the Quarry, and more.
My goodness, do I love Barre!