Thompson Opera House hosts traveling group

?Before the Internet, before television, there was radio!? was the first line read on the programs of the Trinkle Brass Works Portable Masterpieces and the Opera House Tour. The grant-funded project kicked off their tour in Pioche Saturday, Nov. 16, one of three stops on the group?s tour to three opera houses in the southwest. Steven Trinkle, artistic director of the group, and his assortment of musicians, will travel to the Piper Opera House in Virginia City and another in Bishop, Calif. within the year on the National Endowment of the Arts grant they were awarded.

Families and visitors from Pioche, Panaca and Caliente, as well as Las Vegas, arrived for a memorable performance in the Thompson Opera House.

Trinkle presented his orchestra: Claire Birmingham, flute; Jenny Iles, clarinet; Trinkle, cornet; Sammi Ciarlo, first violin; Daniel Rodriquez, second violin; Isadora Trinkle, viola; Maren Quanbeck, cello; Robert Matheson, bass; and Genie Burkett, piano and xylophone. He explained that the orchestra?s purpose was to present music that would have been played in the opera house when it was originally built in 1873. From light classical to ragtime, notes filled the opera house and imaginations of what it was like in those years. PBS television crews filmed the show for a special piece that plans to air in March.

Students from the Lincoln County High School show choir also joined in the performance, opening the night with ?The band played on,? which was largely enjoyed by the audience of more than 100 people.

Trinkle was humorous and charismatic in his explanations throughout the performance. He shared a story of some of the music pieces the group was playing that night were discovered in a bin at Shenendoah College, from 1941. He had uncovered more than 200 pieces of forgotten melodies.

Harry Horlick and the A&P Gypsies, Johann Strauss, Scott Joplin and Leroy Anderson were among some of the musical pieces performed. They performed ?A Sailor?s Saga,? ?Back Talk,? ?Blumenlied,? ?Danube Waves,? the ?Maple Leaf Rag,? ?Jazz Pizzicato,? an irish tune from ?County Derry,? selections from ?Show Boat,? and highlights from ?The Sound of Music.?

The nearly two-hour performance was entertaining and moving. The audience was asked to join in singing along with the school choir to ?Doe, a deer.? Trinkle said the audience was, ?very enthusiastic.?

By the end of the evening, attendants didn?t realize two hours had almost passed.

Trinkle presented Chamber of Commerce member Les Derkovitz with a plaque and autographed poster sign of the group?s performance, and said later, ?Your community has got some force there, doing stuff to get things done,? and that he, ?hopes to come play again.?

From toddlers to grandparents, attendants were treated to an evening that provided some culture and a glimpse into the past. Trinkle Brass Works were given a standing ovation at the end of the night, which inspired them to do one last portable masterpiece.

Many attendants were pleased with the use of the opera house. Kay Fife said, ?I thought it was awesome, we need to do it again.?

The Culverwells had traveled from Caliente to the show, and said they had hit a deer on the way there, ?we weren?t sure if we were going to make it, but we?re glad we came.?

The performance opened doors for the opera house, and inspired ideas of how to utilize the facility again in the future. The evening was a great success.

Trinkle Brass Works has more information on their group and performances online, at trinklebrassworks.org.