While
there never was very much opera at the Trinidad Opera
House, it did quickly become a social center for Trinidad
when it was built in 1883.
Constructed
by the Jaffa Brothers, the Opera House not only housed
entertainment attractions, but was also used for socials,
dances, and gatherings of many different clubs and organizations.
The
first Jaffa brother who made his way to Trinidad was Sol
who arrived in 1871. He was 22 and the settlement of Trinidad
had been around for roughly 10 years. He saw opportunity
in this crossroads town with a population of about 500.
Sol
soon sent for brothers Henry and Sam and together they
opened the Jaffa Brothers General Merchandise Store and
thereby became one of the first Jewish merchants in Trinidad.
The
next decade was good for the brothers and they built the
Opera House 12 years after starting their business.
The
ground floor has always been commercial space. The brothers
made the corner store the new location of the Jaffa Brother's
store. To get to the auditorium of the Opera House patrons
climbed the wide staircase located in the middle of the
front of the building on Main Street.
The
auditorium itself seated 700 people and its crowning gem
was an oval stained glass skylight.
The
building is the second oldest building at the intersection
of Main and Commercial Streets. The commercial theater
aspect of the building gave way to the West Theater which
opened in 1908. The last curtain at the Opera House fell
in 1909 and the upstairs has since then been divided and
converted into apartments.
Local
writer Jerry Stokes points out that the stage had boasted
some of the nation's finest actors he points out the comments
of one local editor who said the Opera House featured
"some of the rottenest, barnstorming aggregations
that ever escaped scalping."
Sources:
"A
Walk Through the History of Trinidad" written by
Jerry Stokes on behalf of the Trinidad Historical Society.
1986. Trinidad, Colorado.