Love is in the air at the Casino Star

GUNNISON—The Casino Star Theatre in Gunnison will host “Love Notes,” a Valentine-inspired concert featuring Carnegie Hall vocalists and Snow College faculty, on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m.

The one-night performance stars soprano Alisa Larsen and tenor Brian Stucki, both internationally recognized performers who have graced stages from Lincoln Center to the Polish National Opera. Pianist Dr. Michael Huff rounds out the trio. All three are professors at Snow College’s Horne School of Music.

The program weaves together opera, musical theater, jazz and contemporary favorites into what organizers describe as “romance with a wink.”

Beyond their vocal performances, Larsen will play the ukulele while Stucki accompanies on cello, adding instrumental color to the evening.

Larsen has performed as a lyric soprano soloist with major orchestras including the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Los Angeles Opera. Her career spans leading operatic roles, oratorio and concert work across Europe and the United States.

Stucki’s operatic roles have taken him to Seattle Opera, Arizona Opera, and Opera Colorado, with concert appearances alongside the San Francisco Symphony and the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. The Boston Globe praised his work as “superb.”

Dr. Huff brings decades of experience as a conductor, pianist and educator spanning classical, jazz, and musical theatre. He has served as associate conductor and principal accompanist for the Utah Symphony Chorus and has collaborated with artists ranging from B.B. King to LeAnn Rimes.

Running approximately 75 to 90 minutes, the concert welcomes audiences of all ages.
Reserved-seat tickets are available at casinostartheatre.com, with premiere seating at $18 and classic seating at $12. Early reservations are encouraged for this one-night performance.

Local sponsors include Julia and Roland Christensen, Gunnison Valley Hospital, Ensign Engineering, Redmond Minerals, the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation and State Bank of Southern Utah, with additional support from Creative West, a nonprofit organization supporting arts in the western states, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Casino Star Theatre is recognized as Utah’s oldest operational theatre and among the longest continuously running cinemas in the western United States.