‘Baker Night at the Opera’ rescheduled for Oct. 8
Published 7:01 am Tuesday, August 11, 2026
BAKER CITY — “Baker Night at the Opera” has been rescheduled to Thursday, Oct. 8, due to the recent weeks of wildfire smoke that would affect the vocal performances, according to organizers.
The original date was Aug. 22. The location is still the Baker County Fairgrounds event center, 2600 East St.
Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 8 for a cocktail hour, followed by dinner at 5:30 p.m.
Tickets are available for the show, or the show and dinner. Additional online fees apply.
- Front row: $100 per seat (includes dinner). Front row is reserved for full table purchases.
- Second row: $90 (includes dinner)
- Third row with dinner: $80
- Third row without dinner: $65
- Fourth row, no dinner: $40
Dinner tickets must be purchased by Oct. 1. Tickets are available at bnoto.eventbrite.com.
Proceeds will be donated to the historic Orpheum Theater, which is under renovation in downtown Baker City.
Details
The evening features food from Campbell’s Catering, drinks by Towin’ Tipsy, and a photo booth hosted by the Baker City Kiwanis Club.
Pianist Reed Wagstaff, bass-baritone Marco Valerio and coloratura soprano Paige Witham will bring classical and musical theater pieces to life, and artist Lauren Chaney will paint throughout the evening, with her piece auctioned live at the end of the night.
Valerio and Witham devised the opera night last year to support the Orpheum.
“We’re very grateful for their talent and community support of the theater to highlight the quality of programming that will come through our town,” said Aletha Bonebrake, chair of the Orpheum project.
This year’s fundraiser differs from the 2025 event — dinner will be served before the show, so supporters can choose to experience the entire evening, or just the performance.
The performers
Valerio graduated from Baker High School in 2006, graduated from the University of Oregon in 2011 with a double major in history and humanities, and earned a master’s in teaching from Eastern Oregon University in 2012.
While attending UO, he studied music and began performing with the Eugene Opera in 2007 as a chorister in multiple productions. His roles included Papageno in “The Magic Flute,” Dottor Graziano in “La Pazzia Senile,” and Part 4 in “A-Ronne.” He made his professional debut in 2010 at the Berlin Konzerthaus in the roles of the Major and Beichwater in Friedrich Goldmann’s “Die Hitze.”
In 2012, he performed the roles of Edward the Sergeant of Police in “The Pirates of Penzance,” Guard 1 in “Dead Man Walking,” and the Marchese in “La Traviata” with the Eugene Opera.
In 2013 he toured Italy and San Marino in a production of “La Serva Padrona” in the starring role of Uberto, and that same year performed as Don Alfonso in Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutte” in both San Marino and Luxembourg. In 2014 he sang a madrigal on a CD recording of Paolo Quagliati’s 1623 “La Sfera Armoniosa.”
He returned to Baker City in 2014 and has been teaching social studies at Baker Middle School ever since.
Witham is a “dynamic coloratura soprano celebrated for her effervescent stage presence and silvery vocal tone in opera, paired with a commanding belt in musical theater.” She’s performed as Little Red in “Into the Woods,” Yum-Yum in “The Mikado,” Demeter in “Cats” and Mabel in “The Pirates of Penzance.”
A frequent winner in vocal competitions, Witham has been recognized for her expressive interpretations of art song and Lieder, including top honors at the prestigious Georgia NATS Competition.