World-renowned tenor to perform at Telluride's St Pat's, Thursday, 2/24

12 Feb World-renowned tenor to perform at Telluride's St Pat's, Thursday, 2/24

 It's tired but true to say Telluride is a unique corner of our Blue Marble. It follows that it's local institutions are just as unusual. The five-star Wilkinson Public Library acts as a community center and regularly shows documentary and feature films. The Telluride Historical Museum regularly produces special events, including theatrical, on-mountain (Monday morning's Ski Into History), and bar crawls. Christ Church, focuses on sustainability, world religion, and meditation. And now St. Patrick's Church is turning itself into a concert hall for a world-class operatic tenor/musical theatre performer and concert singer.

On Thursday, February 24, 6 p.m., cocktails, and 7 p.m.,concert, tenor Dennis McNeil returns to Telluride for an encore performance at St. Pat's. The evening is a fundraiser for the 115-year-old house of worship in need of restoration. The program includes Broadway tunes, spirituals, and Irish tunes.

"Last year he made people laugh, cry and cheer," said  Ski Ranches resident and long-time friend Stephen Betz.

McNeil was a 1993 National Winner of the Metropolitan Opera Nationa Council Audition. He has sung several leading roles with the New York City Opera, including Tamino in "The Magic Flute" and Don Jose in "Carmen," a role he has performed 70 times.

On the musical theatre stage, McNeill sang the role of Mr. Snow in "Carousel" more than 140 times. His repertoire of Irish folk songs is as large as an Irish heart, and he performs far and wide with his own folk ensemble "Celtic Fire."

"Dennis McNeil had ease and warmth of voice… gorgeously swooning and heat drunk," raved The London Times.

Preview McNeil's performance by watching the video.