Entering the Gichi-ziibi concert hall on Aug. 10 for the “Hansel and Gretel” opera was like leaving all the world’s trials and worries behind and experiencing a piece of beauty and splendor.

What Scott Lykins and John Taylor Ward, the directors, have achieved is impressive. Seventeen years ago they put on a small concert with a few Eastern School of Music students who were in the area for the summer working at a local resort. From that tiny beginning they have grown the classical music experience to a three week music festival.

To have a full opera in our small town is amazing. We are so fortunate to have a 1,200 seat concert hall. I like to think of it as an oasis in the desert.

You wouldn’t see a better production even if you traveled to a large metropolitan city. For over two hours w

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