For its second offering of the 2009 Festival, Central City Opera (CCO) presents Sondheim’s homage to turn-of-the-century operetta style, A Little Night Music.

A Little Night Music continues through July 31 at the Central City Opera House in Central City, Colo. The musical will be performed in its original English.

Winner of the Tony® Award for Best Musical, Best Book and Original Score, A Little Night Music explores the humor, compassion, and irony of upper crust couples searching for the right partner in early 20th century Sweden. Confrontations occur at a country dinner party where the romantically entangled guests consist of past and present loves of the famous stage actress, Desiree, and their current lovers who are united in their resentment of the actress.

The book by Hugh Wheeler was inspired by the Ingmar Bergman comedic film, Smiles of a Summer Night. After almost a decade of directing films to mostly local and regional acclaim, Smiles of a Summer Night launched Ingmar Bergman’s international career in 1956 when it was nominated for the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or Award.

Before every performance, a free pre-performance preview, Opera Notes, allows the audience to gain further insight into each production.

To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Central City Opera Box Office at 303-292-6700; 800-851-8175 or go online to www.centralcityopera.org.

Central City Opera House Association is the nation’s fifth-oldest opera company, located just 35 miles west of Denver in one of Colorado’s official National Landmark Historic Districts.