Like a lot of creative people, they want that chance for pure freedom, to chase their creative muse.

She decided right there and then she wanted to fix up that stage and start doing performances out in the middle of nowhere. While her car was being fixed, she didn’t have anything else to do and she started wandering around, exploring and she peeped into the former auditorium hall… there was a stage in there, which caught her eye. And low and behold, they got a flat tire – her and her husband – and the closest place happened to be Death Valley Junction. She just happened to be on a national tour and they were camping in Death Valley to save money. She had a very successful career in New York… but as ballerina’s get older, it’s kind of harder for them to get well paying gigs even in their late 30s, early 40s. On how Becket ended up at the Amargosa Opera House: Dave joins us on KNPR's State of Nevada to talk about Marta.

The Opera House was founded by dancer Marta Becket who - we were sad to learn the other day– has died at the age of 92.įreelance writer Dave Clark wrote an article about the opera house early last year for Desert Companion magazine. It’s a strange oasis, at the gateway to Death Valley. The Amargosa Opera House - about 100 miles west of Las Vegas - has been a respite for visitors since 1968.

Amargosa opera house ballerina