[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19292]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE NAPA VALLEY OPERA HOUSE ON THE OCCASION OF ITS GRAND 
                               REOPENING

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                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 23, 2003

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 
Napa Valley Opera House, as this venue returns to life after 89 years 
of being closed to our community.
  Built in 1879 and now a national historic landmark, the Napa Valley 
Opera House was the center of community life during its heyday, playing 
host to luminaries such as Jack London, John Philip Sousa and the 
legendary soprano Luisa Tetrazzini. Vaudeville shows, masquerade balls 
and temperance rallies were regular fare. But the hall went dark in 
1914, a victim of changing times. As late as the 1980s, the building 
had reached such a state of dilapidation that it was on the verge of 
being condemned.
  The grand reopening marks the successful completion of a grassroots 
preservation campaign that began 30 years ago and ultimately saved the 
structure from the wrecking ball. The fundraising effort started in 
earnest in 1986, and received a vital boost 11 years later, when Robert 
and Margrit Mondavi put forward a $2.2 million challenge grant. To 
acknowledge the importance of that gift, the main hall has been named 
the Margrit Biever Mondavi Theatre.
  Indeed Mr. Speaker, the return of this dais represents a rebirth of 
artistic culture that will help bind our community together. Theatre 
arts no longer shall be rendered a relic of the past but will be 
celebrated as an institution of the present; binding young and old, and 
linking those with artistic passion to those who have long forgotten 
it.
  It is not enough for a community anywhere in this great nation to 
teach the basics of art through the schools. The arts must be actively 
practiced in the community to make life richer and less confined by a 
lack of expression that satisfies the soul. In turn the community 
should never turn its back and allow those institutions that have so 
enriched their community to crumble to dust. Truly this is a community 
that will not let the arts languish in such a way any longer.
  The Napa Valley Opera House will be a venue dedicated to fostering an 
appreciation for the theatre arts where it is most important, in our 
children. The development of a children's series in the theatre that 
often incorporates hands on experience will give youngsters confidence 
in their inherent creativity. Fomenting the imagination through 
positive outlets such as this can only lead to a well-rounded pool of 
experience in personal expression.
  Mr. Speaker, the Napa Valley Opera House will be once again an 
integral part of the cultural landscape of our First Congressional 
District and a true treasure for the people of California. It is 
therefore appropriate that we acknowledge and honor the Napa Valley 
Opera House, and the hundreds of voices who have contributed to the 
legacy and success of this organization.

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