It’s an ideal afternoon for opera and musical theater lovers, and those who might fall in love with such art forms.

After canceling its Vocal Arts Festival last year due to the pandemic, Opera Theatre of the Rockies will offer Vocal Arts Week, a condensed version that features a free virtual concert by baritone singer Brian Major and “Let’s Make a Scene,” a free outdoor concert of five scenes from three operas and two musicals.

Major’s concert is available online at operatheatreoftherockies.org through Sunday. “Let’s Make a Scene” is Sunday in the Glen at Broadmoor Community Church. Attendees need to bring their own seating.

Past Vocal Arts Festivals have included master classes, multiple scene concerts and full-length operas.

“It’s an effort for us to say opera is still in town, and we don’t intend to go anywhere,” said Martile Rowland, Opera Theatre of the Rockies’ founder and artistic director. “We’re doing pretty well considering. Lots of singers want to sing and we’re trying to give them that opportunity. We want people to hear these beautiful singers.”

The 90-minute performance will showcase 30 Colorado singers in scenes from Wolfgang Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” Verdi’s “Il Trovatore,” Ned Rorem’s “Our Town,” Jerry Herman’s “Mame” and Herman’s “Hello, Dolly!”

Stephanie Brink’s last performance was in a Puccini opera at the famous Opera West! in Santa Fe. It coincided with the beginning of the pandemic.

In Sunday’s show, she’ll take on the role as Azucena in “Il Travatore,” a “Verdi warhorse,” Rowland said. Four performers will do most of the fourth act of the opera. It’s quite a dramatic genre change for Brink, who typically does comedy: Azucena accidentally throws her child into a bonfire and raises another child that’s not hers.

“Everybody says comedy is more difficult than drama, and I totally disagree,” Brink said. “It’s way easier to be funny than deeply dramatic.”

For those who might hear the word opera and shudder, this is your chance to sample bite-size nibbles to satisfy your curiosity. Rowland, a storied opera singer who’s sung with Metropolitan Opera and other companies around the world, also has a tip to help reluctant operagoers better enjoy the show.

“If you can find out about the story, you have a better chance of enjoying the evening,” she said.

“It gives you an idea of the characters and something about the story without having to commit to the two-and-a-half or three-hour experience. The rest of it takes care of itself. People like stories — they like movies and books. It’s the same thing, but set to a different kind of music.”

As far as the opera company, it’s managed to survive the potentially theater-killing pandemic.

“I feel fortunate we’ve come through this in fairly good shape,” Rowland said. “Donors have stuck with us and the audience has stuck with us. They want us to be here. It’s nice to know that. This has proved that to us. We have no lack of talent and a good financial basis underneath us at the moment.”

Contact the writer: 636-0270

What: Opera Theatre of the Rockies’ Vocal Arts Week

When: “Let’s Make a Scene,” featuring scenes from operas and musicals, 3 p.m. Sunday; virtual concert with baritone Brian Major, available through Sunday by going online to operatheatreoftherockies.org

Where: Glen at Broadmoor Community Church, 315 Lake Ave.

Price: Free; 570-1950, operatheatreoftherockies.org

Opera Theatre of the Rockies will offer its Vocal Arts Week, featuring a free virtual concert by baritone singer Brian Major and “Let’s Make a Scene,” a free outdoor concert.

Courtesy of Opera Theatre of the Rockies

“Let’s Make a Scene,” by Opera Theatre of the Rockies, will feature 30 Colorado singers in scenes from Wolfgang Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” Verdi’s “Il Trovatore,” Ned Rorem’s “Our Town,” Jerry Herman’s “Mame” and Herman’s “Hello, Dolly!” Courtesy Opera Theatre of the Rockies

“Let’s Make a Scene,” by Opera Theatre of the Rockies, will showcase 30 Colorado singers during its Vocal Arts Week concert Sunday at Broadmoor Community Church. Courtesy Opera Theatre of the Rockies