Amargosa Opera House season opens without beloved founder
By Chase Stevens Special to the Pahrump Valley Times
A seat in the front row is left in honor of Marta Becket before the season-opening performance at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Attendees take in the scene of the painted walls and ceiling, which was done entirely by Marta Becket, before the season-opening performance at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Hilda Vazquez performs "The Eternal Triangle," a pantomime ballet, during the opening night of the season at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Attendees outside of the Amargosa Opera House following the season-opening performance in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Hank Humphreys, a longtime friend of Marta Becket, right, makes his way with others to the Amargosa Opera House for the season-opening performance in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Hank Humphreys, a longtime friend of Marta Becket, gives a hug and a bouquet of flowers to Hilda Vazquez after her season-opening performance at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Dennis Bostwick, former director of operations and restoration at the opera house, before the season-opening performance at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Hilda Vazquez performs "Proserpina" during the opening night of the season at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Longtime friends of Marta Becket wait for the season-opening performance at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
The Amargosa Opera House and Hotel in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
A cat sits outside of the door at the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
People arrive for the season-opening performance at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Hank Humphreys, a longtime friend of Marta Becket, arrives for the season-opening performance at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Attendees take in the scene of the painted walls and ceiling, which was done entirely by Marta Becket, before the season-opening performance at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Attendees arrive for the season-opening performance at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
A photo of Marta Becket hangs on the wall before the season-opening performance at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Hilda Vazquez performs "Proserpina" during the opening night of the season at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Hilda Vazquez performs "The Garden Party," a pantomime ballet, during the opening night of the season at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Hilda Vazquez gets a standing ovation after her season-opening performance at at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Christine and William Eaton of Sedona, Ariz. take in the painted scenes of the Amargosa Opera House following the season-opening performance in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Hilda Vazquez, center, after her season-opening performance at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
One of many backdrops painted by Marta Becket is displayed as Hilda Vazquez performs "Slavonic Dance" during the opening night of the season at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
A seat in the front row is left in honor of Marta Becket before the season-opening performance at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
An area for coffee and food at the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
A couple makes their way to the Amargosa Opera House for the season-opening performance in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
The Amargosa Opera House and Hotel in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Hank Humphreys, a longtime friend of Marta Becket, arrives for the season-opening performance at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Hilda Vazquez performs "Slavonic Dance" during the opening night of the season at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Hilda Vazquez gets a standing ovation after her season-opening performance at at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Attendees make their way out of the Amargosa Opera House following the season-opening performance in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Hilda Vazquez performs "Proserpina" during the opening night of the season at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
The Amargosa Opera House and Hotel sits outside of Death Valley National Park, like some desert dream forgotten by time.
The founder of this magical place, Marta Becket, passed away this year at age 92, but those whom she inspired are keeping her spirit alive.
About 100 people gathered at the opera house on a recent October in the small town of Death Valley Junction, California, to remember Becket and take in the beginning of the first season of performances without her.
A front-row chair draped in pink and decorated with flowers was a memorial to her. The crowd was ready to be enchanted once again.
Hilda Vazquez conjured up Becket’s magic on stage once the program began, with original performances, using the same costumes and set pieces that Becket had made by hand and used for decades.
For a moment, it was as if Marta Becket had never left.
For more on the opera house’s new season, see the Oct. 13 issue of the Pahrump Valley Times and pvtimes.com. There, readers will find a special feature by writer Robin Flinchum. She details how for the first time since its inauguration nearly 50 years ago, the Opera House is welcoming a new audience to its famous stage without the presence and guiding influence of Becket, who passed away last January at age 92.
