“To dream the old dreams over is a luxury divine.” A quote by James Whitcomb Riley seems to have been written for the Delphi Opera House, which was first opened in 1865. Over the past few years, the Delphi Preservation Society has been working on the building and restoring it to its original beauty and grandeur. When the Opera House was first opened, and it was called Assion-Ruffing City Hall, it hosted concerts, readings, theatre, and other performances of the time. James Whitcomb Riley, the famous Hoosier poet, read at least six times on the stage. Now, the Opera House hopes to host live theatre, music, and dance of the new age. People of all ages are encouraged to come and enjoy the entertainment that they host, from concerts to live theatre to dances.

The beauty of the restored Opera House is hard to convey. The actual stage area is stunning and has a vintage-feel. It seats two-hundred people, not counting the balcony that is still under renovation. Out in the lobby, there is a concession stand with drinks and snacks for a reasonable price. The entire setting is surreal; one can imagine what it looked like back in 1865, bustling with gentlemen in hats and coattails and ladies in ball gowns.

The Opera House has many wonderful and entertaining events planned for 2015 and 2016. In fact, as a Christmas gift to the community, the Opera House invited the Kelley McRae Duo to come and perform.

On Dec. 12, the Kelley McRae Duo took the stage and performed many of their songs. The duo first started in 2011 and have since played all across America and Europe. Their performance the 12th was emotional and friendly. From the first song to the last, the message was powerful. Some of the songs, such as “Alone” and “Johnny Cash,” left people in tears. All of Kelley McRae’s songs were thought-provoking, leaving the listener wondering about life, love, and happiness in general. The songs ranged from beautiful ballads to fast-paced songs with intense guitar solos―courtesy of guitarist Matt Castelein, the second half of the duo. The music itself was wonderful. McRae has a beautiful voice―light, sweet, and lilting―which makes her slow songs all the more haunting, and, as mentioned before, Castelein is very skilled at the guitar. Their music is all acoustic and described as folk- and Americana-style. An enjoyable time filled with laughs and good music made for a great evening.