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Crested Butte Music Festival Dazzles in Colorado for 20th Season This Summer

This summer marks the 20th season of Colorado's Crested Butte Musical Festival, a genre-spanning arts celebration featuring a diverse crop of performers in music, dance and opera.

Held in the town of Mount Crested Butte, surrounded by the lush Gunnison National Forest, the 2016 festival includes an array of live music for all tastes, from the Americana of alt-country duo The Masterstons to the swinging sounds of gypsy jazz guitarists Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo.

On July 15, a one-of-a-kind multi-sensory performance will have Top Chef Hugh Acheson preparing delicacies backdropped with a musical treament from violinist Charles Yang and pianist Peter Dugan. For opera fans, a production of Puccini's La bohème led by Maestro David Stern goes until July 24.

To celebrate the event's 20th anniversary, the festival has unveiled a new and unique performance venue. As described by the Denver Post, the Spiegeltent "mirror tent" is one of only four such constructions within the United States:

"The major news out of Crested Butte this summer is its new Mt. Crested Butte Mirror Palace, a massive circular performance tent filled with elaborate woodwork and scores of reflective mirrors. The temporary venue will host a series of concerts, including the 'Time Spans' programs of contemporary classical works by living composers. The always interesting International Contemporary Ensemble, better known as ICE, is among the guest artists."

Educational opportunities are also on the docket at CBMF. Swallow Hill Music Kids Camp shows kids the ropes in bluegrass starting June 27 to July 1, while the Opera Children's Chorus presents a three-week training camp for ages 8-18 from July 5 through July 23. Vignola will also hold a guitar camp for young musicians.

Don't miss this unique artistic experience in Colorado this summer. BroadwayWorld lays out some further details on the CBMF:

"This year, the Festival's summer season spans nine weeks, from June to August, with approximately 30 performances and events, many of which are free or presented with a voluntary donation. Tickets may be purchased at crestedbuttemusicfestival.org."

Below, view some of the festival's highlights from last year.

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