Loosely based on High Fidelity, a 1989 documentary (not to be confused with the comedy of the same name) about the Guarneri Quartet, Curious Theatre’s production of OPUS provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the personal and professional lives of a world-famous quartet on the eve of a White House performance in front of fifteen million television viewers. The problem, among many, is that the organization — the oldest string quartet in the world at the time — has recently fired one of its founding members and he’s gone missing. “It’s a very high-stakes situation,” says director Chip Walton. “We see what happens in rehearsal, what happens in their personal lives — how the personal and the artistic mesh with each other.”

“It’s also a feast for classical-music lovers,” Walton continues. Because the cast — including Josh Robinson, David Russell, William Hahn, Erik Sandvold and Kari Delany — comprises actors, not musicians, Curious brought in a consultant to record various selections from a host of composers and teach the players to stage-act the bowing of the stringed instruments. “It’s really wonderful how the playwrights have married these musical pieces with the play,” Walton adds.

OPUS opens today at 8 p.m. and features a post-show celebration with the cast and Walton; the productions runs through April 24 at Curious, 1080 Acoma Street. Showtimes and ticket prices vary. Get more information at 303-623-0524 or www.curioustheatre.org.
Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Starts: March 11. Continues through March 24, 2010