Practice makes perfect, and from now on, every time the critics hail a Central City Opera production, Denverites Lanny and Sharon Martin can take pride in knowing that the rehearsals started in a hall that bears their names.
The Lanny and Sharon Martin Foundry Rehearsal Center was unveiled at a ceremony immediately preceding the world premiere of “Poet Li Bai” earlier this month.
Pat Pearce, the company’s general and artistic director, expressed his gratitude to the Martins. “We felt it was only fitting to name our rehearsal center, where our opera productions are formed, after these wonderful, generous people who have so shaped our organization over the last decades,” he said.
J. Landis (Lanny) Martin was introduced to opera as a law student at Northwestern University and quickly became a lifelong fan. Sharon Martin came to appreciate it as a classical pianist, and was instrumental in instilling a love for opera in the couple’s three daughters. Sarah and Emily Martin, in fact, appeared as extras in several Central City productions when they were young.
When the family moved to Denver in 1981, Lanny and Sharon quickly became involved with Central City Opera House Association. He succeeded the late E. Atwill Gilman as president of the opera board, then served as chairman from 1987 to 1994.
Lanny, an attorney with Kirkland and Ellis and president of NL Industries and Timet before starting Platte River Ventures, was determined to maintain the opera’s policy of operating with balanced budgets, and his partnership with then-artistic director John Moriarty led to increases in audiences and revenue. Sharon was equally active with the Central City Opera House Association Guild, serving as president in 1990.
After gambling was introduced to Central City, Lanny Martin worked with fellow board member Nancy Parker to negotiate a lease of the Teller House that resulted in much-needed renovations to the hotel and funds to establish an endowment. An endowment board has since been formed, with Lanny Martin as its chairman.
In addition to their work on behalf of the Central City Opera, the Martins also have had leadership roles with the Houston Grand Opera, the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Debutante Ball, Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae, and the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation.
Society editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com. She also contributes at.
