Piper's Opera House

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Virginia City, NV
Piper's Opera House

A Virginia City, Nevada staple, Piper's Opera House is a historic performing arts venue for weddings, concerts, meetings and events. Tours available. Hours vary.

Visit online or call for details. From the 1860s until 1920s, Piper's Opera House attracted famous stars from Europe and the United States and is listed by the League of Historic Theaters. It is one of the most significant vintage theaters on the West Coast. The opera house was condemned in 1920 and went dark for 20 years. In 1940 the family reopened the house as a museum. Significant restoration

was done in the late 1960s by Louise Zimmer Driggs (Piper's great granddaughter). In the 1970s Mrs. Zimmer again reopened the opera house and maintained an active theater and summer concert series through the mid-1980s, at which time family finances and wear and tear on the building forced them to finally close the house. In 1997 the Piper/Zimmer family sold the opera house to Piper's Opera House Programs, Inc., a nonprofit organization established to purchase the opera house. Archeological digs were funded by several sources, and restructuring of foundation support were conducted. In 1999 Piper's Opera House was again reopened as a working museum. Restoration of the grand old structure continues with grant funding, and public tours support the daily operations of the House.

09/04/2026

Fall has arrived at Piper’s Opera House. 🍂🎭

As the days grow shorter and the evenings settle in, there’s something about this time of year that makes the history inside these walls feel just a little more present.

From performances and tours to the stories that have lingered here for generations, autumn is a fitting season to experience Piper’s in Virginia City, NV.

And with Hauntober just around the corner, things are only getting a little more mysterious. 🕯️

09/02/2026

one of the musicians who later performed at Piper’s Opera House was present at Ford’s Theatre the night President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated?

William Withers Jr. served as the first violinist and orchestra conductor at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. On April 14, 1865, he was there when John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln. During Booth’s escape, Withers encountered him backstage and was injured in the struggle.

Just a few years later, Withers traveled west, eventually becoming the first violinist of Piper’s orchestra here on the Comstock.

It’s one of the many remarkable threads connecting Virginia City, NV history to some of the most significant moments in American history. 🎻

08/31/2026

Summerween is coming to a close, but the darker season at Piper’s Opera House is just beginning. 🕯️

With Hauntober on the horizon, there will be more chances to explore the history, mystery, and stories that linger inside these walls.

Keep an eye on our upcoming events — autumn at Piper’s has a way of bringing the past a little closer.

08/29/2026

Piper’s Opera House has never been just a place to watch a show. 🎭

For more than 100 years, it has been part of the cultural life of Virginia City, NV, welcoming world-renowned performers, local audiences, celebrations, and generations of visitors. Today, that legacy continues through tours, live programs, performances, private rentals, and community events, all inside one of the West’s most storied theatres.

If you’re planning a trip to Virginia City, NV, make time to step inside and experience a piece of history that is still being written.

📍 Learn more at pipersoperahouse.com.

08/27/2026

Sometimes the smallest objects tell the most interesting stories.

Throughout Piper’s Opera House, display cases preserve photographs, keepsakes, illustrations, and pieces from another era. Quiet reminders of the people, fashions, and everyday life that once surrounded this historic theatre.

It’s easy to come for the stage and find yourself lingering over the details instead.

Next time you visit Piper’s in Virginia City, NV, take a closer look. You never know what piece of history might catch your eye.

🎭 History lives here. Visit us: https://pipersoperahouse.com/

08/24/2026

Then and now, the stage at Piper’s Opera House has always been a place where people gather. 🎭

For more than a century, this historic theatre has welcomed performers, audiences, celebrations, and community moments through its doors. The faces and productions may change, but the spirit of the building continues.

From its earliest performances to the events filling the theatre today, Piper’s remains an important part of Virginia City, NV’s story.

📍 Explore more at pipersoperahouse.com.

08/21/2026

You could walk past this little hole in the wall a hundred times and never guess what it was for.

During the Comstock era, it served as a weapon check at Piper’s Opera House. Men handed over their guns before entering, while ladies passed off their purses, some of which were known to hide a derringer or two.

What other hidden details have you spotted around town? 👀

08/20/2026

Piper’s Opera House hasn’t always looked the way it does today. After being condemned in the 1920s, the building remained standing for decades, a quiet reminder of an earlier chapter in Virginia City, NV’s Comstock history.

Near the end of the 20th century, Piper’s found its way back. The Opera House reopened and once again became a gathering place for performances, events, and community.

Its story is one of preservation, resilience, and the enduring role the arts have played in Virginia City, NV, for generations.

📸 Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, NEV,15-VIRG,17-3

08/18/2026

Take a closer look around Piper’s Opera House and you’ll find history in the details. 🎭

The craftsmanship, architecture, and small touches throughout the building have been part of countless performances, celebrations, and unforgettable evenings over the years.

It’s one of the things that makes Piper’s so special, there is always another detail, and usually another story, waiting to be noticed.

📍 Virginia City, NV

📲Plan a visit: https://pipersoperahouse.com/event-directory/

08/14/2026

Some pieces of Piper’s history tell their story without saying a word. 🎭

Displayed inside the opera house is this copy of a limited-edition print by artist Andrew Saut, dated 1970. The detailed drawing captures Piper’s from another era and offers a glimpse of how the historic building has been seen, remembered, and preserved over time.

It feels especially fitting to find this portrait hanging inside the landmark that inspired it.

Address

12 N B Street
Virginia City, NV
89440

Telephone

+17758470433

Website

https://pipersoperahouse.com/

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