Wheeler Opera House

Mountainfilm on Tour: Cine de las Montañas Programa
2025-10-16 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Denver) | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Mountainfilm on Tour llega a Aspen con una selección de películas documentales culturalmente enriquecedoras, llenas de aventura e inspiración, curadas del festival Mountainfilm que se celebra cada fin de semana del Día de los Caídos en Telluride, Colorado.
El programa Cine de las Montañas explorará temas relacionados con la misión de Mountainfilm: utilizar el poder del cine, el arte y las ideas para inspirar al público a crear un mundo mejor.
El programa Cine de las Montañas presenta una colección diversa de cortometrajes que exploran:
Historias personales y culturales: Desde un zapatero hondureño en Hollywood hasta una madre e hija unidas por el rodeo, los filmes celebran la identidad, la herencia y la creatividad.
Medioambiente y conexión con la naturaleza: Documentales como Roots y Between the Lines destacan la importancia de conservar ecosistemas como manglares y ríos, y la relación íntima entre humanos y el entorno.
Aventura y superación: Mujeres latinas enfrentan sus desafíos personales en la montaña, surfistas transforman el abandono en amor paternal, y atletas como Eliot Jackson redefinen el éxito con humildad.
Cambio social y resiliencia: Historias como la de The Changebaker muestran cómo el activismo y la comunidad pueden surgir de experiencias difíciles, convirtiendo negocios locales en símbolos de esperanza.
Presentado en asociación con with Aspen Film
Agradecimiento especial socio de medios

Shining Mountains Film Festival Program 1
2025-10-17 18:30 - 21:00 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Native films and documentaries that reveal the unspoken history of our nation, the generational traumas, the struggles, resilience, diversity, beauty and talents of the first inhabitants of America. Live interaction with audience through Q&A with films Directors, Producers and Actors. A two-day event dedicated to giving a voice to America’s Indigenous People.
Program 1: Free Leonard Peltier
In FREE LEONARD PELTIER, acclaimed directors Jesse Short Bull and David France revisit one of the most discredited convictions in modern America-the double life sentences handed down to Indian rights activist Leonard Peltier for the 1975 murder of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation of South Dakota.
Followed by Live Q&A with Steve and Jesse Short Bull

Shining Mountains Film Festival Program 2
2025-10-18 14:00 - 16:30 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Native films and documentaries that reveal the unspoken history of our nation, the generational traumas, the struggles, resilience, diversity, beauty and talents of the first inhabitants of America. Live interaction with audience through Q&A with films Directors, Producers and Actors. A two-day event dedicated to giving a voice to America’s Indigenous People.
Program 2: Short films/documentaries
Let My People Go Skiing
Against The Current
Bucking on The Rez
Courage
Live performance by renowned Cirque du Soleil hoop dancer, Eric Hernandez.
Q&A with film makers.

Shining Mountains Film Festival Program 3
2025-10-18 18:30 - 21:00 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Native films and documentaries that reveal the unspoken history of our nation, the generational traumas, the struggles, resilience, diversity, beauty and talents of the first inhabitants of America. Live interaction with audience through Q&A with films Directors, Producers and Actors. A two-day event dedicated to giving a voice to America’s Indigenous People.
Program 3: You Are No Indian
You’re No Indian explores the devastating consequences of the practice of tribal disenrollment, including its cultural, social, and systemic flaws. Tribal disenrollment occurs when an Indigenous individual, and typically their family members as well, loses their citizenship or right to belong within their tribe.

Q&A with Steve and Ryan Flynn

Humans 2.0 by Circa
2025-10-22 18:30 - 20:00 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Created by Yaron Lifschitz and the Circa Ensemble
A symphony of acrobatics, sound and light, this is next level circus by Circa.
Ten bodies appear in a flash of light. They move in harmony for a fleeting moment and then descend into a sinuous trance. Towers grow and decay, bodies leap and are caught, as physical limits are pushed to their extreme. Can we ever find a perfect balance or is adapting to constant change the only way forward?
This next chapter of Circa’s internationally acclaimed Humans is a tightly woven choreography of bodies, pulsing with music by composer Ori Lichtik and revealed in Paul Jackson’s dramatic lighting. Created by circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz, Humans 2.0 is intimate, primal and deeply engaged with the challenge of being human.
“A striking spectacle of beauty, a real ode to the graceful power of the human body” – La Presse
Humans 2.0 is commissioned by The Mondavi Center, UC Davis
Circa acknowledges the assistance of the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body and the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.

Legends of Native American Comedy
2025-10-24 19:00 - 20:30 | The Vault at the Wheeler, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Native Voices, Big Laughs: A Night of Indigenous Comedy
Get ready for a powerhouse evening of laughter, culture, and storytelling as “Legends of Native American Comedy” brings three acclaimed Indigenous comedians to the Wheeler stage. This high-energy showcase features Jim Ruel, Ernest Tsosie III, and Monique Moreau—each offering a unique perspective and voice rooted in Native experience and identity.
Jim Ruel is a comedian, writer, and filmmaker from the Bay Mills Band of Ojibwe. A finalist in NBC’s Diversity Talent Search, he has appeared on Goin’ Native: The American Indian Comedy Slam (Showtime), The World Stands Up, and First Nations Comedy Experience. He currently co-hosts the Hollywood NDNz podcast and runs Frybread Productions, a Native-owned media company.
Ernest Tsosie III is a veteran actor and comedian whose credits include Netflix’s Rez Ball and recurring roles on AMC’s Longmire, Better Call Saul, Dark Winds, and NBC’s Rutherford Falls. A seasoned performer, he’s brought his quick wit to stages across the country, including the Laugh Factory, House of Comedy, and the Kennedy Center.
Monique Moreau is an autistic Cree/Saulteaux comedian, writer, and musician whose razor-sharp comedy has taken her around the globe. She’s performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, Melbourne Comedy Festival, and San Francisco Sketchfest, and has opened for Nick Kroll, Sarah Cooper, and Anthony Jeselnik. Her writing credits include Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go and American Girl.
Together, these three bring bold, fresh, and hilarious Native perspectives to the stage in a show that’s as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.

Aspen Advance Look: 11 to Midnight
2025-11-01 19:30 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
A special preview of off-Broadway-bound 11 to Midnight comes to the Wheeler Opera House! A collaboration between Hideaway Circus and viral choreographers Cost n’ Mayor will be in Aspen developing their new dance theater piece, culminating in a showing of the work-in-progress.
11 to Midnight blends dance, circus, and digital storytelling into a thrilling new theatrical experience. This one-night-only event offers Aspen audiences a rare opportunity to witness the evolution of a genre-defying production before its New York City premiere.
Cost n’ Mayor—Austin and Marideth Telenko—are a creative duo with over 10 million followers, known for their perfectly synchronized choreography and viral performances. Their work spans campaigns for Apple, Disney, Lexus, and Royal Caribbean, and collaborations with artists like Pentatonix and Meghan Trainor.
Hideaway Circus, founded by Josh and Lyndsay Aviner, is a Brooklyn-based production company celebrated for merging circus, dance, and magic in innovative theatrical works like Beyond Babel, Reflex, and Stars Above.
This Aspen Advance Look reflects the Wheeler Opera House’s commitment to nurturing artistic innovation by serving as an incubator for emerging performance.

Aspen Community Theatre Presents: Rumors by Neil Simon
2025-11-13 19:00 - 21:40, 2025-11-14 19:00 - 21:40, 2025-11-15 19:00 - 21:40, 2025-11-16 14:00 - 16:40 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Aspen Community Theatre (ACT) brings its fall production to the Wheeler Opera House. Performed and presented by your neighbors and friends, Neil Simon’s “Rumors” promises to be a night of farce and fun. “Rumors” contains adult language and themes.
At a tastefully appointed Snedens Landing home, the Deputy Mayor of New York has been shot on the night of his tenth wedding anniversary. Though it’s only a flesh wound, the incident sets off a series of events causing four couples to unite in a fast and furious experience of farce. As the first couple arrives for the party, they discover the Deputy Mayor bleeding in another room and his wife nowhere to be found. They scramble to “get their story straight” and protect their friend while maintaining the celebratory atmosphere. With each new guests’ arrival, the story layers evolve adding confusion and complexity resulting in an evening of classical farce hilarity.
“Rumors” marks ACT’s first non-musical theatrical production since 1999, a nod to their storied history as they gear up for a landmark 50th anniversary year in 2026. Learn more about ACT and support local theatre at AspenCommunityTheatre.org.

Doktor Kaboom: Under Pressure!
2025-11-19 18:00 - 19:30 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Be amazed by the power of pressure – and what it can teach us.
Equal parts interactive science, comedy, and personal empowerment messages, Doktor Kaboom returns with a new show. Doktor Kaboom: Under Pressure! illustrates physical science concepts, which are also metaphors for real-life mental and emotional pressures. Praised for keeping crowds riveted with interest and rolling with laughter, Doktor Kaboom is also known for empowering volunteers from the audience to be the heroes of the moment. In Under Pressure!, Kaboom validates the pressures some students may feel, and shares tools and life lessons as resources for dealing with the difficulties that face us all.
“a fantastic experience, with educational content presented in a hilarious and exciting format” – DC Theater Arts
Doktor Kaboom: Under Pressure! was commissioned by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and was first produced at the Kennedy Center in October 2024.

Garrison Keillor Tonight
2025-11-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Garrison Keillor Tonight is an evening of stand-up, storytelling, audience sing-alongs, and poetry. One man, one microphone.
The performance features sung sonnets, limericks, and musical jokes—all woven together by reflections on the beauty of growing older. Despite its inconveniences, old age brings a kind of contentment: the wisdom that less is more. With your big ambitions and past mistakes behind you, there’s nothing left to prove—and great joy can be found in life’s smaller moments.
As Keillor puts it:
“I was unhappy in college because it was a requirement for an intellectual, but then I went into show business and discovered that people won’t pay to be made unhappy—their kids will do it for free.”
The evening also includes the beloved News from Lake Wobegon, where the town is buzzing with new entrepreneurs—makers of artisanal firewood, gourmet meatloaf, breeders of composting worms, and dogs trained to do childcare. Yet, some traditions endure, like the annual Living Flag formation on Main Street, with citizens donning red, white, and blue caps. Keillor stands shoulder to shoulder with familiar neighbors like Myrtle Krebsbach (“Truckstop”), Julie Christensen (“Bruno, The Fishing Dog”), and Clint Bunsen. The evening concludes with a heartfelt a cappella sing-along, as the audience joins in from memory on a medley of patriotic songs, pop standards, and hymns—culminating in the national anthem.

AVSC Presents: A Night of Stoke: Ornada Film Premier & More
2025-11-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Premier of Armada’s athlete movie Ornada and Hot Dog Hans 6

Iris DeMent
2025-11-23 19:30 - 21:00 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Iris DeMent brings her powerful new album, Workin’ On A World, to Aspen for an evening of unforgettable music and reflection. Known for her deeply moving voice—described by John Prine as “like you’ve heard, but not really”—DeMent has long been one of America’s most respected singer-songwriters. Her music blends gospel, hymns, and old country traditions with a fierce commitment to truth and justice.
With a career spanning over three decades, DeMent’s debut album Infamous Angel was recently named one of Rolling Stone’s “Greatest Country Albums of All Time.” Her follow-up records, My Life and The Way I Should, both earned GRAMMY nominations. She has received the Americana Music Trailblazer Award and her songs have been featured in films like True Grit and TV series such as The Leftovers.
Workin’ On A World, her seventh studio album, is a collection of 13 songs that confront today’s most pressing issues—climate change, social injustice, and personal loss—while offering messages of hope and resilience. Tracks like “How Long” and “Warriors of Love” pay tribute to figures like Martin Luther King and John Lewis, while “Say A Good Word” and “Waycross, Georgia” explore themes of compassion, aging, and healing. The album, six years in the making, was co-produced with Richard Bennett, Pieta Brown, and Jim Rooney, and completed in Nashville in 2022.
This performance is a rare opportunity to experience DeMent’s music live—songs that serve as both balm and battle cry in uncertain times. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to her work, this show promises to be a moving and memorable night.

Paula Poundstone
2025-11-29 19:00 - 20:30 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Iconic comedian Paula Poundstone is known for her smart, observational humor and a spontaneous wit that has become the stuff of legend. She regularly plays theaters across the country, hosts a weekly comedy podcast, Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone, and is a regular panelist on NPR’s Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me. She also voiced the character ‘Forgetter Paula’ in the feature films Inside Out and Inside Out 2.
Paula has starred in several HBO specials, including Cats, Cops and Stuff, which nabbed a cable ACE award for Best Comedy Special. She was the first female comic to host the White House Correspondents Dinner. She filed live coverage of the 1992 Democratic and Republican National Conventions and the Presidential Inaugural for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and at the 93rd Emmy Awards. Paula has starred in two television series, both entitled The Paula Poundstone Show. Paula’s second book, The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Human Happiness, was one of eight semi-finalists for the Thurber Prize For American Humor; the audiobook was one of five finalists for the AUDIE award for Audiobook of the Year. Paula has released five albums and is featured in several documentaries and compendiums noting influential comedians of our time.

Northrup Studios World Premiere: An Aspen Christmas Conspiracy
2025-12-03 19:00 - 21:00 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Walk the Red Carpet at the World Premiere of An Aspen Christmas Conspiracy – a romantic holiday comedy with a twist of mystery – at the historic Wheeler Opera House.
When a sharp young prosecutor and an idealistic social worker find themselves on opposite sides of the courtroom—and of love—a mysterious case forces them to team up for the holidays and uncover a bigger truth than either of them imagined.
Join us to celebrate the release of this new feature film, shot on location in Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley, and rub elbows with the stars and filmmakers. Hear directly from the Director, Producers, and Principal Cast in a talkback after the screening.

The Jacob Jolliff Band
2025-12-05 20:30 - 22:00 | The Vault at the Wheeler, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Jacob Jolliff is one of the world’s premier contemporary mandolinists. In 2011, he graduated from Berklee College of Music, having studied there on a full scholarship. The following year, in 2012, he won the USA’s National Mandolin Championship in Winfield, KS. A fixture of the bluegrass scene, he has performed and collaborated with Béla Fleck, Tony Trischka, Michael Daves, Grant Gordy, Wes Corbett, and Alex Hargreaves, to name a few. Additionally, throughout his 20s, he toured as a member of the groups Joy Kills Sorrow and Yonder Mountain String Band. Currently, his focus is on his own ensemble, The Jacob Jolliff Band—one of the most cutting-edge progressive bluegrass groups on the scene today. They’ve released three albums, the most recent of which, “Instrumentals, Vol. 2: Mandolin Mysteries,” dropped in May 2024. The band plays a combination of complex original instrumental music and vocal repertoire that spans from trad bluegrass to unlikely pop covers. Improvisation and ensemble interplay are at the forefront.
This performance will take place in The Vault at the Wheeler, 2nd Floor Bar Lobby.

Warren Miller's "SNO-CIETY"
2025-12-07 16:00 - 17:30, 2025-12-07 19:00 - 20:30 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Bring on winter with Warren Miller! From the Scottish Highlands and the streets of Finland to the back bowls of Whitewater, BC and a local hill-turned-terrain park in downtown Denver, Warren Miller’s SNO-CIETY celebrates the spirit of winter—wherever you ride and however you connect to the snow and the community around it. Featuring all-new, original segments with Olympians, urban riders, and local legends, the 76th Warren Miller film hits theaters this fall.

Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon & Erik Deutsch of Black Crowes
2025-12-08 18:30 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
In Colorado in 2016, pianist Erik Deutsch ( Black Crowes) and banjoist Andy Thorn (Leftover Salmon) met for the first time, when Erik showed up for his first Leftover Salmon gig at the Stanley Hotel. It didn’t take long for the like-minded musicians to click. Over the next four years, Leftover Salmon’s stage-left lit up as the two developed an undeniable musical chemistry. In their original collaborations, they blend piano and banjo to create lush acoustic landscapes and classical-inflected forays. Their original songs dance between bluegrass, jazz, and folk, while showcasing the musical connection and language that these two accomplished players have honed on stage over the years.
Leftover Salmon banjo player Andy Thorn never expected to go viral. But in 2021, he was in his backyard, playing an improvised banjo tune to a wild fox, when his wife caught the whole thing on video. The video made headlines around the world. Soon, Andy was interviewed on the Kelly Clarkson Show and A & E’s Neighborhood Wars. Even NPR’s Political Gabfest discussed the video. A New York Times writer called it “a moment plucked from Aesop.”
Stunned by the publicity, Andy finally recorded it (“Aesop Mountain”), along with 14 other banjo instrumentals. The resulting album, “Songs of the Sunrise Fox,” stands in contrast to the music Andy normally plays with Leftover Salmon. This album isn’t about the flashy banjo picking favored by jam bands. Instead, it’s the banjo melodies Andy would play for his friend “Foxy” at sunrise.

Pianist and genre-bending sideman, Erik Deutsch currently resides in Mexico City. Over the 30-year span of his career in Brooklyn and Boulder, he has performed and recorded with pop, rock, country, and jazz artists like Norah Jones, Citizen Cope, Shooter Jennings, Shelby Lynne, Joe Russo, Steven Tyler, Ron Wood, Lukas Nelson, Levon Helm, John Scofield, Phil Lesh, Gary Clark Jr., Bill Kreutzman, Del McCoury, Warren Haynes, Karl Denson, and many more.
Since 2022, Erik has been the full-time keyboardist for rock legends The Black Crowes, performing on five different continents and being an integral musical contributor to their Grammy-nominated album ‘Happiness Bastards’.
A prolific composer and bandleader in his own right, Erik’s eight solo albums have received critical acclaim by RollingStone, Jazz Times, USA Today, and the Huffington Post, including Relix magazine naming Deutsch’s album ‘Outlaw Jazz’ the #16 best album of 2015. Recently voted the #5 Rising Star Organist in Downbeat Magazine’s annual poll, and recognized in consecutive years. Erik’s 9th LP—’This Was Then’—is due in July of 2025 on Hammer & String.

Wintersköl Double Feature: Retro Films with Aspen Historical Society
2025-12-11 18:00 - 19:00 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Kick off the Wintersköl™ weekend and see Aspen’s hot doggin’ past come to life on the big screen with a special double feature at the Wheeler Opera House, featuring retro films from Aspen Historical Society followed by a screening of the iconic 90’s hit Aspen Extreme. The cult-favorite ski film, which tells the well-known and oft-repeated story of two ski bums who ditch everything to live the ski instructor dream in Aspen, will get you pumped for the season ahead!
Don’t miss the retro films and Wintersköl™ history talk prior to the film. (Please note you must book your tickets for each event if you are attending both.)
Come in your ski gear or get out your retro fits to get in the winter spirit!
These special events are offered for free in partnership with ACRA, the Wheeler Opera House, and Aspen Historical Society in the spirit of Wintersköl™ to celebrate the season ahead.

Wintersköl Double Feature: Aspen Extreme
2025-12-11 19:30 - 21:00 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States

Aspen Laugh Fest: Anjelah Johnson-Reyes
2025-12-11 20:00 - 21:30 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Anjelah Johnson-Reyes is one of today’s most successful stand-up comedians, selling out theaters worldwide and releasing six hit comedy specials across major platforms. Her 2023 special Say I Won’t premiered on YouTube to more than 9.4 million views, reaffirming her place as a global fan favorite. Born and raised in San Jose, California, and of Mexican and Native American descent, Anjelah has showcased her comedic and acting range on Life & Beth, Superstore, Ugly Betty, The Shield, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, as well as in films like Enough Said and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. She published her memoir Who Do I Think I Am? in 2022 and recently starred alongside Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross in Candy Cane Lane. With a new podcast, Funjelah, and her massive “The Family Reunion” world tour spanning 2025–2026, Anjelah continues to deliver the sharp, joyful, and heartfelt comedy that has made her a worldwide sensation.
Presented in association with Justice for Migrant Women

Both/And: A Visual Opera
2025-12-12 17:30 - 21:30 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
We’re excited to bring Visual Opera back to the Wheeler for its second year in celebration of Wintersköl. On December 12 from 5:30 to 9:30pm, the exterior of Wheeler Opera House will transform into a canvas of light with BOTH/AND, a new work conceived by LUCIA.
This one-night-only visual experience explores the contradictions of mountain life, where beauty and hardship sit side by side, and where darkness reveals its own kind of brilliance. Through light and sound, the piece reflects the shimmer, the stillness, and the warmth we create in the cold. The event is free and open to all.

Aspen Choral Society's 49th Presentation of Handel's Messiah
2025-12-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Aspen Choral Society is thrilled to present Handel’s Messiah for our 49th season. Join us for an evening of soul fulfilling music and connection.

LOL @ Wintersköl
2025-12-13 17:00 - 18:30 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
They made Aspen laugh years ago—and now they’re back! LOL @ Wintersköl brings some of Aspen’s comedy legends home for an unforgettable evening. Hosted by Beth Brandon and featuring Dan “Gonzo” Machanik (Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club) , Greg Studley (Woke Up Late with Stormy Daniels), and Mike Hammock (Winner of Denver’s Comedy Works New Faces Contest), this special lineup celebrates performers who helped shape Aspen’s vibrant comedy scene. Join us at the Wheeler Opera House for a night of laughter, nostalgia, and hometown humor.

Chad Goes Deep - Chad & JT
2025-12-13 20:00 - 21:30 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Chad and JT – the bros you’ve seen with their viral antics at city councils and movie quotes in public – are back to bring you a groundbreaking new live show. JT is delivering brand new stand up material with his unique brand of epic vulnerability and raw bro eloquence.
Then, Chad will be bringing his new one man show, CHILL TOWARDS ENLIGHTENMENT, to the stage. A satirical ted talk seminar on his stoke philosophy where he tackles the question: “Why is bummer so prevalent in our society and how do we transcend it?” Join us on this beautiful journey and learn Chad’s transformative technique, The Chill Method, which will help you reclaim your inner joy and set you on a new path to enjoy this radical adventure we call life.

Ronan Donovan: Exploring our Wild Nature: Wolves, Chimps & Gorillas
2025-12-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
Wolf-Whisperer. Wildlife Biologist. Natural History Filmmaker.
What does it mean to be human? We are, at our core, social mammals. We build relationships, communicate, reproduce, establish territories, and adapt to shrinking resources. In these ways, we’re no different from other social mammals. Chimpanzees, wolves, and gorillas are among the most charismatic mammals we know. We identify with them as species, groups, and even as named individuals. All social mammals live in groups to achieve together what they cannot do alone. Join biologist-turned-photographer Ronan Donovan as he shares what he’s learned documenting these animals, and the insights he believes we—as fellow social mammals—can learn from our wild kin.
National Geographic Explorer Ronan Donovan is a wildlife biologist turned conservation photographer. He uses visual storytelling to illuminate stories related to our fellow social mammals to remind us that we are all connected and to promote the preservation of our shared habitat. Ronan has embedded for months at a time, year after year, with wild families of wolves, chimpanzees, and mountain gorillas to capture imagery that highlights their challenges, behaviors, and family bonds. His time in the field has resulted in five National Geographic magazine feature stories on the conservation status of these species. You can watch Ronan in action in Kingdom of the White Wolf (Disney+) and in Planet Earth 3 (Amazon Prime). His first photo exhibition, titled Wolves, will be traveling for the next 3 years.
Presented in Association with Aspen Center for Environmental Studies

Photo by Leigh Vogel

Buckhorn Public Arts presents: RY X
2025-12-19 20:00 - 21:30 | Wheeler Opera House, 320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
GRAMMY-nominated artist and producer RY X is constantly in pursuit of connection—connection to nature, to spirit, and to the human experience. Expression and vulnerability are at the core of his work and what he evokes as an artist.
RY X has toured and performed around the globe in some of the world’s most iconic spaces, collaborating with orchestras and institutions such as the LA Philharmonic and London Philharmonic. He has also produced and written records for artists including Drake, Diplo, Black Coffee, and John Legend.
With over a billion streams online, RY X has earned platinum and gold records for his recordings and has been invited to share his work at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony and venues like Notre Dame. He has scored for the Gothenburg Opera and Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT), and continues to collaborate across dance, film, and other artistic mediums.
His work is multifaceted, deeply emotional, and rooted in a reflection of what it means to be human—exploring the full spectrum of somatic and emotional experience. RY X engages all forms of artistic expression with his heart at the forefront.
