BARRE, Vermont (WCAX) – The Opera de Barre reopens the curtain for the first time in 18 months on Saturday and they kick off the season with a performance by Tom Rush.

“The pressure is there. I’d better be good, ”Rush joked. “I am honored to have this niche. “

The New England country and blues singer-songwriter has been entertaining crowds since the 1960s. He began performing at Boston-area clubs while attending Harvard University. He now sells shows all over the country.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Rush said. “I get paid to have fun basically, which is pretty cool.”

In addition to singing and playing the guitar, Rush also tells stories on stage. He says his musical style has a bit of everything.

“With me the songs sort of happen. I’m not sitting down saying I’m going to write a song today about this or that. They sort of drift across the room and I try to catch up with them before they move away again, ”he said. “Some of them are sad. Some of them are funny. Some of them are rhythmic. Some of them are calm and slow. So again, everywhere.

Rush says any fan planning to attend the Saturday night show can expect to hear their favorite, but should be prepared to be introduced to new songs as well.

“I have contemporaries who no longer want to do the old songs. They are fed up with. But my understanding – my sure knowledge – is that people come and listen to the songs they know, ”Rush said. “They don’t come to hear a lot of things they’ve never heard before. So I’m going to do some songs in this category: songs that I’ve been doing for a long time that people know and love. But like I said, I’m also going to try out a few of the brand new ones that audiences seem to like a lot, so that encourages me.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. To attend, you must show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test from the past 72 hours. You must also wear a mask inside the opera house.

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