It's taken years of sweat and nails to get the Morgan Opera House to its present glory. But the thing that truly makes this old building shine is the echo of music vibrating through the rich mahogany ribs of this treasured community structure.

As you ascend from the Aurora Free Library into the coves of the Morgan Opera House Saturday, you can expect to be pleasantly immersed in the jiving ethnic tunes of the Ukrainian-American musical performance of Zoloti Struny.

The group has previously performed at the opera house, and the only available testament to its true Ukrainian ethnic musical brilliance was from Mary Ellen Ormiston of the Morgan Opera House.

“They're simply delightful,” she said.

A skeptic at first, Ormiston said that the main function of the opera house was to introduce music that the mainstream wasn't interested in.

“But the costumes, musicianship and feeling of the music is excellent. They play great songs of patriotism to the Ukraine country. They're really into it, the whole Ukrainian thing, it's who they are and you can hear it in their music,” she said.

Ormiston explained that the Morgan Opera House has a backlog of money available to hire specialty musicians. Past performances have included some bluegrass, bagpipes, classical and a myriad of ethnic musicians.

“Some groups, we make money on. Others we don't, but that's

not the main concern. They all seem to fill an ethnic niche,” Ormiston said.

Saturday's performance will include regional musicians of the Zoloti Struny group. Those performing include: Marko Siolkowsky, Oreshya Petryk, both of Rochester; Nickole Riedl, of Victor; Larissa Wirlo, of Syracuse; and Larissa Cholach, of Rochester.

Staff writer Beth Noyes can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 252 or at beth.noyes@lee.net

If you go

What: Zoloti Struny, Ukrainian-American music performance

When: 8 p.m.

Saturday

Where: Morgan Opera House, Main Street, Aurora

Cost: Adults $8, students/seniors $5, children $3