The Ballad of Baby Doe is an opera by the American composer Douglas Moore that uses an English-language libretto by John Latouche.
Distinguished sopranos who have portrayed Baby Doe include Beverly Sills (Moore's favorite interpreter of the role), Ruth Welting, Karan Armstrong, Faith Esham, and Elizabeth Futral.
Hanya Holm and Edwin Levy directed the production, and sopranos Dolores Wilson and Leyna Gabriele alternated in the title role.
This revised version added the gambling scene in Act 2 and an additional aria for Baby Doe.
The story begins by commenting on the riches of the Matchless Mine and Horace Tabor's ownership and control over the whole town of Leadville, Colorado.
Horace sings "It's a Bang Up Job" to the townspeople, praising his new opera house, and sharing his disenchantment with his wife Augusta.
During intermission at a performance at the opera house, Augusta chides Horace for not acting according to his upper-class station in life.
He overhears two women speaking about the woman he helped and learns that her name is Baby Doe, and that she has a husband in Central City.
Horace presents Baby with the Spanish Queen Isabella's historic diamond necklace.
Scandal rocks the party, but simmers down when President of the United States Chester Arthur comes in and toasts the couple.
In the final scenes, Horace asks to see the opera house he built so long ago, although he no longer owns it.