By LIZ BYRON. Carmen is a classic opera whose music is so well-known that even opera virgins will probably recognise some of the songs. Indeed, I walked into the Ordway knowing nothing about the opera but that it featured a woman, presumably named Carmen, who might at some point wear a red dress. But it…
By LIZ BYRON. Project Opera’s Music of Mozart is described as “a Mozart Dance Party – 1980s style”. Picture teens with crimped hair, Madonna-inspired fingerless gloves, and neon t-shirts. Now picture 18th century high-piled wigs, bustles, and velvet waistcoats. Now mix them together, and add some Magic Flute, and you’ve got it. Project Opera is the youth training…
by SOPHIE KERMAN You might think you know what opera looks like: big people in old-fashioned clothing repeating the same phrases over and over. Right? Wrong. The Minnesota Opera‘s production of Mozart‘s The Magic Flute is colorful, dramatic, and surreal. An opera, yes – but not like you’ve ever seen one before. The Magic Flute is a weird opera…
by SOPHIE KERMAN Griffelkin might be a children’s opera, but the performers – a group of over 70 children in graders 4-12 – aren’t playing around. In a limited run at the Lab Theater, the opera is already nearly sold out, and for good reason. This isn’t your average high school musical: these kids have dedicated…
The Minnesota Opera is inviting readers to purchase $20 tickets to Hamlet for tonight, March 5! Here is a link to our review, and check out the offer details below. You can also see preview videos on the MN Opera’s YouTube channel! $20 tickets* to Hamlet Tuesday, March 5 Use code blog20 Visit mnopera.org for a show synopsis and…
The Minnesota Opera is inviting readers to purchase $20 tickets to Doubt for tonight, Jan 26, or Tuesday, Jan 29! Here is a link to our review, and check out the offer details below. You can also see preview videos on the MN Opera’s YouTube channel! $20 tickets* to Doubt Saturday, January 26 or Tuesday, January 29 Use…
by SOPHIE KERMAN The Minnesota Opera has done a brave thing by commissioning John Patrick Shanley and Douglas J. Cuomo to write an opera based on Shanley’s Pulitzer- & Tony-winning play (and Oscar-nominated movie) Doubt. With the amount of acclaim the play and the movie have gotten over the years, a third adaptation could be seen as either redundant or…
by REBECCA HALAT, Guest Reviewer The Minnesota Opera’s production of Madame Butterfly left me saddened—which is exactly the goal of this story. Soprano Kelly Kaduce was impressive as Cio-Cio-San, the tragic young heroine whose life is altered by her marriage with an American lieutenant, Pinkerton (played by Arturo Chacón-Cruz). One side character of note was…
by SOPHIE KERMAN The Minnesota Opera can’t be accused of playing it safe in its recent production of Lucia di Lammermoor. The opera, written in 1835 by Gaetano Donizetti, has long been considered as a star vehicle for its leading lady – a singers’ opera, with long bel canto lines that showcase a performer’s virtuoso talents. Traditionally, opera…
The Minnesota Opera never fails to impress, so if you’re looking for a special night out on a smaller budget, check this out. Yeah, it’s $50 – but $50 off a $200 ticket will make you feel both glamorous and economical! Here’s the official invitation: Minnesota Opera invites you to Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor with a special…
Aisle Say - Twin Cities 