Minnesota Opera

As part of Member Appreciation week at Minnesota Public Radio, the hosts at Classical MPR have offered this up-close tour of their desks, sharing some interesting items and the stories behind them.

On this week's Morning Glories, we'll take a look at some performers and repertoire coming to our region in the next few weeks.

Classical MPR's Steve Staruch shares a story about how the opera 'Werther' affected a listener's dating life. It's a nice segue into Classical MPR's broadcast of the Met Opera's performance of Jules Massenet's 'Werther', Saturday at noon.

'The Enchanted Island' combines two Shakespeare plays and the works of Baroque composers to create something entirely new. And the Met Opera's stunning sets bring the undersea world to the stage.

Tonight, at 8 p.m. Classical MPR is proud to air Minnesota Opera's version of 'Doubt.'

Rudolph Valentino was a legend of the silver screen. James Valenti is the opera singer who brings Valentino's charisma to life onstage in the Minnesota Opera production of 'The Dream of Valentino'. He visits with Classical MPR's John Birge.

Is this a power couple which I see before me? Something wicked this way comes with Minnesota Opera's 'Macbeth', a work by Giuseppe Verdi that's based on William Shakespeare's play from 1606.

The Metropolitan Opera presents Johann Strauss's 'Die Fledermaus', which airs at noon on Saturday, Jan. 11.

Musicologist,choral director and volunteer archivist, David Docter lives music! David and his wife, Rita, are the proud parents of three adult children, all of whom have successful careers in the arts. His playlist is a family affair.

While there may not be a touch-of-a-button method for purchasing discounted tickets in the Twin Cities just yet, there are a number of affordable opportunities for students (and others) to hear live classical music in the area.