Minnesota Opera

Kevin Puts has won the Pulitizer Prize for music with Silent Night, his first opera. The work received its world premiere in November in at Minnesota Opera in St. Paul.

Minnesota Opera's season finale is Puccini's classic, "Madame Butterfly." The title role is shared equally by two great singers, Kelly Kaduce and Yunah Lee, over the course of eight (nearly sold-out) performances. They were both kind enough to come to Classical MPR to sing and talk to John Birge, along with Minnesota Opera Artistic Director Dale Johnson.

Susanna Phillips is heard singing at the Metropolitan Opera, and the great opera houses around the world. At Minnesota Opera March 3-10, she gives voice to Lucia, the unheard heroine of Donizetti's opera Lucia di Lammermoor. With Classical MPR's John Birge, she sings a guided tour of the opera, including its climactic Mad Scene. And she treats us to a sample of her new CD as well.

Minnesota Public Radio will broadcast Minnesota Opera's 2010 production of Rossini's Cinderella, with Roxana Constantinescu and John Tessier, on Wednesday, February 29, at 8 p.m. The broadcast will honor Gioachino Rossini's 220th birthday -- or is it his 55th?

Two of history's most commanding women, Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, engage in a ruthless fight for the English throne - and the heart of one man. While Mary languishes in prison, Elizabeth forges a devastating plot to secure the crown. Judith Howarth (Mary) and Brenda Harris (Elizabeth), star as the dueling divas.

Tenor James Valenti and mezzo-soprano Roxana Constantinescu from the Minnesota Opera came to visit Classical MPR to sing a heart-melting duet, and talk about what makes Massenet's opera Werther so melodramatic, and why Charlotte's heart stays true to him, even after she must marry another man.

This week, the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts an archive performance of Vincenzo Bellini's Norma, one of the most important works of the bel canto repertoire.

The Bell Alma Duo has just released a gorgeous disc of music for dance. Flutist Michele Frisch stopped in to share some of her favorite tracks and talk with Alison Young.

Jazz Singer Christine Rosholt says that when she listens to jazz on her iPod, it's work. But when it's classical, she really escapes and just lets the music wash over her.

Classical MPR will be airing La Traviata on Wednesday at 8 p.m. Enjoy this feature on soprano Elizabeth Futral and don't forget to tune in!