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John Birge has been hosting, producing and performing classical music for more than 25 years. Since 1997, he has been hosting on Minnesota Public Radio's Classical Music Service. He played French horn for the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra and performed with them on their centennial tour of Europe in 1995. He was trained at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music and Interlochen Arts Academy.


John Birge

Ahead of Classical MPR's live broadcast of the Minnesota Opera's sold-out opening night of 'Rusalka' on Saturday, Jan. 23, soprano Kelly Kaduce was kind to give a sneak preview, singing that luminous aria for you in our studio.


A Moonstruck Mermaid: Kelly Kaduce sings Dvorak's Rusalka

Minnesota Opera

Michal Daniel

Moonstruck Mermaid: Kelly Kaduce sings Dvorak's Rusalka

Jay Gabler

Jay Gabler says that the Minnesota Opera's reprise production of Mozart's 'Magic Flute,' with an innovative staging conceived by the theater company 1927, is a must-see.


The Magic Flute, Twin Cities, Ordway Music Theater, November 14-22

Dan Norman

The genius of the Minnesota Opera's 'Magic Flute'

Wednesday at 8 p.m., hear a live-performance recording of the Minnesota Opera's 2014-2015 production of Donizetti's 'The Elixir of Love.' Get a preview of the music you'll hear by viewing a slideshow and a short video of the performance.


Minnesota Opera's 'The Elixir of Love'

With its passionate, sultry orchestration and a veritable hit parade of recognizable tunes, Georges Bizet's 'Carmen' is an operatic favorite. Listen to the broadcast of the Minnesota Opera's 2014-15 production of 'Carmen' on Wednesday, Sept. 23, starting at 8 p.m., on Classical MPR.


Watch 'Toreador' song from Minnesota Opera's 'Carmen'

Watch the 'Toreador' song from Minnesota Opera's 'Carmen'

Gwendolyn Hoberg

Vocalists and instrumentalists don't tend to hang out together - but if they did, what could the singers teach the players?


Choral Stream

Nate Ryan/APM

What can instrumentalists learn from vocalists?

Nasir Sakandar

It's easy to think of pop music as the soundtrack for a single person's life. We can recall Rihanna's voice serenading us in our car as we drive to yet another date, looking for love in a hopeless place. Even Coldplay, with their cartoonish riffs, can comfort us — but pop music can't speak to the ambiguities of our emotions the way that classical music can.


Warner Bros.

Why your dating life needs classical music

During Stevie Wonder's recent concert at Target Center, he asked whether any members of his Minnesota string section wanted to take a solo. Violinist Jill Olson Moser raised her bow.


Jill Olson Moser at Classical MPR's studios

Jay Gabler/MPR

Soloing with Stevie Wonder: Violinist Jill Olson Moser

Soloing with Stevie Wonder: Violinist Jill Olson Moser talks about improvising at Target Center

Emily Reese

American composer Kevin Puts premiered his second opera with Minnesota Opera this past weekend. Hear Kevin talk about writing for orchestra and for voice on this week's Learning to Listen.


Learning to Listen: Kevin Puts

J. Henry Fair

Learning to Listen: Composer Kevin Puts

In the world premiere of Kevin Puts's new Cold War thriller, all that's missing is the popcorn.


Michal Daniel/Minnesota Opera

Review: Minnesota Opera's 'Manchurian Candidate'

Review: Minnesota Opera's 'Manchurian Candidate' is a winner

Vaughn Ormseth

Composer Kevin Puts's ties to Minnesota continue to grow. This weekend, his Minnesota Opera commission -- The Manchurian Candidate -- premieres in St. Paul. Puts recently spoke with Classical MPR's Emily Reese.
