MET star David Portillo performs at this year's Lakes Area Music Festival

David Portillo at LAMF

 was singing at the Met when COVID-19 hit. He's been hunkered down at his home in St. Louis Park ever since, but will be performing for the first time since quarantine began this weekend at the 

. Portillo's "Night at the Opera" program will take place on Saturday, Aug. 1 at 7:30 p.m. central. 

Listen to Portillo's conversation with Classical MPR's Steve Staruch.

For more information about the Lakes Area Music Festival broadcasts on Classical MPR, 

Steve Staruch can be heard on Classical Minnesota Public Radio from 3 to 7 p.m. weekdays, including hosting Music with Minnesotans, Regional Spotlight and Friday Favorites. Prior to joining the staff of MPR in 2004, Steve presented a variety of radio programs on WCAL in Northfield, Minn., where he created an immensely popular call-in program, and on WXXI in Rochester, N.Y. Outside radio, Steve also enjoys work as a freelance tenor and violist. Steve and his wife, Naomi, enjoy traveling, gardening and hosting dinner parties.


Steve Staruch

Metropolitan Opera star David Portillo was singing at the Met when COVID-19 hit. He's been hunkered down at his home in St. Louis Park ever since, but will be performing for the first time in months at the Lakes Area Music Festival. Listen to his conversation with host Steve Staruch.


Metropolitan Opera star David Portillo gives his first performance since beginning of COVID-19