The Christmas Spider
Dec
19
to Dec 22

The Christmas Spider

  • Lowry Lab Theater at the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Composed by Clint Borzoni, Libretto by John de los Santos Artistic, and Music Direction by James Barnett

On a bitterly cold Christmas Eve, a poor woodcutter and his two children have no gifts, barely enough to eat, and are in danger of losing their home to an impatient landlady. The surprise discovery of a large, but gentle arachnid leads to a seemingly miraculous turn of good fortune for the family, reinforcing the importance of love and togetherness. Inspired by a Ukrainian legend (which resulted in the placing of spider ornaments on Christmas trees for a lucky New Year), THE CHRISTMAS SPIDER is the third operatic collaboration between composer Clint Borzoni and librettist John de los Santos following When Adonis Calls and The Copper Queen. Their goal is to dramatize a new tale for all ages, complete with an original yuletide carol, that adds to the rich musical tapestry of the holiday canon.

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OktOpera Fest 2024
Oct
2
5:30 PM17:30

OktOpera Fest 2024

Come and join us for this fun-filled night:

  • Baritone Jeremiah Sanders, and soprano Victoria Koroljev with James Barnett on piano will present highlights from Kurt Weill’s Broadway opera “Lost in the Stars.”

  • Savor Fat Pants craft beer. Your first beer, wine or soft drink is included in the $50 ticket price.

  • Support Skylark Opera Theatre and buy a Mystery Box.

  • Test your knowledge in Opera Trivia and Name That Opera Tune and win a prize!

  • Buy a beer pull ticket, featuring autumn-themed beers from a wide variety of breweries.

  • Stay to meet the artists, chat with Skylark representatives, and socialize until we wrap the night up at 8:30 PM.

Light table snacks will be provided. More substantial food offerings are available through Fat Pants Brewery’s kitchen for purchase.

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Marry Me A Little
Aug
8
to Aug 11

Marry Me A Little

  • The Crane Theater, The Kennedy Building (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Skylark Opera presents Stephen Sondheim’s Marry Me a Little at The Crane Theater in northeast Minneapolis, opening on August 8th with four additional performances August 9-11th. Craig Lucas and Norman Rene framed Sondheim’s brilliant music in a touching story about two single people in New York who find themselves alone on a Saturday night. Both yearn for love, never knowing that they are the answer to each other’s lonely dreams.

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The Gift of the Magi
Dec
15
to Dec 17

The Gift of the Magi

  • Lowry Lab Theater at the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Tickets are on sale NOW for Skylark Opera Theatre’s third holiday production! We open on Friday, December 15th with a 7:00pm performance of David Conte’s exquisite opera, The Gift of the Magi, based on O. Henry's beloved short story. Performances are at the intimate, 150-seat Lowry Lab Theater at the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, continuing on Saturday, December 16th at 2:00pm and 7:00pm and Sunday, December 17th at 2:00pm and 6:00pm.

Fall in love with newlyweds Jim and Della as they search for the best gift of all. Bring the whole family to this touching holiday production with "...music of grand romantic feeling...a lush spectacle of extravagant lyricism...soaring duets and arias of Puccinian exuberance..." (Ching Chang, San Francisco Classical Voice).

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OktOpera Fest 2023
Sep
25
5:30 PM17:30

OktOpera Fest 2023

Join Skylark Opera Theatre on Monday, September 25th, for our second annual OktOpera Fest Fundraiser (Oktoberfest + Opera. Get it?) at Fat Pants Brewing, 8335 Crystal View Road, Eden Prairie, for a night of fun, games, beer, and waltzes, all to support what else, OPERA! New Artistic Director James Barnett leads a romping program of waltzes with soprano Leann Scheuring. Pianist Lara Bolton also joins Barnett at the piano for some delicious four-hand rollicks.

Starting at 5:30p, we’ll have fun and games (think opera trivia), food, and of course beer, all in support of Skylark Opera Theatre. To get you in the giving mood, your first beer is on us, included in the $30 ticket price. Light table snacks will be provided throughout the evening, and more substantial food offerings are available through Fat Pants Brewery’s kitchen for purchase. Check out their menu here.

The 1-hour program will begin at 6:30p where you’ll not only hear spectacular vocal gymnastics, but also an important message from the Artistic Director and Board Members about Skylark’s exciting new season. After we wrap with the final high note, you can stay to meet the artists, chat with Skylark representatives, and socialize until we wrap the night up like a tight roulade at 8: 30p.We look forward to seeing you all there in support of Skylark Opera Theatre! Tickets and event details at skylark.booktix.net.

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Three Decembers
May
12
to May 21

Three Decembers

In May, Skylark Opera Theatre will present the Minnesota premiere of Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers. This poignant chamber opera is based on a story by acclaimed playwright Terrence McNally. The libretto by Gene Scheer tells the bittersweet story of Broadway star Madeline Mitchell and her two adult children, Beatrice and Charlie, as they struggle- across three decades- to become a genuinely loving family. Filled with humor and heartache, sung in English to melodies worthy of a modern musical, this highly popular new opera affirms the power of love to offer healing and hope.

Skylark is thrilled to announce the stellar three-person Minnesota-based cast. Norah Long makes a welcome return to Skylark in the lead role of Madeline Mitchell, the famous but aging Broadway star, joined by Siena Forest as her daughter Beatrice and, in his Skylark Opera Theatre debut, Tony Potts as Madeline’s son Charlie. Three Decembers will be directed by the multi-talented Gary Briggle, with musical direction by Carson Rose Schneider.

Three Decembers will run for six performances at the beautiful 150-seat Jungle Theater, with opening night on May 12th and additional performances May 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21. Tickets go on sale February 13th at skylark.booktix.com with a special kick-off Valentine’s Day promotion.

Interested in learning more about the opera? Click here for a six-minute conversation with composer Jake Heggie about Three Decembers (contains a plot spoiler). And follow us and watch for conversations with the cast, stage director and music director on Skylark's Facebook page.

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Amahl and the Night Visitors
Dec
3
to Dec 18

Amahl and the Night Visitors

  • Park Square Theatre - Historic Hamm Building (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

This is the magical story of Amahl and his mother as they encounter the Three Kings who are journeying to bring gifts to the baby Jesus. It is an inspirational story of faith, told from the perspective of a child. Amahl And The Night Visitors captures the hope and wonder of the Christmas season and will be enjoyed by all members of the family.

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Eugene Onegin
Mar
25
to Apr 3

Eugene Onegin

  • Museum of Russian Art (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Gary Briggle brings his creative talents and artistic directing skills to Skylark Opera Theatre in his original adaption, getting to the essence of this very grand opera as an intimate chamber piece revolving around a quartet of four teenagers: the aloof dandy, Onegin; the impressionable country girl, Tatyana; her giddy sister, Olga; and Olga’s fiancé, the poetaster, Lenski.

For Gary, “the psychological details captured in Tchaikovsky’s music, the mood and character, rather than a mechanical plot are where the real drama lies in Eugene Onegin.” The 90 bracing minutes of Skylark’s production will bring you to “the heart of the matter.” It is intended to move you deeply and perhaps change the way you experience this exquisite opera.

Skylark Opera Theatre and The Museum of Russian Art will present Eugene Onegin March 25-27 and April 1-3, 2022 in a perfect pairing of outstanding Minnesota-based performers and a venue that will immerse you in the action. American Sign Language interpretation will be available for the performances on Friday, March 25th and Sunday, April 3rd. Seating for this special production is limited to only 100 patrons per performance, so mark your calendars and order your tickets early.

COVID protocols will be in place for the health and safety of everyone attending. All cast, crew and theater personnel have been fully vaccinated. Adherence to public health precautions will be in place including:

  • Audience members wearing masks at all times in The Museum of Russian Art;

  • Proof of vaccination and a photo identification card required.

Seating Information

There are 104 seats available for each performance of Eugene Onegin, all surrounding a center stage area that will create an immersive, intimate opera experience.

Rows A, C and E are the first rows immediately around the performance area.  Rows B, D and F are the 2nd rows. The rows are not elevated; the seating is offset to allow for an unrestricted viewing experience.

 For each of the longer side-rows, the seat number 1 is nearest to the entry of the museum gallery.  They are consecutively numbered through seat 24, which is nearest to the back of the gallery where the piano will be located.

 Rows E has 3 seats numbered from left to right as you enter the museum gallery; Row F has five seats also numbered from left to right as you enter the museum gallery.

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Amahl and the Night Visitors
Dec
4
to Dec 19

Amahl and the Night Visitors

Amahl and the Night Visitors tells the story of Amahl and his mother as they encounter the Three Kings who are journeying to bring gifts to the baby Jesus. It is an inspirational story of faith, told from the perspective of a child. This opera captures the hope and wonder of the Christmas season and will be enjoyed by the whole family.

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The Most Happy Fella
Oct
11
to Oct 20

The Most Happy Fella

  • The Historic Mounds Theatre (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The Most Happy Fella” is everyone's favorite musical they're never seen. For lovers of music theater, the piece is somehow solidly part of our internal repertoire but yet very few of us have actually seen a production - and this is probably because the piece is difficult to cast and produce.  It requires strong (almost operatic) voices with great acting skills, and it requires a production that can clearly communicate an epic story that is filled with hope, longing, redemption and love. 

Think lush, gorgeous music with a complex, and moving story-line. 

Quite like a spicy, oak-aged Chardonnay from the Napa Valley.

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Cosi fan tutte
Mar
22
7:30 PM19:30

Cosi fan tutte

Skylark Opera Theatre throws a modern new light on the story of two guys who think they can dupe their girlfriends by switching places. But the women have their own power and they aren’t afraid to use it! Mozart’s gorgeous score is sung in English in this immersive production, set in the present day.

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As One
Mar
25
7:30 PM19:30

As One

In this chamber opera for two singers and string quartet by composer Laura Kaminsky, librettist Mark Campbell and librettist/filmmaker Kimberly Reed, a mezzo-soprano and a baritone depict the experiences of its sole transgender protagonist, Hannah, as she endeavors to resolve the discord between her self and the outside world. A journey of joy, hope and finding one’s authentic self.

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Don Giovanni
Jun
15
7:00 PM19:00

Don Giovanni

  • The Woman's Club Of Minneapolis (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

DON GIOVANNI, in collaboration with Angels & Demons Entertainment set in the Prohibition era, circa 1932. This site-specific production (at The Minneapolis Woman’s Club) is set as Donny G.’s speakeasy. Traveling throughout this magnificent space during the course of the opera, audience members enjoyed hors d'oeuvres during the banquet scene and desserts post show.

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The Tragedy of Carmen
Feb
1
7:30 PM19:30

The Tragedy of Carmen

The Tragedy of Carmen, is a re-imagined adaptation by Peter Brook of George Bizet's Carmen. Utilizing only six singers/actors, this focused and intimate production creates an unconventional hybrid to attract not only the opera fan, but the theater-goer as well.

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