Opera Bootcamp: Basic Training

Thursday, December 8, 6pm

Minnesota Opera Center

Learn your operatic do re mi from your fa so la ti in a must-attend intense Opera Bootcamp. Last year Drill Sergeant Keeton broke a glass with her voice (not to mention, our fearless board chair dropped and gave his 20)—wait until you see what she has in store for us this year!

Tickets: $10 Tempo members or $15 General admission
Call the Minnesota Opera Ticket Office M-F, 9am-6pm at 612-333-6669.

Still hesitant?  Check out these rave reviews from last year's event:

http://blogs.citypages.com/dressingroom/2010/12/stand_at_ease_f.php

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/style/112035624.html

http://cocogoesout.blogspot.com/2010/12/i-enlist-in-opera-boot-camp.html

http://www.minnpost.com/maxsparber/2010/12/10/24106/basic_training_for_future_opera_patrons_fitzgerald_with_sound_effects

Bring a new and unwrapped toy to the event for Minesota Opera's Toys4Military Kids drive and receive a free copy of Angela Keeton's (aka Minnesota Opera’s Teaching Artist and Bootcamp Drill Sgt.) debut recording.

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Last Call: Opera Tasting 2011: Pouring out from the Heavens

Photo from OT 2010

Like your Puccini with hints of smoky etherealness, bouquets of strawberry and oak, or aromas of earth and tobacco? Then come and taste your opera while enjoying lashings of wine at Opera Tasting 2011: Pouring out from the Heavens on Saturday, September 17, at Minnesota Opera Center.

What is Opera Tasting chair Megan Pelka most looking forward to?  "I'm definitely psyched for the season preview - while we all know what is being performed it will be fascinating to hear about the details of the production as well as costumes and scenery. And of course, performances from the Minnesota Opera Resident Artists. There are new singers this season and I'm looking forward to hearing their voices and getting to know them!"

A five course wine tasting courtesy of Solo Vino with delicious pairings from Toast Wine Bar & Café accompany your main dish - Minnesota Opera’s Resident Artists - as they swoon you, with a little Italian on the side. Indulge your taste buds on cadenzas, cabalettas, and arias by opera’s greatest composers as you preview Minnesota Opera’s 2011-2012 season. Wear decadent glam to fit in with our theme of Pouring out from the Heavens: Garden Party under the Stars.

Tickets are $50 for Tempo members; $75 for non-members.

Purchase your tickets by calling the Minnesota Opera Ticket Office at 612-333-6669.

Opera Tasting 2011 Sponsors

Food and Beverage Sponsors: Solo Vino, Toast Wine Bar and Café
Media sponsor: l’étoile and CityPages

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Reminder: Opera Tasting 2011: Pouring out from the Heavens

Opera Tasting 2011 Chair, Megan Pelka, and her date
at the 2010 Opera Tasting

Opera Tasting 2011: Pouring out from the Heavens is coming up on Saturday, September 17, at Minnesota Opera Center.

Opera Tasting Chair and Tempo board member, Megan Pelka describes the event:  "Dress in your best cocktail and be ready to pose for pictures! Solo Vino has been very generous and is providing delicious wine for the evening. Toast Wine Bar & Cafe will be serving up hors d'oeurves perfectly paired with the wines.This is a great opportunity to network with professionals and supporters of the Minnesota Opera."

Tickets are $50 for Tempo members; $75 for non-members.

Purchase your tickets by calling the Minnesota Opera Ticket Office at 612-333-6669.

Opera Tasting 2011 Sponsors

Food and Beverage Sponsors: Solo Vino, Toast Wine Bar and Café
Media sponsor: l’étoile and CityPages

Read more...

Get your tickets for Opera Tasting 2011: Pouring out from the Heavens!

Like your Puccini with hints of smoky etherealness, bouquets of strawberry and oak, or aromas of earth and tobacco? Then come and taste your opera while enjoying lashings of wine at Opera Tasting 2011: Pouring out from the Heavens on Saturday, September 17, at Minnesota Opera Center.

A five course wine tasting courtesy of Solo Vino with delicious pairings from Toast Wine Bar & Café accompany your main dish - Minnesota Opera’s Resident Artists - as they swoon you, with a little Italian on the side. Indulge your taste buds on cadenzas, cabalettas, and arias by opera’s greatest composers as you preview Minnesota Opera’s 2011-2012 season. Wear decadent glam to fit in with our theme of Pouring out from the Heavens: Garden Party under the Stars.


Tickets are $50 for Tempo members; $75 for non-members.

Purchase your tickets by calling the Minnesota Opera Ticket Office at 612-333-6669.

Opera Tasting 2011 Sponsors

Food and Beverage Sponsors: Solo Vino, Toast Wine Bar and Café
Media sponsor: l’étoile and CityPages

Read more...

Get your tickets for Opera Tasting 2011: Pouring out from the Heavens

Opera Tasting 2011:  Pouring out from the Heavens

Garden Party under the Stars

Like your Puccini with hints of smoky etherealness, bouquets of strawberry and oak, or aromas of earth and tobacco?  Then come and taste your opera while enjoying lashings of wine at Opera Tasting 2011:  Pouring out from the Heavens on Saturday, September 17, at Minnesota Opera Center.

A five course wine tasting courtesy of Solo Vino with delicious pairings from Toast Wine Bar & Café accompany your main dish - Minnesota Opera’s Resident Artists - as they swoon you, with a little Italian on the side.  Indulge your taste buds on cadenzas, cabalettas, and arias by opera’s greatest composers as you preview Minnesota Opera’s 2011-2012 season.  Wear decadent glam to fit in with our theme of Pouring out from the Heavens:  Garden Party under the Stars. 

Tickets are $50 for Tempo members; $75 for non-members. 

Purchase your tickets by calling the Minnesota Opera Ticket Office at 612-333-6669.
Going to Opera Tasting? On Twitter?  Then you'll need these: #operatasting #tempo

Not yet a Tempo member?  Join now for only $50 to get your discounted ticket to Opera Tasting 2011, as well as innumerable benefits:  over 65% off your Minnesota Opera season tickets, access to opening night cast parties, networking events, and reciprocal benefits with opera companies nationwide. 

All proceeds from Opera Tasting 2011 further the mission of Tempo, Minnesota Opera’s young professionals group.  Tempo is a membership program that seeks to build the next generation of opera goers by providing fun and folly for both new and seasoned opera-goers ages 21-39.

Opera Tasting 2011 Sponsors

Food and Beverage Sponsors:  Solo Vino, Toast Wine Bar and Café

Media sponsor:  l’étoile

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Tempo to Super Spectacular!: To Opera with Love

Join your fellow Tempo members at Minnesota Fringe for Super Spectacular!:  To Opera with Love, a performance by The Donovan Ensemble.

When:  Thursday, August 11 · 8:30pm - 11:30pm


Where:  Augsburg Main Stage

2211 Riverside Ave

Minneapolis, MN


After the performance, Tempo members will gather for discussion and drinks at Moto-i with members of the Crescendo Project. (Moto-i is located at 2940 Lyndale Avenue.)

A has-been/never-was actor and his sidekick reinvent classic operas including "La Boheme", "Madama Butterfly" and "Carmen" by injecting Puccini, Guns N' Roses, Taylor Swift and more.


This 60 minute comedy just completed a hit run at the Kansas City Fringe Festival this July where it won "Best of the Fringe" and was called, “A very funny show,” by The Kansas City Star and, “a joyous romp that will have you smiling and singing long after you leave the theatre.”by KCMetropolis.org.


For more information, checkout Minnesota Fringe's website.

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Everyone Loves Boot Camp

Looks like the recruits enjoyed their time in boot camp:
Max About Town: Basic for future opera patrons - MinnPost.com
Minnesota Opera's Boot Camp - StarTribune.com

MinnPost photo by Max Sparber

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A Shout Out from City Pages

City Pages did a little write up about tonight's event: http://blogs.citypages.com/dressingroom/2010/12/stand_at_ease_f.php

Don't miss it - it's like happy hour kicked up a notch! Food and booze, friends and fun, and a lil' opera - military style. Tickets are still available (phone or at the door).

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Ask Tempo

Q: A friend is dragging me to the opera in March. La traviata, I think. I've never been before, all I know about the opera is fat ladies and viking helmets. Plus it's so "fancy," do I have to wear a tux? I can think of a whole host of things I'd rather do on a Saturday night. Like go to the bar with my friends, catch a Wild game, or stay home and play Rock Band. But I gotta go (because I agreed), so what should I expect? - Classically Challenged 

A: Well, Classically Challenged, we're glad you asked. Actually, we're especially glad that you asked now. Why, you ask? Because we have the PERFECT answer to your question. It's clear to us that you like fun (Wild games), music (Rock Band), and partying with your friends (bar on Saturday night). We've got an answer that incorporates all 3 of those things.*

Next Thursday (December 9), get yourself to the Minnesota Opera Center for Opera Boot Camp. The evening starts off with happy hour (seriously). From 6 - 7, we'll all be mixing, mingling, and enjoying wine from The Naked Grape, beer from Summit Brewery, and appetizers from Toast Wine Bar. Then from 7 - 8:30 you get to meet Tempo and the United Way (double bonus), go through opera basic training (a quick and dirty lesson led by Angie Keeton), and you get to experience the music (not a full blown production, some military-esque arias sung by opera artists). All this for only $15 dollars. To enlist in Opera Boot Camp, all you have to do is call the Minnesota Opera's ticket office at 612-333-6669 (business hours, 9-6).

So, there you have it. The PERFECT answer to your question. Sure you've got to wait a little bit (only a week), but good things come to those who wait, right? Feel free to wrangle up your usual Thursday happy hour crew and bring them too (you seem like the kind of guy who might appreciate a regular Thursday HH). The more the merrier. 

Any more questions? Just ask.

- Tempo

* By the way, Tempo Night Out is a triple threat too - opening night at the opera, an intermission lounge for the "cool" kids, and a kick ass after party at Sakura (yes, we just said kick ass - it's THAT good). So, you should be glad that your friend is "dragging" you to the opera in March (clearly they are a good friend). And no, you don't have to wear a tux. Just come as you are.

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Life's a Masquerade!

Cinderella's Masquerade Ball is right around the corner - are you ready? Do you have a costume? Okay, maybe not a full fledged costume, but how about a mask? It is, after all, a masquerade ball.

If you don't have anything yet, no worries. There's still penty of time. You can peruse the selection at Twin Cities Costume & Magic Shop in St. Paul and pick out something fabulous or you can make your own mask.

We know what you're thinking. We were thinking it too. What? Arts and crafts? How? When? Well, here comes l'etoile to the rescue! They provide a fabulous step by step guide to making a masquerade mask. 

l'etoile shows you how to go from this:

to this:

Fabulous, no? Can't wait to see this gorgeous mask at the party. We were so inspired that we took a shot at the whole mask making thing. First, a little internet research for inspiration (a Google search for "venetian masks" turns up lots fun photos). A quick trip to Michaels. Then, we made a few masks. No leaves for us - some paint (black, gold, and a little glitter), some gems, a few feathers, even some butterflies. Check it out:

We're pretty impressed with ourselves. And we're definitely looking forward to the Ball. See you there!

Related articles

• Venetian mask sale on Gilt Groupe today (timeoutny.com)
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Once Upon a Time at the Opera

Do you know what we love more than opera events? FREE opera events. Yes, that's right, we said FREE! Tempo is partnering with Vita.mn to bring you The Salon Series 7: Once Upon a Time at the Opera.

So, what is the Salon Series? The Salon Series is a hybrid arts series that brings you the best of the arts in the Twin Cities in unexpected and beautiful venues. Salon Series 7 returns with an exclusive performance and presentation by Tempo and the Minnesota Opera.

Salon Series 1: An evening of art, opera, and fun at The Museum of Russian Art

Salon Series 5: Punk and Pearls with Zandra Rhodes at the Ritz Theater

In the spirit of the upcoming production of Rossini's Cinderella (Oct. 30 - Nov. 7), there will be a program of music from the great fairytale operas and musical theater works. For one night only, Tempo and Vita.mn take over the Music Box Theatre. Learn about the history of the fairytale from University of Minnesota folklore specialist Jack Zipes. Listen to Doug Varone, choreographer and director of Cinderella, discuss his vision for the Opera's upcoming production. And enjoy a diverse sampling of music performed by soprano Karin Wolverton and members of Minnesota Opera's Resident Artist Program.

WHEN

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

TIME

7-9 pm (open wine bar and appetizers from 7-8 pm and performance at 8 pm)

WHERE

Music Box Theatre, 1407 Nicollet Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN

TICKETS

Free and open to the public! All you have to do is sign up here.

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Sneak Previews, After Parties, and Barihunks!

We're back! Tempo had a blast at Opera Tasting 2010. Did you? We'd love to get feedback - here, on Facebook, or by email (tempo@mnopera.org). No matter how good we were this year, we can always be better next year.

Want a sneak preview of the new Minnesota Opera production of Orpheus and Eurydice by Christoph von Gluck? Classical MPR has an interview with David Daniels (Orfeo), Susanna Phillips (Euridice), and Harry Bicket (conductor). David and Susanna sing the duet "Vieni, appaga il tuo consorte." You're in for a treat!

Speaking of Orpheus and Eurydice, this Saturday is the first Opera Night Out of the season. Mix and mingle with the cast, your fellow Tempo members and a host of fabulous revelers as we party the night away! Enjoy complimentary hors d'oeuvres, grecian inspired cocktails, pose for a portrait in the temple of Hades and Persephone, and dance to the music of Radio K. Where does all this fun take place? At Sakura, 350 St. Peter St., St. Paul, MN.

Barihunk Alert!! Ben Wagner is definitely "a tall drink of water" and we think April is far too long to wait to quench our thirst. So, we thought you'd appreciate, as we certainly do, an opportunity to admire him from afar. Until he joins us this spring for Wuthering Heights, you can whet your appetite with Barihunks.

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Tempo in Brief: 9.17.10

Opera Tasting is TOMORROW. Get your tickets before it sells out. - Minnesota Opera

Don't know what to wear to Opera Tasting? Still trying to decide? We can help - check out photos from last year's fabulous event. - Tempo on Facebook

A class devoted to Orpheus and Eurydice will be held on Monday, September 20, 7:00 p.m., at the Minnesota Opera Center. - Minnesota Opera

Minnesota Public Radio will rebroadcast the sell-out 2009-2010 season opener, Bizet's The Pearl Fishers, with Isabel Bayrakdarian, Jesus Garcia and Philip Cutlip, on Wednesday, September 22, 8:00 p.m. - Minnesota Public Radio

5 Operas That Are Truly Bloodier Than "True Blood." - NPR Music

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Tempo in Brief: 9.10.10

Minnesota Opera participates in Concrete and Grass Lowertown Music Festival TODAY at 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. - Concrete and Grass

Renee Fleming tickets on sale. Join Tempo after the performance for a reception at Kincaid's! Appetizers provided and drink specials available. RSVP to tempo@mnopera.org by October 4th if you plan to attend. - The Schubert Club

Orpheus and Eurydice commercial. - MnOpera on YouTube

The fifth season of The Met: Live in HD begins with Wagner’s Das Rheingold on Saturday, October 9 on numerous local screens. Tickets on sale now! - NCM Fathom

Opera Tasting tickets are still available. - Minnesota Opera

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• Lepage's Das Rheingold in Met's new HD season (cbc.ca)
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