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St. Olaf Opera Workshop teams up with Minnesota Opera, Northfield Arts Guild

By David Gonnerman '90
January 12, 2004

The St. Olaf Opera Workshop, directed by associate professor of music James McKeel, has announced the beginning of a long-term resource-sharing relationship with the Minnesota Opera and the Northfield Arts Guild (NAG).

Starting this year the workshop, with the generous support of NAG's artistic director, Patsy Dew, will hold its January performances in the NAG Theater.

"As a performer myself, I know how important it is for our workshop cast to get the kind of mentoring and inspiration that up-and-coming Minnesota Opera Company singers can provide," says McKeel. "And the Northfield Arts Guild Theater provides the Opera Workshop not only with an excellent performance vehicle, but a chance to reach out to the community."

Another feature of the collaboration is that St. Olaf students will be given tours of Minnesota Opera facilities and have access to their rehearsals. Students will also attend a performance of the company's current production of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia.

This year the St. Olaf Opera Workshop will perform four engaging one-act operas: Menotti's The Medium and Argento's The Boor on Jan. 26 and 28, and Menotti's The Old Maid and The Thief and the Telephone on Jan. 27 and 29. All performances, held at the NAG Theater at 8:30 p.m., are free and open to the public (seating is limited).

NAG is a community-based non-profit arts organization offering classes, performances and exhibitions in the areas of dance, visual arts, music, literary arts and drama in Northfield. Since its founding in 1959, NAG has been helping to bring the arts to life in the greater Northfield area by organizing, supporting and promoting the efforts of the community in expressing, developing and appreciating art.

The Minnesota Opera Company, since its inception in 1963, has attracted international attention for its performances of new operas and innovative productions of masterworks ranging from The Magic Flute and The Elixer of Love to Tosca and La Boheme, to world premieres of Casanova's Homecoming, Where the Wild Things Are and A Death in the Family. Under the leadership of President and CEO Kevin Smith and Artistic Director Dale Johnson, Minnesota Opera has become the 16th largest opera company in the nation.

The Minnesota Opera's Resident Artist Program offers a full year of master classes, classes in language, movement, and professional career development, and employment in Minnesota Opera productions for talented artists beginning their professional careers.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-646-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.