YourClassical

Mill City Summer Opera: Tosca on the Mississippi

John Birge interviews Mill City Opera
mill city summer opera rehearsal Tosca
Soprano Jill Gardner and tenor Adam Diegel at a Mill City Summer Opera rehearsal of Puccini's 'Tosca'.
Michael Yeshion Photography

Mill City Summer Opera started two years ago with a new idea: Grand opera, performed outdoors, in the industrial ruins at the Mill City Museum along the Mississippi River. The perfect combination of summer atmosphere and great singers, all in an intimate space for an audience of only 350.

The first year was tragedy — I Pagliacci — and a huge success. Last year, the mood switched to comedy — The Barber of Seville — and tickets sold out within hours.

For 2014, it's a return to passion and tragedy in Puccini's classic Tosca, this time set in Italy in the dark days of 1943. Once again, Artistic Director David Lefkowich brought his singers to Classical MPR for conversation, and a sneak preview: a gorgeous love duet from soprano Jill Gardner and tenor Adam Diegel.

Audio produced by Mike Pengra.

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