The Most Unusual/Greatest Live Music You'll Ever See In Rochester

What do pickup trucks, Deee-lite, Björk, and Mozart's Magic Flute have in common? They're all rolling into Rochester's Peace Plaza Saturday, August 20, 2022!

Rochester Art Center

Are You Serious? Pickup Trucks and Mozart?

And Dee-lite (Groove is in the hearrrrrt!) and Bjork and more 90s songs than you can shake a stick at!* The Pickup Truck Opera takes Mozart’s 1791 opera, The Magic Flute, throws it on a trailer, and hauls it into the modern world. Here's the Mixed Precipitation troupe at a recent rehearsal.

I Don't Know A Thing About Opera or Flutes

If you know The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte), awesome! I won't tell you all about it, except to say think young professionals entering a high-burnout essential profession (teaching?).

If you don't know the opera, doesn't matter. You will LOVE the music, the singing, the fun of being outside at the Peace Plaza enjoying top notch voices, puppetry, and musicians doing their thing.

The Basics

Rochester Art Center

WHAT: Pickup Truck Opera - The Magic Flute
WHEN: 3 - 5 PM, Saturday, August 20, 3:00 - 5:00 PM
WHERE: Rochester, Minnesota's Peace Plaza
TICKETS: Free as a bird, make a reservation here. If you'd like to make a donation, that'd be cool, but it is not required.
PARKING: In the ramps (Center Street Ramp is closest and free on weekends...remember the Kahler Ramp is nearby, too, but its not city owned, so you'll have to pay).
WHAT TO BRING: A folding chair or bulky blanket (those pavers!), hydration, and, if you have 'em, your kids or nibblings.

This is one of the 12 New Events selected for start-up grants by the Rochester Downtown Alliance with help from Destination Medical Center and Home Federal. See a story about all 12 here, or just scroll thru the gallery to see all 12 (some have already happened, some will be happening yet this summer).

12 New Events Coming to Downtown Rochester, Minnesota

THESE EVENTS HAVE NOT BEEN SCHEDULED YET. Watch for Updates.

I love this program..people are encouraged to dream up events for Downtown Rochester, and this year they had so many applicants. Here's what the RDA said,

From an impressive number of applicants, 12 recipients will receive funding from the Rochester Downtown Alliance’s Start-Up Event Grant to host programs in downtown Rochester.

Receiving Start-Up Event Grant funds are the following organizations and individuals:

The Rochester Art Center applied for the grant, and is a museum of contemporary art along the Zumbro River in Rochester, MN. Founded in 1946, the Art Center hosts an ongoing schedule of exhibitions of work by local, regional, national, and international artists; dynamic educational programs for all ages; and an array of community partnerships and visitor engagement initiatives.

Rochester Art Center - Photo by Rabe

Personal Note: If I've said it once I've said it 3,456 times; If you want your kids to be great problem solvers, you want them to see and be a part of as much art (of all kinds) as is possible. Art helps us learn to see things from a different perspective and that's a major part of critical thinking.

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After the show, treat yourself to one of Rochester's many delicious, delectible, someties de-luxe dining experiences (restuarants would have been easier to say, but lacked the alliteration).

Rochester Restaurants from A to Z (Almost)

Next time you are trying to figure out where to eat in Rochester, just pick a letter from A to Z and scroll a little bit to see what restaurant you will be eating at tonight. It is the easiest way to make a decision! DISCLAIMER: If you pick "x" or "y" you will need to pick again.

As always, if you have a comment, complaint, or concern about something I wrote here, please let me know: james.rabe@townsquaremedia.com

Listen On-Demand with the Y105FM app, and on the following podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify