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Attention opera fans! The Minnesota Opera kicks off its 2009-2010 performance season at the Ordway this weekend and I couldn’t be more excited. On Saturday, the much buzzed-about production of The Pearl Fishers will open to a packed house. Will you be there?

This past weekend I attended the annual “Opera Tasting” event at the MN Opera Center in Minneapolis, a stylish soiree put on by the Minnesota Opera’s Tempo group — a club for young opera enthusiasts ages 21-39. The evening began with a pre-show party in the candle-lit reception area of the center, where snazzily dressed attendees mingled and sipped champagne. Once inside the decadently decorated underground event center, we were seated at a table with Ben Crickenberger, one of the Opera’s handsome young baritones, who acted as our personal host for the evening.

Laden with bottle after bottle of fine wines courtesy of Meilleurs Vins de Provence Wines and fed heartily from a Thai food buffet from Sen Yai Sen Lek, we were serenaded by various members of the Opera’s upcoming productions — a fabulous “taste” of what lies ahead this season.

Among the delicious helpings of fabulous musical fare, one of my favorite arias of all time, “O fond du temple saint” from The Pearl Fishers was gorgeously duetted by Brad Benoit and Michael Nyby. Personally, I cannot wait to hear/see this performed at the Ordway this month with the singers in full costume, the lights shining, the orchestra swelling, and the audience communally enchanted by the whole thing. There’s nothing quite like soaking up the beauty of the opera in the Ordway’s main hall — something about the large scale of it all makes the performances seem so grand and dazzling.

Whether you’re a life-long opera appreciator, or a newbie, the MNOp does a wonderful job at making this classic art form accessible to everyone. The opera is definitely not just for old people anymore, so consider checking out a Minnesota Opera production this season — after all, how fun will it be to tell your friends, “No, heathens, I cannot make it to poker night, I am going to ze OPERA!”

Visit the Minnesota Opera’s website to find out all about this season’s upcoming productions, including The Pearl Fishers, and also check out their events page to discover hip opera-related events put on by Tempo and much more!