Pickup Truck Opera: Vol 2, The Magic Flute

Mozart’s 1791 opera, Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), is thrust into modern times and a not-so-distant future. Our young heroes are early-career professionals entering essential jobs with a high risk of burnout. Young Tamino is a first-year teacher at an underfunded school, Strange Land Middle. Pamina is an education specialist, but she’s been hijacked by an online startup, SarastroCrop. Rival forces attempt to control the destiny of these eager and impressionable heroes.

This futuristic telling of the opera is created by music director Gary Ruschman, playwright Francisco Benavides, and staging director Taous Khazem. Mixed Precipitation tells the story with a cast of singers, puppeteers, and instrumentalists, featuring Mozart’s fiery arias, epic choruses, and the groovy beats of the 90s discotheque, including Deee-lite, Pizzicato Five, Icelandic pop star Björk, and other 90s hits.

The performance takes place in Swede Hollow Park. Access the performance site from the Drewry Street Pedestrian Tunnel on the northwest corner of the park, near the corner of East Beaumont Street and Payne Avenue. Follow the signage to take the asphalt path down to the park.

Parking is available in the lot at Hope Community Academy and on the street.

Accessible portable toilet available on-site.

What to bring: A folding chair or blanket for your comfort. The tasting room is open for beverages and snacks! Please enjoy some of the wonderful wines at this performance.

Merchandise is available via cash, card, Venmo or PayPal.

The show is approximately 75-90 minutes.

The Pickup Truck Opera continues Mixed Precipitation’s 14-year tradition of outdoor opera extravaganzas, touring Minnesota communities in late summer. Mixed Precipitation began this mobile format in 2020, using a blue 2011 Ford Ranger Pickup Truck and a trailer as the container and platform for the opera's action. This allowed them to reach audiences on neighborhood streets, public squares, libraries, and care facilities. They reached an audience of over 3,000 in 2021 with their production, Pickup Truck Opera: Volume One - The Odyssey. One audience member called their production “A magnificent, heart-warming, communal art experience."

Watch a video clip from our 2021 production below.

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