John Birge has been hosting, producing and performing classical music for more than 25 years. Since 1997, he has been hosting on Minnesota Public Radio's Classical Music Service. He played French horn for the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra and performed with them on their centennial tour of Europe in 1995. He was trained at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music and Interlochen Arts Academy.
'Carmen' comes to Mill City Summer Opera in the person of mezzo-soprano Audrey Babcock, a singer whose passion for the title character extends even beyond Bizet's opera. Listen to her sing the 'Habanera,' and hear more from co-star Adam Diegel.
The timeless themes of Leonard Bernstein's 'West Side Story' remain as relevant as ever, especially with Marc Koeck and Mia Pinero in the lead roles at the Guthrie Theater. Listen to their performances of three songs from the musical, recorded live in our studio.
'Assassins' is a powerful 1991 musical by Stephen Sondheim, onstage now in Minneapolis from Theater Latte Da. We invited the cast to sing two songs from the production and talked with director Peter Rothstein, and music director Jason Hansen about this amazing show.
Composer Abbie Betinis continues a family tradition begun in 1922 by her great-grandfather by writing a new carol every year. For the 17th consecutive year, Betinis premieres this year's carol on Classical MPR. Her new carol is called 'Touch Hands.'
The Minnesota Drinking Guide continues with the state's best wineries, which have been around for decades, and cideries, the latest trend in local drinking.
While not quite as explosive as Minnesota's brewing scene, distilling has been growing by leaps and bounds, too. Here are some of the state's best distilleries.
The Minnesota brewery scene has positively exploded since brewery legislation changed in 2011 to allow breweries to sell their own beer on-site in a taproom.
The Scandinavian-American tradition of eating lutefisk, an oddly gelatinous lye-soaked whitefish, is a popular holiday "treat" for some — and a source of utter disgust for others.
Granite Falls, Minn., offers plenty of small-town charm, plus several world-class attractions.
This week on Moveable Feast, John Birge and Rachel Hutton explore the dining scene in Richfield, a small suburb south of Minneapolis.
If you're flying somewhere for next week's MEA weekend, check out the new public art at MSP Airport. There are new sculptures and holographic displays in Terminal 2 -- such as Philip Noyed's Aurora Borealis and L'Etoile du Nord -- that comprise the largest art instillation at the facility in 15 years.
The centennial anniversary of the birth of Thelonius Monk is approaching on Oct. 10. In honor of Monk's landmark composition, 'Round Midnight,' Rachel Hutton and John Birge talk about late-night jazz and eats on this week's Moveable Feast.
Within driving distance from Minnesota is North Dakota's Theodore Roosevelt National Park, where geological formations, petrified forests and abundant wildlife can be seen. Theodore Roosevelt National Park is the subject of this week's Moveable Feast.
Looking around the state and region for places to go, the St. Croix Crossing Bridge is now open, easing congestion for those traveling between Minnesota and Wisconsin. We also look at some things to do in Biwabik and a cool place for selfies in the city of Faribault.
We present the third and final installment in our series about Lake Superior's North Shore in Minnesota. This week, we focus on the northernmost section: Grand Marais to Grand Portage.
This week on Moveable Feast, the activities and special attractions of Knife River all the way through Lutsen are highlighted.
This week on Moveable Feast, John Birge and Minnesota Monthly's Rachel Hutton are discussing Labor Day weekend plans up at the North Shore.
This week on Moveable Feast, John Birge and Minnesota Monthly's Rachel Hutton are discussing the upcoming State Fair and Potato Days Festival.
The town of Wabasha, Minn., is situated along the Mississippi River and is home to the National Eagle Center. And whether in Wabasha itself or en route, there are plenty of other attractions and delightful places to eat.
Years in the making, the newly renovated State Capitol has a grand reopening celebration starting today and continuing through Sunday. Between the refurbished Capitol, the new Saints stadium and the renovated Children's Museum, there's a lot going on in downtown St. Paul. As it happens, there are quite a few new restaurants to check out as well.