By Tatiana Craine

We’re going to the opera. You’re thinking ladies with binoculars and men in tuxedoes, right? You know, that whole shebang with people going to a golden theater with red velvet chairs and champagne a-flowing into teeny-tiny glasses. Welcome to the 21st Century, honey. Opera isn’t just for hoity-toity individuals with padded bank accounts and chauffeurs driving the Rolls to the doors. The Minnesota Opera puts the cool in this old-school form of theater, bringing audiences spellbinding and modern productions to the Twin Cities. The company has been around since the 1960s, inviting Minnesotans to see the best in local opera for years. In fact, the organization was known as a progressive and alternative production company that made shows fresher than the still-stuffy shows put on by other operas around the country. That’s not to say The Minnesota Opera isn’t traditional-they’ve put on numerous productions of operatic classics like “Carmen” and “Turandot”-however, they’ve stepped up their game and included shows that audiences might not naturally associate with opera. Shows like “The Voyage of Edgar Allen Poe,” “Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man,” and “Frankenstein” have made their premieres through The Minnesota Opera. Even better, the company helped put on an imaginative stage-version of the popular children’s book recently adapted for film “Where the Wild Things Are.” Not only does The Minnesota Opera bring amazing shows to its viewers, but it also gives back to the community through incredible educational opportunities. They have numerous residencies in schools around the metro-area, offer classes about opera, stage many pre-performance discussions and student programs. That’s where Macalester College comes in to play. Partially as a result of an article published in The Mac Weekly last year, The Minnesota Opera has implemented and publicized its program, Tempo. The membership program is open to new and experienced 20-something-year old opera-goers who are interested in going to the opera for steeply reduced prices. College students that enroll get a seat at the opera for a mere $20 instead of a hefty price upwards of $120. In addition to this, members are invited to see Opera Insights one hour before show time, a meeting with the other members of Tempo during the first intermission and an ultra-exclusive cast party at Sakura Restaurant with drinks and food. Join The Minnesota Opera on Apr. 16 for the opening night of their newest production, “Wuthering Heights,” based off of Emily Bronte’s classic gothic novel. For more information and tickets through The Minnesota Opera and Tempo, visit http://mnopera.org/tempo