Friday, September 28
Bon Iver’s Bonnie Lass
WHAT: Kathleen Edwards
WHERE: Varsity Theater, Minneapolis
WHEN: 7 p.m.
This is the last time we’ll tell you that Kathleen Edwards, the Canadian alt-country singer, is romantically linked to Justin Vernon (Bon Iver). Now that you know, you can appreciate Edwards’s own talent for crafting contemporary folk music, which has always been more melodic and poppy than Vernon’s, even if he did produce her last album. Learn more at varsitytheater.org
Friday, September 28
The Sound of Beauty
WHAT: Minnesota Concert Opera’s I Puritani
WHERE: Cowles Center, Minneapolis
WHEN: 8 p.m.
The Minnesota Concert Opera focuses on the music of opera, pure if not simple, so it’s not surprising that they chose Bellini’s Bel Canto (beautiful singing) masterpiece I Puritani for their Cowles Center debut on Friday and Sunday. It’s romantic, sweep-you-off-your-feet stuff—and it’s affordable. Mention “advanced rush” when you call the box office, and you’ll get $10 tickets. Learn more at thecowlescenter.org
Saturday, September 29
Poetry of Home
WHAT: So Percussion
WHERE: Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
WHEN: 8 p.m.
This collaboration between actor Ain Gordon, electronic musician Martin Schmidt, composer Grey McMurray, and experimental dancer Emily Johnson, a Minnesotan by way of Alaska, explores one of Johnson’s recent themes: the meanings of home. It’s multimedia in a very direct, live way, and there’s a different guest artist each night (Katelyn Farstad on Friday, Zak Sally on Saturday). Learn more at walkerart.org
Saturday, September 29
Seduction 101
WHAT: Urban Samurai’s Les Liaison Dangereuses
WHERE: Sabes Jewish Community Center, Minneapolis
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
The Guthrie’s current celebration of playwright Christopher Hampton, who wrote this irresistibly voyeuristic play, has spawned this staging of his best-known play (the Guthrie is only showing the film version)—with a twist. Urban Samurai, with a large, attractive cast, has recast the seduction game in the Mad Men era. Learn more at urbansamurai.org
Sunday, September 30
Pop Goes the Big Band
WHAT: Esperanza Spalding’s Radio Music Society
WHERE: State Theatre, Minneapolis
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
The big-haired, bass-playing beauty was an indie-jazz secret (Prince reportedly listened to her perform at a recent jazz festival in St. Paul then drove off with her in his limo) before performing at last year’s Academy Awards. Now she’s commanding a bigger stage—and a bigger band. Twelve pieces, same very cool blend of jazz, hip-hop, and pop. Learn more at dakotacooks.com
Sunday, September 30
An Elegant Vengeance
WHAT: Theatre Pro Rata’s Lovers & Executioners
WHERE: Gremlin Theatre, St. Paul
WHEN: 3 p.m.
As the tagline says, “Hell hath no fury like a woman in drag…with a sword.” That’s the premise of this updated Restoration farce, in which a betrayed woman returns from the dead—as a man—to exact humiliation on the man she loved. Wordplay and swordplay, in equal measure. Learn more at theatreprorata.org
