Summer 2025

Celebrating 17 seasons of outdoor opera!

In the summer of 2025, we celebrated 17 years of outdoor summer fun by revisiting one of our favorite productions, The Return of King Idomeneo. First created in 2012, this adaptation of Mozart’s 1781 opera Idomeneo, re di Creta (Idomeneo, King of Crete), was a breakout production for Mixed Precipitation and exemplified our playful and passionate outdoor performance style.  

Mozart’s epic music comes to a 1950s street corner with a unique mash-up of passionate arias,  exciting choruses, 50s doo-wop, and 60s girl groups. A mythical show that is family-friendly and full of adventure.

Mozart and Librettist Giambattista Varesco based their opera on a version of the Greek story of General Idomeneus, inspired by the Greek Pantheon and Homer’s Odyssey. Idomeneo, ré di Creta is considered an early Mozart masterpiece and his first “great opera”. The score contains several majestic choruses, Placido e il mar, Nettuno s’onori and the famous quartet Andrò ramingo e solo. 

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CAST, CREW & CREATIVE

Artistic Director Scotty Reynolds brought together a team of artists, featuring many longtime company members and those performing in their first Mixed Precipitation production. 

This new production was directed by Paul Coate, with choreography by Antonia Perez. Music Director Gary Ruschman leading the musical forces.  

Our adaptation, The Return of King Idomeneo, brings the action to mid-century America, as the neighborhood celebrates the return of its victorious hometown heroes from the long and bloody Trojan War. General Idomeneo has taken hostages from Troy: three brilliant scientists, Hecuba, and her daughters Ilia and Cassandra. And Neptune, the vengeful god of the sea, prepares to unleash his sewage monsters. 

Tenor Roland Hawkins and Phill Takemura Sears lead the cast, sharing the role of Idomeneo. Also featured in the cast are Sopranos Jill Morgan and Alexis Reed, who share the role of Electra, Joni Griffith as Idamante, and Kaoru Shoji as Ilia. Playing multiple roles and multiple instruments are Galina Đorđević, Marc Haroo, Debi Kilde, Jason Kornelis, Nick Miller, Anna Pladson, Trevor Woggon, and Alex Yang.  

This touring spectacle features the work of set designer Abby Palen, Rabbit Food Puppetry costume designer Rhiannon Fiskradatz. Our evening performances feature lighting design by Trevor Zapieki.  Ches Cipriano returns as the stage manager for our summer tour. Will Dierenfield is our swing stage manager. Therese Kulas is our soprano swing for the roles of Ilia and Hecuba.

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WHERE DID WE PERFORM?

Our performance in Puposky was supported by the Region 2 arts council. We are also offered a workshop with paid opportunities for artists to learn and create with songwriter Carlisle Evans Peck.

This activity is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council and the Region 2 Arts Council through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

About Mixed Precipitation 

Mixed Precipitation’s mission is to create festive theatrical events that inspire social engagement. Since 2009, they have presented their signature events, A Picnic Operetta and Pickup Truck Opera, at community gardens, urban farms, parks, orchards, and vineyards throughout Minnesota. The company showcases musicians and theater artists with fun adaptations of operas by Mozart, Handel, Beethoven, Purcell, and many others. Their work has been presented by St. Mary’s University, Carleton College, The Sheldon Theatre of Red Wing, Historic Holmes Theater of Detroit Lakes, and community groups all over Minnesota. Their site-responsive outdoor performances have become a Minnesota summer tradition. Previous projects include the Mpls Pinter Studies and the Winter Olympic Quadrennial Salon, Tonya and Nancy: The Opera (2010, 2014, 2018).