Out of the Box Opera Announces Oct 26 Diva Cage Match at Minneapolis Cider Company

DOUBLE THE SINGERS, DOUBLE THE FUN!

Annual Diva Cage Match features Tag Team Duets

Saturday, October 26 at 7pm

  

Out of the Box Opera is upping the ante with this year’s Diva Cage Match on Saturday, October 26 at 7pm. The Sing-Off of the Century returns for its third year with a new edition: Tag Team Duets! Six pairs of opera singers will face off in two rounds, with three celebrity judges ultimately crowning one twosome the final champions! The event moves to a different dramatic location: Minneapolis Cider Company, 701 SE 9th Street in Minneapolis’ Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood.

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In Round 1, two couples from each category (Emerging Artists, Pros, Masters) will compete. The judges choose their three favorite duets who will then move onto Round 2.  Round 2 will feature virtuosic singing and theatrics, and ultimately, only one couple  will be named Diva Cage Match Tag Team Champions! An Audience Favorite will also be selected.

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The competing couples include Emerging Artists Lisa Rogali and Mia Athey vs. Sarah Coit and Stephen Carroll; Pros Karin Wolverton and Christina Christensen vs. Alissa Anderson and Kyle Albertson; and Masters Dennis Peterson and Andrew Wilkowske vs. Jill Gardner and Jake Gardner.

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Dessa, who was a judge at the original Cage Match, rejoins the judges panel, along with Michael Christie, Minnesota Opera’s former music director, and Jevetta Steele, legendary Twin Cities gospel and R&B singer. Bryon Wilson will accompany the singers and Out of the Box’s Artistic Director David Lefkowich again serves as MC.

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Tag Team Duets will also feature pre-show and half-time entertainment at Minneapolis Cider Company’s taproom, which has a modern industrial vibe and boasts a 10-ton overhead crane. David O’Neill, the cidery’s co-founder, says, “We are so excited to partner with Out of The Box to host this year's Diva Cage Match. We love how this event presents opera in a different way, bringing new folks into an area of arts and entertainment they might not have experienced before. This idea pairs extremely well with our cider - as we challenge people’s perceptions and introduce new styles. Bringing these two concepts together in the same space is going to be a blast!”

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Tickets are $70 (ringside premium seats) and $40 general admission. Standing room only tickets will be available for $20 on the day of the show. Tickets are available at outoftheboxopera.com 

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ABOUT OUT OF THE BOX OPERA

Out of the Box Opera upends the expectation of what opera is and what it can be. Its vision takes opera out of its traditional settings - literally "out of the box" - and into extraordinary locations to create exceptional, affordable entertainment for all. In addition to Diva Cage Match, past productions have included “Fusion” events at the Weisman Art Museum where opera has been combined with other musical genres, including Jazz and Gospel. In May 2019, Out of the Box presented its immersive, site specific mini-epic, The Amazing Adventures of Acis and Galatea The Wonder Nymph, at the historic Pillsbury A Mill on the Minneapolis riverfront.

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ABOUT MINNEAPOLIS CIDER COMPANY

Minneapolis Cider Company has two distinct start-up backgrounds, brought together to build a cidery and taproom in Minneapolis. David O'Neill and Jason Dayton started a cider company (Lionheart Cider) as part of an entrepreneurial class project at the University of Minnesota and eventually started planning their own facility. Rob Fisk, who was formerly the orchardist and cidermaker at two orchards in southern Minnesota,  joined the team as the head cidermaker. Minneapolis Cider recently opened their taproom doors in May, with the mission to inspire curiosity and foster a passion for what craft cider brings to the table.