State of the Arts Blog

Who will forget Osmo Vanska’s emotionally charged final concerts conducting the musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra at the University of Minnesota’s Ted Mann Concert Hall in October? Well, it turns out they weren’t a farewell after all. Vanska and the musicians will return to the stage on May 2, 2014 at the U’s newly renovated Read more →
Remembering Sage Cowles
The Twin Cities has lost one its most generous arts supporters. Philanthropist Sage Cowles, the wife of the late John Cowles, died yesterday. She was 88. As a couple, Sage and John Cowles had a tremendous influence on the local arts scene.  Through Sage, much of that generosity went to dance. Her legacy is reflected Read more →
Art Hounds: Clumsy Man, suicide survivors, and a break-up letter turned into a play
This week’s hounds are moved by a look inside the life of Hans Christian Andersen, a reading for survivors of suicide, and a break-up letter found on a Duluth street which made it to the stage.
Leah Cooper brings veterans and their stories to the stage
This weekend and next, veterans are taking to the stage to share stories of life in the military and at war. Called “The Veterans Play Project,” the work is the brainchild of director Leah Cooper, who is also known for heading up the Minnesota Theater Alliance and for being a former director of the Minnesota Fringe Read more →