Pickup Truck Opera Vol. 5 The Return of King Idomeneo

RESERVATIONS OPEN JUNE 15
All performances are offered for a suggested donation ($5 - $45).
This performance is fun for all ages.

Sunday, September 14 at 5:00 p.m.
Lake McCarrons County Park
1795 Rice Street, Roseville, MN 55113

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. This mythical show is family-friendly and full of adventure. Audiences are encouraged to bring a lawn chair and beverages for comfort and hydration. The performance lasts approximately 75-90 minutes. All shows are outdoors. All performances are on rain or shine. Watch our website and social media for weather delays and other updates. Visit https://mixedprecipitation.org/summer-2025/ to learn more.

Mixed Precipitation celebrates 17 years of outdoor summer fun. This year, we’re 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, exemplifying our playful and passionate outdoor performance style.

Artistic Director Scotty Reynolds has brought together a team of artists, featuring many longtime company members and those performing in their first Mixed Precipitation production. This new production is directed by Paul Coate, with choreography by Antonia Perez. Music Director Gary Ruschman leads the musical forces. 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. This mythical show is family-friendly and full of adventure.

The 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.

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.

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.

Visit https://mixedprecipitation.org/summer-2025/ to learn more.