Beethoven Fest this summer's can't miss event

The toughest ticket in the region this summer might be the Minnesota Beethoven Festival.

Wait. Classical music?

That’s right. Five of the 10 ticketed concerts at this summer’s festival, which opens Saturday, are already sold out. And with so many season packages sold before single tickets went on sale, others are close to sellouts.

So the advice for those who plan to make the trip to Winona for world-class classical music is to get your tickets now.

This is the 10th anniversary season for the Beethoven festival, which, along with the Great River Shakespeare Festival also held in July, has turned Winona into a cultural destination each summer.

"We have put together a stellar lineup of musicians to match the occasion," said Ned Kirk, director of the festival. Kirk is a professor of piano at Saint Mary’s University and has directed the festival since its founding.

Some of the biggest names in the world of classical music will perform this year, including Joshua Bell and the King’s Singers. Naturally, those are two of the concerts already sold out.

Thankfully there is one concert that will never sell out: the traditional free outdoor pops concert by the Minnesota Orchestra in Winona’s Lake Park. Bring your blanket or lawn chair, pack a picnic and stake out a spot in the park for an evening of music.

As in past years, the festival will make use of several venues in Winona, including on the campuses of Saint Mary’s University and Winona State University.

Here’s the complete schedule:

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra with Nobuyuki Tsujii, piano, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Winona Middle School auditorium.

Shanghai Quartet, 7:30 p.m. June 28, Page Theatre, Saint Mary’s University. Sold out.

Minnesota Orchestra, 8 p.m. June 30, Lake Park bandshell. Free pops concert.

Joshua Bell, 7:30 pm. July 5, Somsen Hall, Winona State University. Sold out.

The King’s Singers, 7:30 p.m. July 7, Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels. Sold out.

Dale Warland and the Festival Chorale, 7:30 p.m. July 9, 3 p.m. July 10, Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels.

Richard Goode, piano, 7:30 p.m. Somsen Hall, Winona State University.

Michala Petri, recorder, Lars Hannibal, guitar, 7:30 p.m. July 14 and 15, Minnesota Marine Art Museum. Sold out.

Minnesota Orchestra, 4 p.m. July 17, Winona Middle School auditorium.