Birge's Picks

This week on Birge’s Picks, William Shakespeare makes a triumphant return to the international stage.

Could you name a hundred things that make life wonderful? A thousand? How about a million? Host John Birge gives his list of wonderful things in classical music this week in Birge’s Picks.

‘The United Symphonies of America’? Just ask the Mankato Symphony. That’s the title of a new online documentary that looks at the United States through its orchestras, and it focuses on Mankato this week.  

YourClassical MPR host John Birge welcomes the opening seasons of the Minnesota Opera and Orchestra, but neither can eclipse Minnesota’s duck hunting opener.

YourClassical MPR host John Birge offers some reflection of the great late classical violinist Roman Totenberg. His spirit and violin live on in a recital by Nathan Melzer on Sept. 20 at the University of Minnesota School of Music.

YourClassical MPR host John Birge offers a fall season filled with live in-person classical concerts.

YourClassical MPR host John Birge offers some fairly great classical tracks to put you in the mood for the Minnesota State Fair, which starts Thursday and runs through Sept. 6.

Check out host John Birge's picks from the annual Stringwood Festival in Lanesboro, BBC Proms and Switzerland’s highly prestigious Verbier Festival. Find out how COVID has changed our summer classical music festivals this year.

Check out host John Birge's picks from Wes Anderson’s favorite composer, Benjamin Britten. Explore how this filmmaker has woven Britten into his cinematic universe.

Who’s the greatest Minnesotan? Judy Garland? F. Scott Fitzgerald? Kirby Puckett? Hubert Humphrey? All worthy. But ask any trumpet player, and they’ll tell you it’s Adolph “Bud” Herseth. Find out why in this week’s picks from John Birge.