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A Perfect Match: Puccini and Kelly Kaduce

Manon Lescaut
Kelly Kaduce
Soprano Kelly Kaduce stars in Puccini's "Manon Lescaut" at the Minnesota Opera
Aleutian Calabay for Minnesota Opera

Torre del Lago and Winnebago are closer than you think.

Giacomo Puccini, the opera composer, had a home in Torre del Lago, Italy. Kelly Kaduce, the opera singer, calls her hometown Winnebago, Minn., but the spirit of Puccini looms large in her life.

Kelly Kaduce returned to the Minnesota Opera to sing Puccini's Manon Lescaut. In March 2013, she came to sing the role of Liu in Puccini's Turandot. In 2012, she was Cio Cio San in Puccini's Madame Butterfly. And in 2002, she made her Minnesota Opera debut as Mimi in Puccini's La Bohème.

So — did Kelly Kaduce find Puccini, or did Puccini find Kelly Kaduce?

She revealed the answer when she visited Classical MPR, and sang an aria to demonstrate the allure of Puccini for both singers and music lovers alike.

Listen to Manon Lescaut on Classical MPR on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m.

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