“Les Contes d’Hoffmann,” a tale of a man unlucky in love, will be coming to Albert Lea this weekend.

The opera will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center, 147 N. Broadway Ave.

Italian tenor Vittorio Grigolo sings the title role of Hoffmann, a poet whose attempts at romance are repeatedly thwarted. Hoffmann is in love with Stella, the star singer of the opera. He reminisces about how unlucky he is in love. Hoffmann tells the story of his past three loves: a mechanical doll named Olympia in which he is the only one who sees her as a real, live person through a pair of magical glasses; Antonia, a singer with a weak heart who dies because she can’t give up her singing; and Giulietta, a Venetian courtesan who seduces him. Finishing his stories, Hoffman finds that he has lost Stella’s love and poet is told to find consolation in his creative genius.

Deborah Voigt is the Live in HD host this week. The opera will be sung in French with English subtitles. The approximate run time is 3 hours and 45 minutes with two intermissions.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for students. There are a limited number of free student tickets available with courtesy of the Robert and Margaret Meyers family. Please show a student ID.

“Meet the Met” will meet at 12:15 p.m. Friday in the lobby at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center. Discussion about the opera, the synopsis, and the singers will be the topics. A shortened version will be held at 10:30 a.m. in the Green Room prior to the opera on Saturday.

 

Friday

• The Gourmet Auction 2015 will be from 6 to 9 p.m. at Wedgewood Cove, 2200 W. Ninth St. There will be a silent and live auction. Local individuals and restaurants will have food for sampling. Call 373-3938 to reserve a spot. Cost is $20 for one or $35 for two.

• Sibley Elementary School and Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre will be performing “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” at 7 p.m. at the Southwest Little Theatre. The cost is $5 for adults and $2 for students.

 

Saturday

• The Big Freeze Hockey Day will be going on from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at City Arena, 701 Lake Chapeau Drive.

• Take a Kid Ice Fishing and the Ice Classic will be from 10 a.m. to noon at Edgewater Park. First 100 kids receive a free jigging stick and bucket. Event fee is a nonperishable food item.

• Sibley Elementary School and Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre will be performing “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” at 10:30 a.m. at the Southwest Little Theatre. The cost is $5 for adults and $2 for students.

• The Chili Cookoff will be from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Edgewater Bay Pavilion. Cost is $5 per spoon or $4 with a nonperishable food item.

• Geocaching bingo sign in will be from 1 to 2 p.m. at Edgewater Bay Pavilion.

• Horse drawn wagon rides will be from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Edgewater Bay Pavilion. Event fee is a nonperishable food item.

• The Snowshoe Shuffle will begin at 11 a.m. at the Edgewater Bay Pavilion. Event fee is a nonperishable food item and snowshoe rental is $5.

• The Blue Ice Plunge will be from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at Edgewater Bay. Event fee is a nonperishable food item.

• There will be a kids carnival from noon to 3 p.m. at Edgewater Bay Pavilion.

• Movin’ and Groovin’ is Snow Much Fun will be from 10 a.m. to noon at Edgewater Bay Pavilion. Activities will be for 2 to 5 year olds and their parents.

• The Big Freeze Ice Bowl disc golf tournament registration will be from 9 to 9:30 a.m. The event starts at 10. Event fee is five nonperishable food items.

 

Sunday

• Enjoy Sunday breakfast from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Eagles Club, 205 W. William St. Pancakes, eggs, sausages, biscuits and gravy, juice, milk and coffee will be served. Cost is $7.