The Metropolitan Opera House in New York City is bringing “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” live to Albert Lea on Saturday.

Richard Wagner’s grand opera “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” (“The Mastersinger from Nuremburg”) is his only comic opera. It is rich in melody and takes as its subject the joyful art of songwriting itself, and the battle between tradition and novelty.

The opera is set on Midsummer’s eve in Nuremberg in the 16th century. The story revolves around the real-life cobbler-poet Hans Sachs and the guild of mastersingers — poets and musicians who pursue their craft according to traditions and rules.

A goldsmith’s daughter, Eva, and a knight, Walther von Stolzing, fall in love, but Eva’s father has promised her to the winner in the forthcoming song contest. Walther must learn the mastersinger’s art rapidly, under the wise tuition of Sachs (a cobbler and mastersinger) and despite a challenge from the foolish town clerk Beckmesser.

Renee Fleming is the Live in HD host this week. The opera will be sung in German with English subtitles.

Please note that this opera begins at 11 a.m., not 11:55 a.m. The approximate run time is six hours with two intermissions.

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

“Meet the Met” will meet at 12:15 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 at 10:30 a.m. in the Green Room prior to the opera on Saturday.

 

Friday

• See “A Dickens’ Christmas Carol: A Traveling Travesty in Two Tumultuous Acts” at 7:30 p.m. at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center, 147 N. Broadway. Tickets are $15.

• First Lutheran Church’s Christmas program called The Hanging of the Greens: A Ceremony of Carols will begin at 7 p.m. at First Lutheran Church, 301 W. Clark St. The FLC choir, handbell choir, children’s choirs and the Christmas orchestra will perform. A reception will follow.

 

Saturday

• A holiday bazaar and cookie walk will be from 8 a.m. to noon at First Presbyterian Church, 308 Water St. Admission to the bazaar is free and the cookie walk is $20. Tickets are available at the church office.

• The Albert Lea Farmers Market will be from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Northbridge Mall, 2510 Bridge Ave.

• A holiday party for young children — birth to 13 — will be from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Arc activity room, 407 William St. There will be games, prizes, a holiday craft, a sing-a-long and refreshments. There is no cost.

• The Orange Mighty Trio will give a concert at 7:30 p.m. at the Lighthouse Theatre and Event Center, 621 Marshall St. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door, and can be bought at Marshall Street Music, Hy-Vee, Stadheim Jewelers and the Albert Lea Convention & Visitors Bureau.

• See “A Dickens’ Christmas Carol: A Traveling Travesty in Two Tumultuous Acts” at 7:30 p.m. at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center, 147 N. Broadway. Tickets are $15.

 

Sunday

• Enjoy Sunday breakfast from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Albert Lea American Legion Club, 142 N. Broadway. Pancakes, sausages, potatoes, scrambled eggs with or without ham, fruit cups, juice, milk and coffee will be served. Cost is $7.

• There will be a candy cane hunt at 1 p.m. at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds Fairlane Building.

• Salem Lutheran Church will host an Advent recital from 3 to 4 p.m. at Salem Lutheran Church, 115 N. Washington Ave.

• The Harmony Junction Barbershop Chorus teams up with the Albert Lea Community Band to put on a Christmas concert from 3 to 4 p.m. at United Methodist Church, 702 U.S. Highway 69 S, and then again at 7 p.m. at St. Theodore Catholic Church, 315 E. Clark St. An offering will be taken, and all proceeds will go to the Ecumenical Food Shelf and Salvation Army Food Shelf.

• Christmas on Clark Street will be at 4 p.m. at the Albert Lea Art Center, 226 W. Clark St.