MINNEAPOLIS (March 11, 2020) – In partnership with a local brewery, a group of artists active in the Twin Cities opera community have joined forces to present a benefit concert for immigrant families who have been separated at the border or currently face the threat of separation. The event will take place on March 31 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at La Doña Cervecería, a Latinx brewery in Minneapolis’ Harrison neighborhood. Admission is free, with donations benefiting the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES).
“There should be artwork!” After hearing a recent interview with Oregon-based law professor Warren Binford describing the living conditions of children separated from their families and appealing to artists to bring attention to the situation, tenor Christian Sanders approached his colleagues to see how they could address this issue from across the country.
The members of Minnesota Opera’s Resident Artist Program have come together outside of their duties at the Opera to use music as a platform to bring greater awareness to this crisis and gather donations for two charities that benefit affected individuals. The evening will feature a variety of works spanning the musical theater, art song, and operatic genres. There will also be opportunities for audience members to learn more about donating time and money to benefit this important cause.
The Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) is an all-volunteer grassroots organization founded in 2006, battling for an end to raids, deportations, and anti-immigrant laws, and full equality in all areas of life. The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) is a Texas-based non-profit agency that promotes justice by providing free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children. La Doña Cervecería, a local brewery whose mission is “to celebrate the vibrancy, breadth, and depth of Latino and Minnesotan culture,” will be hosting the concert.
For tickets, click here.
Facebook Event: facebook.com/events/3139091006110059