2025 Lakes Area Music Festival to be held July 25–August 16
Brainerd, MN— This summer, the Lakes Area Music Festival will fill central Minnesota with MYTHS AND MAGIC. As hundreds of artists from around the globe return to their summer home for music-making, we’ll be reminded of the enchanting experiences that bring them back year after year: sharing laughter, reuniting with friends, and—of course—creating unforgettable music.
Our exceptional roster of more than 250 professional, classical musicians come from the nation’s top ensembles to makes the Lakes Area of central Minnesota their musical home. Together they perform chamber music, orchestra, and opera– as well as various community outreach activities extending their impact throughout the local community.
In our seventeenth season, we’re also celebrating the meteoric rise of the nation’s fastest-growing classical music organization and the magic of collaboration, creativity, and imagination that makes it all possible. Join us this summer in Brainerd! Here is a link to this year’s Program Booklet.
Gala: Spellbound
6:00PM, Friday, July 25, 2025: Dinner + Program
Broadway sensations Meghan Picerno and Andrea Ross will leave you Spellbound, performing with Christian Reif and the Lakes Area Music Festival symphony in the gala kick off to the season. Our largest fundraiser of the year, Spellbound includes pre-concert dinner packages, a live auction, and opportunities to support the world class professional musicians who bring their talents to the Lakes Area and spark connections through music. Enjoy the evening with dinner before the concert, or just come for the program.
Symphonie Fantastique
3:00PM, Sunday, July 26, 2025
Rich with magical characters and riveting storytelling, our season opens with two of the most spellbinding orchestral works of all time. Enchanted broomsticks spiral into chaos in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, bringing whimsical mischief to life. Hector Berlioz’ Symphonie fantastique sweeps us into a vivid opium-fueled hallucination, journeying from the heights of unrequited love to the depths of a fiery inferno.
The Nightingale
7:30PM, Wednesday, July 30, 2025
This enchanting chamber music concert celebrates the elegance and charm of our feathered friends. Loki Karuna brings Hans Christian Andersen’s The Nightingale to life with a newly composed musical narration. Camille Saint-Saëns and Olivier Messiaen capture the magic of birdsong, while Ernest Chausson’s groundbreaking Concerto for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet unveils graceful, soaring soundscapes.
A Night at the Opera
7:30PM, Friday, August 1, 2025
Perfect for opera fans of all ages, this concert showcases the stars of tomorrow and the LAMF Symphony Orchestra in excerpts from opera’s most famous and fascinating stories.
Magical Keys
1:00PM, Sunday, August 3, 2025
Prepare to be amazed as music and magic come together with award-winning pianist and master illusionist Igor Lipinski. The entire family will marvel by dazzling sleight-of-hand, suspenseful storytelling, and breathtaking piano virtuosity. From the brilliance of Sergei Rachmaninov’s radiant rhapsody to the sparkle of George Gershwin’s gleaming concerto, the magic of music shines through in this transformational program for kids of all ages.
Block Party
7:30PM, Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Join LAMF for an outdoor celebration at the picturesque Mississippi Landing Amphitheater in downtown Brainerd. Enjoy a perfect blend of pop hits and classical favorites, all set against a beautiful summer backdrop. With food trucks, a beer tent, and a lively atmosphere, it’s the ideal way to spend a summer evening. Bring a lawn chair, a friend, and your love for music!
Hänsel & Gretel
7:30PM, Saturday, August 9, 2025
3:00PM, Sunday, August 10, 2025
Get lost in the pines and lady slippers as we follow Hänsel and Gretel on their magical journey, with a luscious score by Engelbert Humperdinck and a world premiere production. Described as “a standout” by Opera News, Ariana Wehr makes her festival debut as Gretel alongside the Joy in Singing Foundation’s “Debut Artist of the Year,” Abi Levis, as Hänsel. Children from the Northfield Youth Choirs and Brainerd’s Legacy Youth Chorale complete this heartwarming, family-friendly musical fairy tale.
7:30PM, Wednesday, August 13, 2025
Did a chandelier really fall from the ceiling during the premiere of Haydn’s symphony? What ancient secrets lie behind the iconic bronze Horses of Venice’s St. Mark’s Cathedral? Join us for a lively evening where comedy, boldness, and historical intrigue converge. Haydn and Shostakovich deliver symphonies filled with humor and daring, while Serbian composer Isidora Zebeljan takes us on a vibrant journey into the myths of ancient Greece.
Wagner’s Ring
7:30PM, Saturday, August 16, 2025
3:00PM, Sunday, August 17, 2025
Join us for an unforgettable evening of epic music, featuring Howard Shore’s Oscar-winning score from The Lord of the Rings alongside Wagner’s orchestral Ring Without Words. A striking new work by Camille Pépin opens our season finale, which features the largest orchestra ever to appear on the Gichi-ziibi stage.
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