Anne Wieben is living out her dreams as an opera singer based in the classical music capital of the world, but she’s been gracious enough to stop back home once a year. Born in Bismarck, North Dakota,Wieben studied voice at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities before heading to Vienna, Austria, where she sings professionally and also teaches singing and yoga. Once a year since 2019, she comes back to Minnesota, where she produces the delightful Opera on the Lake series at Como Lake Pavilion.
It all started with a desire to study abroad. During her time studying voice at the U, Wieben wanted to travel outside the U.S. The problem was, the language Wieben studied in school was French. The only programs she could find that were in French were very general, and didn’t focus on music.
Her fate took a turn when she made an appointment at the U’s study abroad office. The advisor was running late, and Wieben happened to browse a folder in the waiting room with the letter ‘a’ on it. The folder contained information about studying music in Vienna, and stated that there wasn’t a language requirement, and that it offered intensive language courses.
“In that moment, I thought, I think I should go to Vienna, I think I’m gonna go to Vienna,” Wieben recalls. She decided immediately to go for a whole year, and once there, fell in love with the city, instantly. After the year-long program, a job offer at the study abroad office in Vienna meant she was able to stay in the city indefinitely.
After college, Wieben took voice lessons, and connected with another expat getting his master’s degree at a conservatory called Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität der Stadt Wien (Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna). He asked her to do a small production with him. At the final dress rehearsal for that performance, the head of the opera program at the conservatory encouraged Wieben to get a master’s degree herself.
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“I thought, well, maybe I should,” Wieben said. She obtained her master’s, and has been working as a freelance opera singer since. She’s been a part of award-winning performances that were positively reviewed, and recently booked a gig with Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera) to perform Richard Wagner’s “Götterdämmerung” later this year.
In the meantime, she’s gearing up for this year’s Opera on the Lake series. She got the idea while visiting Minnesota one Christmas. Right before, she had been working on a European production of “Die Fledermaus” by Johann Strauss II with a company that often puts on operas in unconventional spaces. For “Fledermaus,” they had performed the work in public swimming pools.
“I was telling all of this to a friend in Minnesota,” Wieben recalled, “And she said, you should just do an opera on the lake.” Wieben’s husband was with her at the time and loved the idea. “He kept asking random people, ‘would you go to something called opera on the lake? And people kept saying yes.” Eventually, she called Como Park to see if they’d allow a performance at Como Lake Pavilion. The answer was yes.
Opera on the Lake highlights a very specific genre Wieben picked up in Vienna— the operetta form. “Operetta is such a part of the cultural fabric over here,” she said. “I had put together a lot of experience in this genre, and I thought, well, it’s wonderful. It’s adaptable, it’s funny. It’s fun. Why not? I can bring it over and sort of plop it down in Minnesota and see if it takes off.”
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The last two summers, the company has produced Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) by Franz Lehár in 2022, and Die Csárdásfürstin (The Csardas Princess) by Emmerich Kálmán. Both performances were light, comedic affairs with a contemporary touch and Wieben’s own singing that’s a real thrill to listen to.
Wieben says she’s got big plans for 2025, the birthday year for Johann Strauss II. In Vienna, it’s going to be a year-long party for the composer, with tons of events happening all year long. Wieben is hoping to plan some cross-cultural programing here in Minnesota next summer. In the meantime, she’s putting together a series of concerts called “Vienna Nights,” themed around the city of Vienna.
This summer, Opera on the Lake presents a series of three concerts, themed around the city of Vienna. Teaming up with conductor Marco Real-d’Arbelles, Wieben highlights her adapted home in a concert full of arias, duets, trios, quartets, and full-ensemble numbers accompanied by a chamber ensemble.
“I really just want it to be a night where people come and they hear things they’ve never heard and they hear a few things they have heard,” she said. “The world is so crazy right now. I want to create an evening where people feel transported to another place, but they’re still drinking a beer in their hometown.”Part of the charm of the series is Como Lakeside Pavilion itself. Set to get a redesign in the next couple of years, the venue still has a lot of charm now, what with Como Lake right there, and the charming Dock & Paddle there to grab a beer and/or a snack. The performances take place Thursday, August 1, Friday, August 2, and Saturday, August 3 at 7 p.m. at Como Lakeside Pavilion ($35). More information here.
Sheila Regan
Sheila Regan is a Twin Cities-based arts journalist. She writes MinnPost’s twice-weekly Artscape column. She can be reached at [email protected].