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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Season opener for the @minnesotaorchestra.org Vadym Kholodenko's performance of Prokofiev's Concerto No. 2 inG minor for Piano. Stravinsky's The Firebird, complemented by video enhancement. Stravinsky himself conducted the Firebird Suite with the Minnesota Orchestra on December 20, 1940.

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Conductor Gaábor Takács-Nagy was more like a sorcerer summoning the music for StP Chamber Orchestra openingweekend. Sang Yoon Kim's Copland's Clarinet Concerto brought everyone to their feet. Pieces by Seeger, Ives, and finished with Beethoven's Symphony No 2. #saintpaulchamberorchestra

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Conductor Søndergård ended the season on point. First Higdon's blue cathedral started the evening. Then the big guns with Gavrylyuk performance of Tchaikovsky's Concerto No 1. Ives followed, with the big sound of Scriabin's the Poem of Ecstasy ending the stormy evening. @minnesotaorchestra.org

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

Final performance of the Guthrie's Macbeth. Far-fetched drama about corruption and deceitful governments. If only. @guthrietheater.bsky.social

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Søndergård conducts with pianist Kirill Gerstein. Beautiful pieces by Wilson, a piano concerto by Adès. Ravel's Piano Concerto for Left Hand, written for an artist that lost his right arm in WWI, was amazing and timely. Evening concluded with Bernsteim's West Side Story. @minnesotaorchestra.org

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

Too nice to stay inside, too cold to garden. Afternoon at Mia a then libation at Black Forrest. #minneapolisinstituteofart #blackforrest

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Annual tradition of dinner at Rainbow Chinese and the MOA for Lunar New Year. Excellent dinner and fabulous concert featuring Chai-Hsuan Lin as conductor, suona played by Yazhi Guo and MOA violinist Rui Du. Celebrating Year of the Horse! @minnesotaorchestra.org

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Osmo Vänskä returns to conduct Mazzoli, and principal violinist Erin Keefe performing Prokofiev. Then on to Stravinsky's animated Petrushka. A wonderful evening. @minnesotaorchestra.org

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

Friday gathering of a few friends for an (unauthorized) walk around downtown Minneapolis. #fuckice

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

The beginning of Nordic Soundscapes was a remembrance of the life of Renée Nicole Good, taken cruelly and unjustly. Conductor Søndergård started the orchestra with Salonen. James Ehnes was masterful with Sibelius' Concerto in D minor for Violin, plus 2 Bach encores.

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 07/12/2025

The Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus holiday concert Jingle Bells & Jazz Noels was awesome. Not Broadway, but a lot of heart. But to make it even better, Tony award winner Alex Newell performance of Home from the Wiz took my breath away. #tcgmc

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 10/11/2025

Lunch at FIKA before stopping by the holiday market at the American Swedish Institute. #myminneapolis

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

Number 16 voting at my polls. Perfect day to fulfill my civic duty and celebrate our right to vote. #myminneapolis

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

The 7-foot-long Reclining Vishnu is the feature of the Royal Bronzes:Cambodian Art of the Divine, but it is not alone. Amazing exhibition. @artsmia.bsky.social

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

Guest conductor Afkham conjured an amazing evening with Boulanger, Weill, and Ravel. But true magic was made when Janice Carissa cast her spell with Saint-Saëns' Concerto No 2.🎃 @minnesotaorchestra.org

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

A little history before the Purple Rain musical premiere at the State Theater in Minneapolis. #myminneapolis

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

A chance visit to Winona MN and the Minnesota Marine Art Museum and was amazed by the exhobit, A Spectacle in Motion: The Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage ‘Round the World from 1848. As long as the Empire State Building is tall, only a portion is visible. Dates of change are posted.

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

And the season begins! Bernstein's Overture to Candide, Berlioz' Les Nuits d'été sung by the stunning Joyce DiDonato, Connesson, and Strauss. Other than torrential rain, lovely evening. @minnesotaorchestra.org

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

Preview evening for the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition. ##myminnesota

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 02/08/2025

Leading four 900lb Steinways for the Piano Spectacular, or performing Grieg's Concerto in A minor for Piano, Jon Kimura Parker is a talent you can appreciate. @minnesotaorchestra.org

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 27/07/2025

A toasty day for a Historic Riverfront Walking Tour, but it was most excellent to learn the history of Minneapolis' milling district. Especially from the 8th floor observation deck at the Mill City Museum.

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

Jon Kimura Parker performed a rousing rendition of Schumann's Concerto in A minor for Piano. His return is always welcome. The joyful Jonathan Taylor Rush rounded out the evening with Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. @minnesotaorchestra.org

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

Summer of the globe thistle in Minneapolis. Some years, you look at them, and they fade away. This year it's world domination. #urbangarden #gaygardener

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 11/07/2025

A spellbinding evening at the Guthrie Theater's production of Cabaret! Spectacular and sobering. As true now as the stories of Christopher Isherwood that inspired it. @guthrietheater.bsky.social

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

July's explosion in the garden. A beautiful Minnesota summer ☀️ #gaygardener #urbangarden

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

Diversity is what makes a garden beautiful...and a state. #gaygardener #urbangarden #pride2025

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Going to the Minneapolis Institute of Art Is always a treat. Seeing "Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys" was amazing! @artsmia.bsky.social

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Yesterday's garden. Beginning the next phase in Minneapolis. #urbangarden #gaygardener

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

After a weekend of sweltering heat, we are back to a moderate Minnesota June. #urbangarden #gaygardener

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

Bruce Liu was amazing at Prokofiev' Concerto No3 in C major, followed by an astounding encore of Fantaisie-Impromptu by Frédéric Chopin. Conductor Søndergård started with Simon's Four Black American Dances, and finished with Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances. ❤️❤️❤️ @minnesotaorchestra.org

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Guest conductor Măcelaru led us through a wonderful evening featuring Fei Xie performing Jolivet's Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra. Works by Enescu and Selections from Blues Symphony by Wynton Marsalis filled the night. @minnesotaorchestra.org

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

June in Minneapolis is living up to its reputation. #urbangarden #gaygardener

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

Keeping it colorful this first week in June. #urbangarden #gaygardener

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

Conrad Tao's performance of Beethoven's Concerto No 4 in G major for Piano was so good, w/encore of his arrangement of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, wow! Joyful Jonathon Heyward also conducted Weber's beautiful Overture to Oberon, Schumann's Syn No 2 in C. Perfect summer nite. @minnesotaorchestra.org

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Morning from Minneapolis. Suns out, if cool, after 2 days of needed soaking rain.

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

Wednesday in a Minneapolis garden, hoping on rain, please. #urbangarden #gaygardener

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Still waiting on rain in Minneapolis, but it's a beautiful morning. #urbangarden #gaygardener

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

Spring on steroids! The difference between Sunday and Thursday is insane. Minneapolis is making up for winter. #gaygardener #urbangarden

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

Thomas Søndergård masterfully conducted Puccini's Turandot, with Christine Goerke as Princess Turandot, and show stopping Limmie Pulliam as Calaf. Amazing. And damn, I guess I actually love opera! Who knew! Damn. @minnesotaorchestra.org

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Mark Francis @markfk59.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

More from this past weekend in the garden. Thunderstorms today in Minneapolis. #urbangarden #gaygardener

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