Set in a mining camp in California, a woman falls for the stranger that comes to town and is set on him being her first kiss. Starring Marco Armiliato, Susanna Phillips, Scott Scully, Eva-Maria Westbroek, Jonas Kaufmann, and Zeljko Lucic.

I have never seen a western opera. Set in the U.S.’ western frontier, it’s a love story sung in Italian. It’s a new one, but it was fun to watch as Minnie tries to combat her many suitors in the mountains of California. Of course, she is taken by the handsome stranger that is new in town, and the stranger has his secrets. This is one of the lesser-known Operas, and it’s easy to see why. However, I have to say the story is simple and does not have a lot of action going on, but there’s enough to hold your interest. Kaufmann is brilliant as the stranger, and Westbroek is wonderful as Minnie. The performances have their moments, and I loved that it was true to the time period. This show is worth a watch.