NEW ORLEANS Bourbon Street— where Dixieland jazz competes with karaoke bars, rock ‘n’ roll cover bands and strip club jukeboxes — is also one of the first places in America where opera was heard.
Now, it’s being heard there again, with a New Orleans-style twist.
Performances take place in a hotel lounge called the Puccini Bar, named for the composer of Madama Butterfly. And spectators sip cocktails while listening to the free, informal shows, which include arias from La Boheme and Carmen.

“We’re bringing opera back to Bourbon Street,” said Beth Ables, general manager of the Inn, which offers a typical study in French Quarter contrasts: As elegant as any of the nearby art galleries or antique shops, it sits near a row of strip clubs and across the street from a huge sign advertising “3-for-1″ drink specials.

See the full article from “USA Today”

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