This week, we wrap up our three-part series on “The Future of Classical Music” with a profile of a young singer who has a bright future of her own in opera. Laquita Mitchell, a lyric soprano, is a Grand Prize winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions and the first American in 20 years to win the prestigious Belvedere Prize in Vienna. A member of the Houston Grand Opera company, Laquita received her master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music. Her professional career already has included the roles of Mimi in La Bohème (San Francisco Opera), Valencienne in The Merry Widow, and Javotte in Manon (Houston Grand Opera).

In Northern Kentucky, we visit a group of even younger students who got a chance to collaborate with professional artists on a new work, courtesy of the Behringer-Crawford Museum in Covington. The high school students worked collaboratively with museum artist Kurt Nicaise and visiting artist Jeni Engel-Conley to conceptualize and design a piece of sculpture. Then, with the help of Flame Run Forge in Louisville, they created and installed the abstract piece on the grounds of the museum.

The musical guest for this edition is Stego, a power pop trio from Lexington. Dwight Dunlap, Jason Poff, and Jay Henning play tunes from their CD Bull in a China Shop.