The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

DANCE
No Tiaras, No Tutus — Ballet of the 21st Century

Minneapolitans beware: The Chamber Ballet of Saint Paul is vying for the spot of "Minnesota's premiere professional ballet company." Artistic Director Phillip Carman has crafted a Debut performance — featuring eight of the Twin Cities' top dancers — that brings classical ballet into the 21st century by adding elements of contemporary dance in innovative ways. The Debut program, which begins this evening, consists of four pieces — two of which are world premieres. "The hypnotic performance of Andrew Lester, in L'Apres-Midi d'un Faune will leave you breathless, while the passion and longing of Coeur d'Amour made our Italian audience in Ascoli Piceno weep with its sensitivity in August 2006." Also on the slate — and making a world premiere — Nightmusic offers an exploration of Mozart's music, while In the Moment offers cutting edge choreography. Sure, you can catch performances on Friday and Saturday, as well, but this evening's performance includes the option of a black-tie reception at the St. Paul Hotel. If you really want to make a night of it, you'll just book one of their romantic packages and spend the night in joyful bliss — with a loved one, of course.

8 p.m., Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul; 651-290-1221; $37.50-$47.50, black tie dinner & show $145.

What better way to spend your Valentine's Day than taking in La Bohème, a silent, melodramatic classic at the beautiful and, dare we say, sexy Heights Theater. This 1926 film, based on the Puccini standard, has all the usual suspects: the tragic Mimi, a consumptive, and her jealous lover, the Bohemian poet Rodolfo. Their love affair and eventual separation unfolds in all its emotive glory to the luscious sound of the Wurlitzer organ. Lillian Gish, then one of the cinema's brightest stars, personally chose the great King Vidor to direct, and the result is a beautiful and touching movie that will send you and your beau home in each other's arms. —Peter Schilling

7:30 p.m., Heights Theater, 3951 Central Ave. N.E., Columbia Heights; 763-788-9079; $8.

MUSIC
Who Says Sweet Has to Be Soft?

If heartbreakingly sweet vocals are more your style for the big V-day, then head over to the Triple Rock for The Redwalls show. The Chicago quartet offers an evening of "rambunctious ass-shaking stomp, raucous energy, and meticulous R&B pop and rock."

9 p.m., Triple Rock Social Club, 629 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612- 333-7399; $12.

THEATER & PERFORMANCE
Teatro del Pueblo's Political Theater Festival

If you ask me, the best way to spend V-day is exploring Latin American social political issues. That's right; you heard me. What reasons can I give you? Well, first off, we're the hot-blooded lovers, right? (That's what they say, anyhow.) Reason number two: we're very (and I mean very) passionate about our politics — and passion is certainly what the day calls for, in one form or another. And finally, Valentine's Day is actually named after two Christian martyr's — both named Valentine — and certainly that's somehow more in keeping with "theater of the people" (the literal translation of Teatro del Pueblo, the group putting on tonight's show) than spending a bunch of money on a fancy dinner. The Seventh Annual Political Theater Festival includes a number of plays, all by Latino playwrights: Hurricane in a Glass, by Kimberly del Busto; The Great All-Dominican Championship Playoff Game, by Rubin Rice Lichtig; Out of Cordoba, by Hector Roberts; Variation on Mixed Generations, by Eric Silva Brenneman; and For Mi ChiChi, by Tere Martinez. The show also includes two premiere interactive plays by Dominic Orlando and Papers of Antigone, a dance/performance piece by the Columbian group NAME. New this year will be a world premiere retrospective art exhibit of the political paintings of Spanish painter Santiago Zarzosa.

8 p.m., Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-871-4444; $15, students, seniors, fringe $13.

For more Valentine's day ideas, see Jeremy's Iggers blog post, "Dinner and a Show? — Valentine's Day." And while you're at it, check out some of our other great online stories.