Members of the public can watch the unveiling of the Beatrice Bessesen mural Sunday, August 30, at 1 p.m. at the Historic Bessesen Building at 224 S. Broadway in Albert Lea.

The Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council awarded Minnesota artist Susanne Crane a grant to create a mural depicting Albert Lea’s historic opera star. The mural, which will show Beatrice singing from a window to passers-by, will hang in the historic district of downtown Albert Lea.

Along with the generous support of The Minnesota Arts Board, local co-sponsors of the event are Ehrhardt Properties and Home Depot of Albert Lea. 

Crane, a painter, teacher and historic preservationist, purchased the historic Bessesen Building from the Art Center three years ago.  She has worked extensively in Minneapolis, La Crosse and Austin. Her other projects scheduled for this year include a September exhibition at the New Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault.

“I feel this mural depicts an important part of Albert Lea history,” Crane said. “I got the idea to paint it five years ago, when I heard the romantic story behind the construction of the building.  Dr. Bessesen built the opera house for his wife in 1916, and the Minneapolis Tribune hailed Albert Lea as the ‘Art Mecca on the Prairie.’ I hope my mural will help people realize what is possible here.”

Crane, who has created murals and other public art for the Rochester Civic Theatre and the City of Minneapolis, expanded the scope of this project by offering an artist at work event, which was open to the public the second week of May at Ehrhardt Properties South Plaza Building, 918 S. Broadway