Fresh off performing at two American mega-events in recent weeks, Beyoncé announced on Monday that she is going on a nearly one-year tour that includes a stop in the Twin Cities this summer.

"The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour" will be staged July 18 at the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 15 through the usual Ticketmaster outlets and the Xcel box office. Prices range from $47 to $252.

Two weeks ago, Beyoncé wowed those attending and watching President Obama's Inauguration Day with a stirring rendition of the national anthem, only to acknowledge more than a week later that it was her recorded voice that everyone was hearing.

The 16-time Grammy winner admitted that she decided to sing to a prerecorded track because she didn't have time to practice. Calling herself a "perfectionist," she said she wanted the day to go off without a hitch.

At the halftime of Sunday's Super Bowl in New Orleans, Beyoncé put on a 12-minute halftime show that featured extravagant lighting and video effects in a dance-heavy performance with cameos from her former Destiny's Child partners.

Yes, that was her voice everyone heard.

Not long after she left the stage, the New Orleans Superdome suffered a power failure that held up the game for more than a half-hour.

Beyoncé's previous show in the Twin Cities was on July 16, 2009, at a sold-out Target Center.

For more information about the upcoming tour, visit www.beyonce.com.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482