Osmo Vanska/ New York Times photo by Jenn Ackerman

The renovated Northrop Auditorium will reopen in April with the American Ballet Theatre doing "Giselle" and Osmo Vanska, in May, conducting the Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra.

The University of Minnesota announced a series of reopening events on Thursday afternoon. ABT will perform April 4-6 with a live orchestra, which is rare for dance performances outside of New York City.

On May 2, Vanska will recreate the first concert at Northrop played by the Minneapolis Symphony. The 4,800-seat auditorium was built for the symphony (now the Minnesota Orchestra) 85 years ago.

Among the other reopening activities at the now 2,700-seat Northrop will be a live broadcast of Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" on April 26, a talk by novelist David Mitchell on April 9 and a lecture by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on April 17.

The remodeled Northrop also will feature a small movie theater, rehearsal space, classrooms, an art gallery, study spaces and a café.

Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at northrop.umn.edu.