The Des Moines Metro Opera has announced casting updates and an additional performance for the company’s 2024 Festival Season. The company noted that due to strong early ticket sales, there will be an additional performance of Damien Geter and Lila Palmer’s world premiere opera, “American Apollo.” The added performance will occur on Friday, July 19 at the Blank Performing Arts {…}
Des Moines Metro Opera Announces its lineup for its 2024 festival. All productions will be performed in rotating repertory at the Pote Theatre at the Blank Performing Arts Center in Indianola, Iowa. Each opera features English supertitles. The Des Moines Metro Opera Festival Orchestra will accompany all four productions. Starting things off is Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville,” starring baritone {…}
Des Moines Metro Opera has announced its 2023 Festival season. The season opens with “Carmen.” Taylor Raven stars in the title role alongside tenor Matthew Cairns. Kelly Kuo conducts. Performance Dates: June 30 – July 23, 2023 Christian Van Horn and Sara Gartland star in “Bluebeard’s Castle.” Kristine McIntyre direct with David Neely conducting. Performance Dates: July 1 – 22, {…}
The Stage Managers of the Des Moines Metro Opera have unionized and joined the American Guild of Musical Artists. Per an official press statement from AGMA, the Des Moines Metro Opera agreed to recognize the union following an official card check on June 3 conducted by a neutral third party over Zoom. AGMA will now be the exclusive bargaining representative {…}
The Des Moines Metro Opera has named Dr. Naomi André as its Fellow-in-Residence. The Fellow-in-Residence will create, participate in, and lead podcasts, conversations, and events centered around her research on opera, gender, voice, and race. André, who received her B.A. in Music from Barnard College and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Musicology from Harvard University, is the author of “Black {…}
(Credit: Karli Cadel Photography) Des Moines Metro Opera (DMMO) has announced that Allen Perriello has been named to the position of Director of Artistic Administration for the company beginning Feb. 16, 2022. Most recently, Perriello was the Head of Music at Minnesota Opera. Simultaneously, he was the Director of the Young Artists Program at The Glimmerglass Festival, overseeing the auditioning, {…}
Des Moines Metro Opera in Iowa has announced its 50th anniversary season. It kicks off with Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” in a production directed by Suzanne Andrade and Barrie Kosky. The work will star Aaron Blake, Audrey Luna, Andrew Wilkowske, and John Robert Lindsey. Performance Dates: March 5 & 6, 2022 Next up is “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in a {…}
Des Moines Opera has announced the commission of an expanded version of Damien Geter and Lila Palmer’s opera “American Apollo.” Originally commissioned by Washington National Opera for its 2020-21 season, the full-length work will see its world premiere in 2024, where it will be presented in partnership with Pyramid Theatre Company and the Des Moines Art Center. The opera centers {…}
Nix and Virginia Lauridsen donated $2 million to the Des Moines Metro Opera Foundation, in support of the company’s production “The Magic Flute.” “This is no ordinary ‘Magic Flute’ and Nix and Virginia Lauridsen are visionary philanthropists, transforming our region through leadership support. They understand the value of a vibrant Arts and Culture sector to our community,” said Michael Egel, {…}
Des Moines Metro Opera has received a generous gift from Frank R. Brownell III worth $1 million. The gift was received in support of the opera company’s Apprentice Artist Program for young singers. Notable alumni of the program, which was started in 1975, include Hei-Kyung Hong, Marquita Lister, John Osborn, Kyle Ketelson, Raymond Aceto, Daniela Mack, Brian Jagde, Dmitri Pittas, {…}
Des Moines Metro Opera has announced that it will world premiere “A Thousand Acres,” an opera by composer Kristin Kuster and librettist Mark Campbell. The opera will be premiered on July 9, 2022, and will be made possible thanks to a $1.5 million gift from Linda and Tom Koehn. “We are honored to represent the breadth of support for Des {…}