The Board of Directors of Des Moines Metro Opera (DMMO) has announced the extension of Linda Koehn General and Artistic Director Michael Egel’s contract through December 31, 2032.

Egel has served as DMMO’s General and Artistic Director since 2013 and has led the company’s artistic planning since becoming Artistic Director in 2010 and his association with DMMO spans more than three decades, beginning in 1994.

In a statement, Board President John Wild said, “Michael’s vision for each season’s repertoire, his eye—and ear—for talent, his relationships with our patrons, and his ability to build an extremely hard-working staff have propelled DMMO to new heights. He is the embodiment of our mission to create distinctive theatrical experiences for our artists and audiences. We are grateful he will continue to share his ambitious and visionary leadership with us for years to come.”

Egel added, “Together with an amazing board, a motivated and devoted staff, extraordinarily gifted artists, designers, musicians, and an incredible production team, it has been a privilege to lead this organization these last 15+ years. As DMMO continues to establish its place among America’s leading festivals, the company’s adventurous programming model has enabled DMMO to redefine what it means to build new audiences for opera in the 21st century. I look forward to continuing this important work—cultivating curious opera-goers from around the world and bringing to life the exciting major projects that lie ahead on the company’s horizon.”

During Egel’s tenure, Des Moines Metro Opera has expanded its artistic ambitions, national profile, and institutional strength. He has made new productions, company premieres, and repertory expansion as hallmarks of his leadership, with a special emphasis on major works from the early and mid-20th century. He has introduced festival audiences to works including “Eugene Onegin,” “Elektra,” “Dead Man Walking,” “Jenůfa,” “Billy Budd, “Flight,” and “The Queen of Spades,” among others.

Egel has also overseen substantial institutional growth and he spearheaded a $20 million endowment campaign in celebration of DMMO’s 50th anniversary in 2022 and a $4 million campaign to restore the company’s historic Carnegie Library headquarters. Egel has also strengthened DMMO’s relationships with broadcast partners Iowa Public Radio and Iowa PBS.