Des Moines Metro Opera facts for kids
The Des Moines Metro Opera is an American opera company located in Indianola, Iowa. This city is about 12 miles (19 km) south of Des Moines, Iowa. An opera company is a group that puts on opera shows. Operas are like plays where the story is told mostly through singing, often with an orchestra.
This opera company was started in 1973 by Robert L. Larsen and Douglas Duncan. Today, Michael Egel is the director. Every summer, usually in June and July, the company holds a festival. During this festival, they perform three main operas. They often switch between these shows, so you might see a different opera each night.
Where They Perform
Most of the Des Moines Metro Opera's shows happen at the Blank Center for the Performing Arts. This center is on the campus of Simpson College in Indianola. It's a great place for people to enjoy live opera.
In 1986, the company performed a brand new opera. It was based on William Shakespeare's famous play, The Tempest. The music for this opera was written by Lee Hoiby. The story and words, called the libretto, were written by Mark Shulgasser.
The Des Moines Metro Opera first performed an opera in a language other than English in 1998. This was the opera Tosca. They performed it at the Civic Center in Des Moines.
Talented Singers
Many talented singers have performed with the Des Moines Metro Opera. Some singers even started their careers there. One well-known singer who began with the company is Kimm Julian.
