50TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON THE MAGIC FLUTE | PORGY AND BESS | A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM | A THOUSAND ACRES | AMERICAN APOLLO
SWEENEY TODD
WELCOME We’ve been dreaming about it for years—our 50th season is finally here! I believe every arts leader’s top job is to create a portfolio of “wow projects” to excite audiences and inspire artists, and we’ve magnified that idea for this anniversary with a dynamic tapestry of works that underscores our priorities of technology and innovation, elevating voices, artistic legacy, contemporary stories and new works. Prepare to be astonished by one of the most technologically innovative productions I’ve ever seen. Barrie Kosky and Suzanne Andrade’s groundbreaking production of The Magic Flute from the Komische Oper Berlin will simply amaze you. This adaptation of Mozart’s most famous opera features singers interacting in real time with animations projected around them. People will be talking about this production for many years, so change your travel plans if you must—you have to be there when we present it at the Civic Center March 5 and 6! The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess stands alone as the great American opera, a work filled with tunes and characters as memorable as they are remarkable. With a cast headlined by international opera star and Iowa native Simon Estes, we elevate the voices of nearly 60 of today’s most outstanding Black artists to bring this new production to life. In my opinion, along with Peter Grimes and Wozzeck, it stands as a great achievement in opera in the 20th century and it is fitting that its Iowa premiere is on our 50th anniversary. Benjamin Britten’s operas have been cornerstones of our artistic legacy since the first season, and his ephemeral setting of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the perfect centerpiece of our summer festival. It was the first opera we broadcast on Iowa PBS in 1979, and the impish Puck sat atop our logo for 30 years afterwards!
THE QUEEN OF SPADES
Season Presenting Sponsor THE LAURIDSEN FAMILY FOUNDATION
He and the rest of his cohorts return in a glorious cast led by audience favorites John Holiday and Sydney Mancasola as Oberon and Tytania in this gorgeous new production by Chas Rader-Shieber and Jacob A. Climer, the team who brought you both Rusalka and last season’s Platée. We move from supporting the future of opera to actively creating it with the world premiere of A Thousand Acres. Choosing this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel as the subject for an Iowa opera company should come as no surprise because it is the ideal choice. This very human retelling of King Lear on an Iowa farm is the perfect melding of subject matter and locale. Composer Kristin Kuster and librettist Mark Campbell have created an opera that captures the essence of this 30-yearold novel while examining the story through a contemporary lens. Don’t miss the premiere on July 9 with its cast of beloved company artists and author Jane Smiley in attendance. Rising composer Damien Geter and librettist Lila Palmer’s American Apollo is a new chamber opera that gives voice to Thomas McKeller, a Black model who served as inspiration for the painter, John Singer Sargent. Glimpse this work-in-process at the Des Moines Art Center in its original 20-minute format and imagine this opera as a DMMO-commissioned, eveninglength version for our 2024 season. Nathaniel Silver, curator of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, will be in attendance to give a presentation before the performances. Having an anniversary 50 years in the making meant planning an ambitious season to commemorate it. In preparation, the 50 NEXT campaign was launched to raise the necessary goal of $15 million by June 1, 2022, as well as to secure the Company’s legacy for future seasons. With all this in mind, I invite you to consider joining the other supporters of opera by making a contribution to our historic 50 NEXT campaign. Michael Egel The Linda Koehn General and Artistic Director
PLATÉE
FELLOW TRAVELERS
Vivace is a newsletter published annually by Des Moines Metro Opera, Inc., 106 West Boston Avenue, Indianola, Iowa 501251836. Volume 7, Issue 1.
Editor/Designer KIM DRAGELEVICH Photographers MICHAL DANIEL IKO FREESE JEN GOLAY SHERVIN LAINEZ KYLE STARCEVICH DUANE TINKEY Proofreader JULIA HAGEN
ON THE COVER The Queen of the Night sings an electrifying aria in a scene from the Komische Oper Berlin production of The Magic Flute coming to the Des Moines Civic Center. Photo by Michal Daniel for the Minnesota Opera. LEFT Former DMMO Apprentice Artist Meghan Kasanders sings an aria from Wagner’s Tannhäuser during last summer’s “A Concert for Robert Larsen” at the Des Moines Civic Center.
3/5 7:30p
3/6 2:00p
MOZART
THE MAGIC FLUTE
DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER
LEADERSHIP FUNDING PROVIDED BY NIX AND VIRGINIA LAURIDSEN/THE LAURIDSEN FAMILY FOUNDATION
Modern Meets Mozart GLORIOUSLY INVENTIVE ANIMATION AND LIVE ACTION MEET THE STUNNING MUSIC OF MOZART IN THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF THE MAGIC FLUTE
FOLLOWING ITS BERLIN PREMIERE in 2012, the Komische Oper’s production of The Magic Flute has won Opera World Awards, accumulated rapturous reviews and played to over half a million people across Europe, America and Asia. This remarkable production is co-directed by Komische Oper’s Artistic Director Barrie Kosky in conjunction with Suzanne Andrade from acclaimed British performance company 1927. Together with Paul Barritt, they have created a thrilling imaginative world which fuses the virtuosity of live opera performance with grand-scale animated tableau. Its blend of film animation and live singers has caused a sensation, and not just in Berlin: it has also been well received by audiences and critics in Los Angeles, Madrid, Helsinki, Tokyo, Peking, Paris, Sydney, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia and many other cities around the globe. This is a production of the most-performed German opera which constantly takes the breath away. The Magic Flute has played to sold out audiences since 1791 when it was first staged just eight weeks before Mozart’s death. On one level, the work is a fairy tale of a damsel in distress and the handsome prince who rescues her. However, beneath the surface, the story explores the layers of human experience, the quest for enlightenment and the search for knowledge, justice, wisdom and truth. General and Artistic Director Michael Egel said, “Mozart wrote The Magic Flute as an entertainment and that is where this Kosky/Andrade production succeeds so spectacularly. Back in 2016 I saw their Magic Flute in the middle of a full-to-bursting theatre and I knew that we had to bring it here. It captures the spirited warmth of the original with a masterful application of 21st century innovation and technology.”
Conductor CHRISTOPHER ALLEN
Tamino AARON BLAKE
This ingenious production evokes the enchantment of Buster Keaton’s silent movies, the dark underbelly of Tim Burton and the whimsy and humor of early 20th century animated cartoons—think Felix the Cat and Betty Boop. The rise in popularity of graphic novels and anime in our own time coincides with the world-wide success of Komische Oper’s The Magic Flute. Des Moines Metro Opera is pleased to program a production of a beloved classic that appeals so immediately to new audiences and first-timers, while also attracting seasoned opera lovers who know and love this opera. “I’d never seen anything like the work of Suzanne Andrade and Paul Barritt of 1927 and thought it was such a wonderful combination of animation and silent films and 2D and 3D performance,” said director Barrie Kosky. “Our production is one where you can take kids and grandma. In Berlin it’s almost like a cult production, with people coming six or seven times to see it. I thought Berlin audiences reacted very positively to it until I went to Los Angeles, where they were absolutely screaming with laughter: we sometimes had to stop the film. It’s also a godsend for seasoned opera goers who are tired of The Magic Flute—they are bowled over at the fact that they can go and see a production where they’re surprised at every aria.” Des Moines Metro Opera’s production will kick off the 50th anniversary year in grand style, performed at the Des Moines Civic Center with members of the Des Moines Symphony in the orchestra pit in the first collaboration ever between these organizations. Maestro Christopher Allen will lead an incredible cast for these two “magical” performances for the young and the young-at-heart that you won’t want to miss!
Pamina RAVEN MCMILLON
Queen of the Night AUDREY LUNA
Papageno ANDREW WILKOWSKE
7/1 7:30p
7/3 2:00p
7/8 7:30p
7/14 7:30p
7/16 7:30p
7/21 7:30p
7/24 2:00p
THE GERSHWINS'
PORGY AND BESS
It Ain't Necessarily So DIRECTOR TAZEWELL THOMPSON EXPLAINS WHY HE, AND THE WORLD, STILL TURN TO PORGY AND BESS. “NO,” I HAD INITIALLY SAID when Michael Egel inquired on the opposite end of an email, late 2020, if I was interested and available to direct George and Ira Gershwin’s magnificent opera Porgy and Bess for the summer of 2022.
More importantly, was I interested in directing Porgy and Bess? Again? I had directed this historic masterwork in Houston, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Detroit, New Orleans, Vancouver, Tokyo, Osaka, Madrid, Milan (La Scala), and twice at New York City Opera— the second time televised “Live From Lincoln Center” where it was nominated for an Emmy Award for “Best Classical Production and Best Director.”
I was ostensibly available. Opera and theater projects, lined up nonstop from March 2020 through all of 2024, had ground to a halt, been postponed, rescheduled or cancelled altogether due to the pandemic. I was certainly, desperately seeking to nourish the beast of creative satisfaction and, like many others, get back to work.
Why should I want to return to Porgy and Bess? What could I possibly bring to Iowa? Why now? What could l bring new to this opera?
Conductor MICHAEL ELLIS INGRAM
Porgy KEVIN DEAS
I love the music of Porgy and Bess. I’ve a collection of great recordings from the opera. I often return to a favorite artist, the Juilliard-trained pianist, Nina Simone, whose utterly sublime vocal rendition of
Bess MICHELLE JOHNSON
Lawyer Frazier SIMON ESTES
Serena LEAH HAWKINS
Act Two Kittiwah Island inspiration: Study for Aspects of Negro Life: An Idyll of the Deep South by Aaron Douglas, courtesy of the Nelson-Atkin Museum of Art © 2022 Heirs of Aaron Douglas / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY.
“I Loves You, Porgy” broke records and helped launch her career. I play over and over the sensational Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Armstrong recording of Porgy and Bess. After Armstrong’s trumpet intro, these jazz greats duet majestically through the Gershwin score. Choose your artist—Leontyne Price, Sinatra, Streisand, Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker— for the aria "Summertime," the most covered song in the world with over 25,000 versions.
We need a jazz-infected score, radiant chorales, blues, spirituals, Tin Pan Alley, prayers, dirges, celebrations, love ballads, chants, wails, authentic shouts and cries of street vendors. Songs of pain, anger, outrage and courage. We need “Bess, You Is My Woman Now,” “It Ain’t Necessarily So,” “I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’,” “My Man’s Gone Now,” “There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon for New York,” the aforementioned “Summertime” and “I Loves You, Porgy.”
Return to the opera now? The times are fraught, lit by lightning and fierce division, misunderstandings and twisted truths. We seek a semblance of sanity through this unprecedented period and endless nightmare we are all experiencing. Love, family, friends, and places where we worship are there when we need them, and we need them now to soothe our sorrows and comfort our personal losses. We also need our places of artistic fulfillment and entertainment. We need to sit together, side-by-side, in the dark, holding our hands and hearts around the intimate stage of the Blank Performing Arts Center.
At the beginning of 2021, I came back to Michael Egel. I had done my research on him and, indeed, found him to be warm, fair, supportive, a lover of opera, knowledgeable of the repertoire, respectful of his audiences. We continued our discussions.
We need a culturally relevant opera with a compelling story of indelible individuals and a hard-scrabble tight-knit community that finds strength in shared spirituality and interdependence. It gives us hope and insight into the kaleidoscopic inhabitants of Catfish Row. We need a story that brings us to the edge of our seats, brings us to tears and laughter. We need a score that represents one of the most advanced, ambitious and accomplished compositional achievements of the composer and lyricist. We need, especially now, songs that lift the soul and uplift the spirit.
I said: “Yes.” “Yes,” I want to direct a new Porgy and Bess for DMMO's 50th Anniversary Season. “Yes” to working with Keith Brumley, the esteemed resident set designer. “Yes” to the brilliant lighting designer, Robert Wierzel. “Yes” to Harry Nadal, an astonishing upand-coming costume design talent. “Yes” to a sensational, first-rate company to sing the landmark work, and a major affirmative “Yes” to the maestro, reigning in all the musical elements, the world-class conductor Michael Ellis Ingram marking his DMMO debut. “Yes” to a season that honors native Iowan and international opera star, Simon Estes. “Yes,” I am looking forward to June to enter the arena and begin rehearsals for Porgy and Bess. I am saying “Yes,” as a gladiator says “YES” when he charges!
BRITTEN
Some Enchanted 7/2 7:30p
7/10 2:00p
7/15 7:30p
7/23 7:30p
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
BRITTEN COMBINES SHAKESPEARE AND MUSIC TO DAZZLING EFFECT BY JOSHUA BORTHS
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS, with only a few notable exceptions, have surprisingly eluded operatic composers. Yes, Giuseppe Verdi created the masterpieces Otello and Falstaff, and Charles Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette has much to recommend it, but most operatic adaptations of Shakespeare have remained in obscurity—or haven’t been tried at all. The difficulty of Shakespearean adaptation makes Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream even more miraculous. Written hastily in 1959 for a premiere in summer 1960, Britten used his abiding love of the English language and his formidable compositional skills to unlock Shakespeare’s enduring comedy.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream tells the gloriously complicated tale of magical fairies, quarreling lovers, and aspiring actors as a web of love and connection among them all is spun and undone. It is a story filled with iconic moments, magical mayhem and human pathos. There’s a lot going on here. Benjamin Britten tackled this chaos not as a burden but as a feature. Setting the poetry of Shakespeare verbatim, he uses the orchestra—and even different kinds of musical scales—to create three diverse sonic worlds that crash and collide throughout the evening. He treats the orchestra as a microcosm of the opera itself which provides astonishing wit and variety throughout the opera.
The world of the fairies is ethereal, dominated by the treble sounds of high strings, a children’s chorus, and the countertenor/soprano pairing of the Fairy King and Queen. Britten evokes the world of the lovers through adventurous harmonies and intricate counterpoint, and the Rude Mechanicals—that lovable bunch of amateur actors rehearsing a play for the duke— are accompanied by a motley ensemble that is as disjointed and ill-matched as they are.
But beyond this orchestral and musical cleverness, Britten’s adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream succeeds because it takes itself seriously. Underneath the wit, charm, and humor lies aching beauty, heartbreak, betrayal and reconciliation. In every scene Britten acknowledges that the night will soon give way to the dawn, summer will turn to fall, and our dreams— vividly alive—will always end. Britten succeeds because he doesn’t try to change the Shakespeare play or streamline it into an operatic mold. He succeeds by simply bringing the play to life. Britten creates harmony between words and music—using one to support the other—and letting the story and score go where it will. It took a few hundred years, but Shakespeare found a home on the operatic stage through the brilliance of Benjamin Britten. And in a new production presented by Des Moines Metro Opera, audiences will once again be able to escape into a dream where enchantment, love, and delight reign supreme.
A Holiday Season
Evening Conductor ELIZABETH ASKREN
Director CHAS RADER-SHIEBER
Scenic and Costume Designer JACOB A. CLIMER
Tytania SYDNEY MANCASOLA
Oberon JOHN HOLIDAY
Bottom BARNABY REA
When John Holiday sang the role of the Refugee in DMMO’s 2018 production of Flight, he (like all of us), had no idea what the next three years would bring. Fast forward to 2020—when many of his scheduled performances were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Holiday found himself looking for a way to spread light in what was suddenly a dark time in our world.
In October 2020, he satisfied his mission when he dazzled judges and audiences alike with his rendition of Erroll Garner’s "Misty"—earning him a spot working with another "John," as part of team John Legend on NBC’s The Voice. This partnership brought him to the top five on the nationally televised vocal competition, singing everything from "Fly Me to the Moon" and Celine Dion’s "All by Myself" to Beyonce’s "Halo" and a duet with Legend on Simon and Garfunkel’s "Bridge Over Troubled Water." “My intention was to break down stereotypes of what people like me can do. I wanted for my music to be in the homes of everyone in the world so that I and my music could be a beacon of light for those who have lost their own or are seeking a light to follow—especially during the pandemic,” Holiday said. “What better way for me to be able to do that, while also inspiring the next generation. It’s one of the reasons why I mentor and teach people today.” After his stop at The Voice, Holiday brought his signature John Holiday Experience back to Des Moines for DMMO's 2021 Summer Festival Season, performing for a rapt audience at Drake University’s Sheslow Auditorium. In December 2021 he made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Orpheus’s Double in Aucoin’s Eurydice. And this summer he makes a thrilling return to DMMO's mainstage for the 50th Anniversary Season as Oberon in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
7/9 7:30p
7/13 7:30p
7/17 2:00p
7/19 7:30p
7/22 7:30p
KUSTER/CAMPBELL
A THOUSAND ACRES
WORLD PREMIERE / LEADERSHIP FUNDING PROVIDED BY LINDA AND TOM KOEHN
BREAKING GROUND
PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR JANE SMILEY REFLECTS ON THE UPCOMING WORLD PREMIERE OF THE OPERATIC ADAPTATION OF HER BOOK. One of my favorite books is Sir Walter Scott’s The Bride of Lammermoor and one of my favorite operas is Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti. I love the way Scott explores the strange and dramatic history of Scotland through his historical novels, giving us insights into historical figures (including women), and I love Donizetti’s music. The combination is mesmerizing. I was therefore thrilled when Des Moines Metro Opera decided to do the same thing with A Thousand Acres. I remember that when I told my literary agent I wanted to write a book about “King Lear set on a farm” she said, “Farming! No one wants to read about farming!” But indeed they did because farming is not only important, it is also fascinating, and there were many issues to explore—even more than I knew at the time. A Thousand Acres was a wonderful puzzle. It didn’t make me laugh the way
Conductor DAVID NEELY
Director KRISTINE MCINTYRE
Moo did (and where’s the musical, featuring the hog, Earl Butz?), but it taught me a lot about farming, family life and Iowa, where I was glad to be living. It didn’t have a soundtrack, however, but now, because I love music, I am thrilled that it does. I can’t wait to see the opera, to see how the performers portray the characters, to hear how they sing the songs. I think music delivers feelings of joy and sadness better than any other medium. The Bride of Lammermoor and Lucia di Lammermoor are tragic stories—sad, but also uplifting, and we attend to these sorts of narratives because we learn something about the trials of others, and they expand our sense of what the world is like and what it means to be human. To make up a story is a human trait; to put that story to music gives it greater beauty and more feeling. I thank Des Moines Metro Opera for giving this music to A Thousand Acres. Smiley will be with Des Moines Metro Opera when it opens on July 9 for a day of events culminating in the opening night performance.
Composer KRISTIN KUSTER
Librettist MARK CAMPBELL
Rose SARA GARTLAND
Caroline GRACE KAHL
ACRES UNEARTHED Inspired by the world premiere of A Thousand Acres, this series of photographic exhibits, art shows, discussions, plays, book clubs and sitespecific events will explore the themes and connections presented by the novel: patriarchy, the passing of land through family and the ties that bind us. DES MOINES BOOK FESTIVAL March 26, 9:00am-7:00pm Capital Square, Downtown Des Moines THE LAND IN TRANSITION: Hills & Valleys May 22, 1:30pm Whiterock Conservancy, Coon Rapids
Featuring ELISE QUAGLIATA as Ginny
A THOUSAND ACRES SNEAK PEEK June 4, 2:00pm Central Library, 1000 Grand Ave, Des Moines TALK OF IOWA BOOK CLUB on Iowa Public Radio June 14, 10:00am iowapublicradio.org or the IPR app THE SEA BENEATH OUR FEET Amee Ellis Exhibit June 27-August 5 Opening Reception: June 29, 6:30pm Polk County Heritage Gallery, Des Moines CREATORS IN CONVERSATION with Jane Smiley July 9, 1:30pm Sheslow Auditorium, Drake University, Des Moines Reservations required RURAL PROJECTIONS TOUR July 2022, Warren County KING LEAR by Iowa Stage Theatre Company July 13-17, 7:30pm Salisbury House and Garden, Des Moines Please visit dmmo.org/acres for more information, updates and added events.
Larry ROGER HONEYWELL
Ty KEITH PHARES
Pete TAYLOR STAYTON
Jess JOHN MOORE
Marv Carson WEI WU
Harold KRISTOPHER IRMITER
7/20 7:30p
7/21 2:00p
7/23 2:00p
GETER/PALMER
AMERICAN APOLLO
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PYRAMID THEATRE COMPANY / DES MOINES ART CENTER LEADERSHIP FUNDING PROVIDED BY HARRY BOOKEY AND PAMELA BASS-BOOKEY
UNSUNG HERO
MUCH LIKE A PAINTING, THE INSPIRATION FOR THE CHAMBER OPERA AMERICAN APOLLO BEGAN WITH A SERIES OF SKETCHES BY KIM DRAGELEVICH IN THE WINTER of 2017, well before a pandemic would temporarily shut down Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum along with the rest of the world, curator Nathaniel Silver was rummaging through a museum storage cabinet in search of Whistler etchings. What he found, however, was a set of nine charcoal figure drawings by the famed portraitist, John Singer Sargent.
Armed with this knowledge, Silver set to curating an exhibition to shine a light on McKeller’s extraordinary and unsung role as Sargent's muse, while also exploring the intimate relationship and power dynamics between the model and painter. Titled "Boston's Apollo," the exhibition ran from February 13-October 12, 2020, and included programming for community engagement and collaboration.
Sketched as studies for the commissioned ceiling murals at the Museum of Fine Arts, the majority of the drawings consisted of a singular Black male model—a contrast to the predominantly white gods and goddesses depicted in the murals. Silver was intrigued, and after some digging, he discovered the model's name: Thomas Eugene McKeller.
It was from this art exhibition that the unlikely idea of an opera sprung. Inspired by the suggested romance between McKeller and Sargent, composer Damien Geter and librettist Lila Palmer set about translating a story that began as a series of charcoal sketches into a series of musical sketches. The result was the 20-minute chamber opera American Apollo, which debuted on May 1, 2021, as a part of Washington National Opera's American Opera Initiative program.
Little was known of McKeller outside of his time as a model for Sargent. He was working as a hotel elevator operator in Boston when the two men met, and before that he had lived in North Carolina. From 1916 until the painter’s death in 1925, McKeller would serve as Sargent's primary model, posing as both men and women figures, human and divine, but all white.
Conductor DAVID NEELY
Director KIMILLE HOWARD
Des Moines Metro Opera is pleased to announce the commissioning of American Apollo as a fulllength opera. This summer we will present the 20-minute chamber version at the Des Moines Art Center with Nathaniel Silver himself presenting prior to the performance. Then mark your calendars for the world premiere of the full-length version scheduled for 2024.
Composer DAMIEN GETER
Librettist LILA PALMER
Thomas McKeller JUSTIN AUSTIN
The Summer Job of a Lifetime
Dr. Michael Patterson traces his history with Des Moines Metro Opera back to its first season. BY BLAKE CARLSON
A native of Toledo, Iowa, Patterson was encouraged by his piano teacher to audition at Simpson College while in high school. He remembers being terrified, as growing up he wasn’t an exceptional student overall, but he excelled in his music classes. “It was going to be one of two things—work in my grandparents’ paint store or work on a music degree,” Patterson said. “I started only as a piano minor because my father wanted me to learn the organ to play for the rodeo. But I was having a blast in piano lessons, so I shifted my focus.” From 1971-1978 he earned bachelor’s degrees in piano performance and music education from Simpson College and a master’s degree in piano from the University of Iowa. He started his teaching career in 1979 and earned a Ph.D. in Music Education at the University of Oklahoma in 1991. He taught music for a total of 40 years before his resignation in 2019. Apart from two years where Patterson said he was “exploring,” he’s spent each summer since 1973 with the Des Moines Metro Opera—working on the stage crew for the first ten seasons and becoming a staple of the front of house staff in the years since. He recalls what it was like in those early years. “So many moments in that first season impacted me personally. Today there are dozens of professionals working on these productions, but back then it was just a few of us on the crew. We were supported by volunteers, board members, even the singers pitched in,” Patterson said. “There was no model for this—we were flying by the seat of our pants.”
Michael Patterson was a sophomore at Simpson College when Robert Larsen and Doug Duncan determined the “timing was right” to form an opera company in Des Moines. Patterson was only one of a few music department assistants building scenery for school productions when he and fellow students Stephen Ely and John Hancock were approached by Larsen and Duncan to form the stage crew for their fledgling endeavor. And, after a board of directors was formed and a budget established, they launched the inaugural season of the Des Moines Metro Summer Festival of Opera. That was the summer of 1973—the same summer Michael Patterson celebrated his 20th birthday—and 50 summers later, he’s still here.
With an initial budget of $22,000, he credits the company’s early success to the energy and passion among the group. “All but one or two people were under the age of 40. That includes Robert Larsen, the original singers, everybody. The majority of us, though, were in our early 20s— the age now of our apprentice artists. It was a youthful operation. It was hard work.”
handles, decorative vegetable trees, mannequins, English traffic lights, and a life-size bear suit just to name a few. Younkers needed storage space so Charles Senseman, then Younkers’ director of visual merchandise, worked with Doug Duncan to concoct an auction of these items to benefit both DMMO and the Younkers Charitable Fund.
Michael Patterson leads members of the Apprentice Artist coaching staff in serving ice cream at the Corner Sundry Fountain after the “Death By Aria” apprentice concert.
Behind the scenes, innovation was key to producing three operas in three weeks. With a limited budget for scenery, Patterson remembers the props crew turned to wood varnish to preserve food used on stage. “One cooked chicken could last an entire season on that Albert Herring table,” he said. “No one dared look inside that little time capsule at the end of the summer—but it got us through.” During the second season in 1974, a production of Madama Butterfly required a large flower garden in the playing circle on stage. “What the audience didn’t know is many of those flowers were plastic and came from the Des Moines cemeteries after Memorial Day clean up,” he said. “You don’t forget things like that, but we just made it happen.” It's easy to understand why Patterson feels coming back to the opera each summer “recharges the batteries.” With his shift to the front-of-house staff, he began working closer with then Managing Director, Doug Duncan. Duncan had a knack for creating a spectacle out of events and fundraisers for the company. In the summer of 1985, Patterson had just completed his two-season hiatus and was looking to make his return. “I have just the thing for you,” Duncan said. “The Auction of Unique Items.” Through the years Younkers Department Stores collected a large amount of “unique items” from window displays in their downtown Des Moines flagship location: stuffed flamingos, a replica of the statue of David, large brass bowls with elephant-head
Patterson quickly found himself leading a crew of Des Moines area citizens completing community service hours by unloading 19 semi loads of these “unique items” at the Varied Industries building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds for a two-day auction. The result was a total of $60,000 raised for both organizations— in cash. “That night we came home in the back of a station wagon with our cut of the proceeds in black garbage bags," he recalls, "$30,000 in cash hoisted into the attic to be stored until the bank opened on Monday. That experience was one that has been stamped in my mind over the years.” The spectacle event would see a one-time reprise in 1986, which sold out all of Younkers’ inventory. After 15 seasons at the helm, Doug Duncan died suddenly in 1988. Patterson said it was a turning point for the company. “Doug had been recognized as one of the most influential and innovative general managers of opera. The industry knew it, and business leaders knew it,” he said. “There were numerous stars that aligned over that tragedy.” Jerilee Mace, who had served as the company secretary and Duncan’s assistant, stepped into Doug’s role and would continue to lead the organization for almost two decades until her retirement in 2006. Mace played an instrumental role in the development of the Des Moines Metro Opera endowment,ensuring DMMO will continue its mission for future generations.
In 2010 Robert Larsen stepped down from the podium as conductor and stage director, retiring from an active role in the summer festival. “When Larsen retired, four to six people were needed to fill his shoes,” Patterson said. “He directed and conducted all three shows each summer. There are few places in the world where one person fills both those roles, and for three shows? It was unheard of.” Patterson credits the company’s continued success to General and Artistic Director Michael Egel, Music Director and Principal Conductor David Neely, and DMMO’s dedicated administrative staff, Board of Directors and guild organizations. “Much like that first season in 1973, DMMO continues to thrive because of passionate groups of people who believe in the mission of this organization,” Patterson said. Visitors to the opera this summer will still find him managing the front-of-house staff, a position he has held for 38 years, longer than anything else in his life. He enjoys this the most because of the endless possibilities that come with the job. “It’s the last of the free-wheeling spirit of those early days of the opera company. I never know what each day will bring,” he said. When asked about the next 50 years at DMMO, Patterson remains excited about the company’s educational mission, reaching students through programs like the OPERA Iowa Educational Touring Troupe and the Apprentice Artist Program. As a career music educator who did his doctoral dissertation on opera educational outreach programs, he believes in these opportunities that welcome new audiences and prepare the next generation of artists. Through varnished chicken, garbage bags of cash, a collapsing dinner tent and even a global pandemic, Michael Patterson has had a front row seat to it all—or more appropriately, front of house. And just as he’s done almost every summer since he turned 20—he’ll celebrate his birthday at the opera this year, this one his 69th. Patterson often thinks of his life as a rondo, a musical form with a recurring theme. “In a rondo you always go back to the ‘A’ section,” he said. “For me that’s the Des Moines Metro Opera. I’ve found my way back each year—eager for what the next season will bring.”
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[ staff updates ] DMMO is pleased to welcome three new full-time staff (pictured above). Elyse Morris joined DMMO in November as Development Manager, Blake Carlson in December as Communications and Donor Engagement Manager and Allen Perriello in February as Director of Artistic Administration. DMMO's long-time designer and illustrator Kim Dragelevich was also recently promoted to Creative Director; and Tim McMillin, Director of Development, moved into the position of Director of Advancement. [ Welcome, new board members ] Des Moines Metro Opera recently welcomed Tony Braida as a new member to the Board of Directors and Austin Fisher to the Foundation Board. [ Bravo! ] Congratulations to longtime DMMO supporters Linda and Tom Koehn for receiving the prestigious Bravo Award at the annual Bravo Greater Des Moines Awards Gala on February 5! This award is given each year to a deserving person, couple or foundation whose commitments to arts, culture and heritage have had a measurable and postive impact in the region. Linda, who served as the President of the Board for DMMO from 2006-2007, will be inducted into Opera America's Outstanding Opera Trustee program in October 2022.
CAMPAIGN PROGRESS UPDATE
LEADING BY EXAMPLE Past Presidents’ Challenge meets its goal of 100% involvement When the 50 NEXT Campaign moved from its leadership phase to the public phase last June, the Board of Directors set an ambitious goal to raise $15 million for the 50th anniversary by opening night of the 2022 season. But that wasn’t their only goal. The campaign has now reached one of its major progress milestones through the completion of the Past Presidents’ Challenge. Every one of DMMO’s past board presidents has made a gift of support to the campaign. Even more remarkable, family and friends have risen to the challenge and given in honor of the past presidents who are no longer with us. The Past Presidents’ Challenge generated gifts totaling more than $5 million toward the overall goal. To date, the 50 NEXT Campaign has raised more than $13.5 million. “Since day one, we have benefited from leaders who selflessly stepped forward and gave generously of their time, talent and treasure. These former presidents led by example, and they still do. It is an honor to follow the example set from the founding of the company that continues to today,” said Virginia Lauridsen, current President of the Board.
A 50th anniversary celebration provides a unique point in the trajectory of the organization to take stock of the strength of the board over the years and celebrate its legacy of leadership. “I have been honored to know each of our 33 presidents—including the very first two, Dr. Lawrence Ely and Don Easter,” said Michael Egel, the Linda Koehn General and Artistic Director. “That this special group of leaders continues to be involved today highlights how deeply personal their commitment to DMMO was and is to them.” James O’Halloran served as president in the 1990s and led the organization through important strategic planning and strengthening of staffing infrastructure initiatives. “In the 1990s, I was invited to join the opera board and I became a champion due to its outstanding leadership, its quality productions, the wonderful artists, and such a fun group of board members and supporters. I am honored to support this important campaign at the occasion of the 50th anniversary,” said O’Halloran.
PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE BOARD
hOnOr rOll Des Moines Metro Opera extends its gratitude to all of our past presidents and their families for their generosity.
Strong, sustained and devoted board leadership has long been a hallmark of the company. In the early 1990s, an endowment was created that is overseen by the Foundation Board of Trustees who manage its investments. In turn, the Foundation provides critical, stable annual funding that today accounts for nearly 20% of the Company’s annual operating expenses. Some posit that endowment success might inhibit traditional annual fundraising. According to campaign cabinet and long-time board member Chérie Shreck, though, it has not. “We always make it clear that an endowment gift is not in lieu of an annual gift. The endowment is there to augment the budget and allow new initiatives to be realized,” she said. “We are lucky to have major donors, but it’s the many size donations that sustain us and make people feel a part of the opera. It is about being a part of making it better as time goes on.” For more information about how you can join our past presidents and many others in making a gift to the 50 NEXT Campaign to advance the future of Des Moines Metro Opera, please contact Tim McMillin at tmcmillin@dmmo.org or visit our website at dmmo.org/50next.
DR. LAWRENCE ELY* 1973-1975 DON EASTER* 1976-1978 DAVID WRIGHT* 1979-1980 GARY GERLACH 1981 SARA HILL* 1982 CHARLES C. EDWARDS, JR. 1983 MARILYN VERNON* 1984 BARBARA GARTNER 1985 CHARLOTTE HUBBELL 1986 ANNETTE ISAACSON 1987 MARY SEIDLER 1988-1989 PATTY COWNIE 1990 THOMAS FISHER 1991 DON EASTER* 1992-1993 CHÉRIE SHRECK 1994 JIM ERICKSON 1995 SHEILA TIPTON 1996-1997 JAMES F. O’HALLORAN 1998 NANCY MAIN 1999-2000 CHARLES E. FARR 2001 E. JAMES BENNETT* 2002 MARY KELLY 2003-2004 KIMBERLY SHADUR 2005 TOM MCKLVEEN 2005-2006 LINDA KOEHN 2007 JEFFREY MORGAN 2008 WENDY CARLSON* 2009 BILL NIEBUR 2010 BRUCE HUGHES 2011-2012 E.C. MUELHAUPT 2013 ADRIENNE MCFARLAND 2014-2015 NANCY MAIN 2015 CRAIG SHADUR 2016-2017 SUSAN VOSS 2018-2020 VIRGINIA LAURIDSEN 2021-2022 * indicates a gift made in memory
2O22 FESTIVAL CALENDAR SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
JULY
1
PORGY
3*
PORGY
10*
4
5
11
12
MIDSUMMER
17*
ACRES
6
13 ACRES
18
19
ACRES
20
APOLLO
STARS OF TOMORROW
7
14
PORGY
21
APOLLO*
SAT
2
MIDSUMMER
8
9
PORGY
ACRES
15
16
MIDSUMMER
22
ACRES
PORGY
PORGY
23
APOLLO* MIDSUMMER
24*
PORGY
PORGY AND BESS A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM A THOUSAND ACRES
STARS OF TOMORROW AMERICAN APOLLO
* 2PM MATINEE AMES SHUTTLE (Sponsored by City of Ames Commission on the Arts) DES MOINES SHUTTLE
UPCOMING EVENTS MARCH 27 JOYCE CASTLE AND DAVID NEELY 4:00PM | Plymouth Church
JUNE 11 OPERA GALA 5:30PM | Krause Gateway Center
Opera legend Joyce Castle and Maestro David Neely perform arias, art songs and musical theatre favorites in this special afternoon program in Des Moines. $25 adults, students FREE
Celebrate DMMO’s 50th Anniversary with dinner, dancing and divine entertainment in one of downtown Des Moines’ most distinguished recent additions—the Krause Gateway Center, designed by the internationally renowned architect Renzo Piano. www.dmmo.org/gala
APRIL 28 WINE, FOOD & BEER SHOWCASE 5:00PM | Downtown Des Moines Marriott DMMO’s signature fundraiser featuring the finest restaurants, caterers, wineries, breweries and distilleries in the area. $50-150
JUNE 18 THREADS AND TRILLS 11:00AM | Wakonda Club, Des Moines
JUNE 4 APPRENTICE SPOTLIGHT CONCERT 6:30PM | Blank Performing Arts Center lobby
Enjoy an elegant and fashionable lunch and hear mainstage artists at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines as special guests model some of DMMO’s most extravagant costumes. $50/person
DMMO's 42 apprentice and ensemble artists, selected from a national audition process, open the season singing their signature arias. FREE, reservation required
JULY 17 STARS OF TOMORROW 7:30PM | Sheslow Auditorium, Drake University
JUNE 9 & 11 PICNIC & PUCCINI FAMILY ADVENTURE 10:00AM | Blank Performing Arts Center
The rising stars of the Apprentice Artist Program perform arias, duets and ensembles with members of the Festival Orchestra in Des Moines. FREE, reservation required
Attend a performance of Rusalka: The Littlest Mermaid, then enjoy a sack lunch and take a behind-the-scenes tour of the theatre! $12/person
TICKET INFORMATION SINGLE TICKETS
A1
A
B
C
D
$125
$100
$80
$60
$25
A1
A
B
C
D
$360
$285
$225
$165
$75
Price per ticket
SUBSCRIPTIONS Price per subscription (3 shows)
BLANK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 513 N. D St. Indianola, IA
ADD-ONS THE MAGIC FLUTE Des Moines Civic Center
ORDER AT DMPA.ORG OR 515-246-2300
March 5-6
AMERICAN APOLLO Des Moines Art Center
$30
July 20, 21, 23
$45-85
July 8, 15, 22
$15/show: July 3, 10, 17
$10/show: March 6
Young Friends at the Opera Learn more at dmmo.org/youngfriends
Shuttle Service from Ames Shuttle Service from Des Moines
TICKET POLICY Prices are subject to change at any time based upon availability by section and performance dates. Casts and repertory are also subject to change. Ticket orders paid with credit card will incur a $10 processing fee for subscriptions and a $5 processing fee for single tickets. A $2 shipping fee will be added if you elect to receive your tickets via mail. Full ticketing and box office information can be found at dmmo.org/boxoffice, and our health and safety policies can be found at dmmo.org/safety.
July 23 (Apollo)
$10/show: July 2, 8, 17
READY TO ORDER? Visit DMMO.ORG, call our box office at (515) 961-6221 or scan the QR code with your phone.
PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS HOTEL POMMIER
1215 N Jefferson Way, Indianola (515) 961-0551 | hotelpommier.com You deserve local hospitality. At Hotel Pommier our guests enjoy friendly service, generous amenities and a break from cookie cutter hotel chains. We are local ambassadors that go the extra mile to ensure our guests enjoy everything Indianola has to offer. Get 10% off your booking by using the code DMMO22 when ordering online or over the phone.
COUNTRY INN & SUITES 501 E Trail Ridge Ave, Indianola (515) 808-4054
Enjoy a relaxing stay at our hotel in Indianola, Iowa. Located off Highway 65 just 30 minutes south of Iowa’s capital, the Country Inn & Suites by Carlson, Indianola, IA, provides a comfortable getaway in the Greater Des Moines region.
WINE FOOD BEER
SHOWCASE APR 28, 5-8PM / DOWNTOWN DSM MARRIOTT Featuring the finest restaurants, caterers, wineries, breweries and distilleries in the area, DMMO's signature fundraiser has returned to Downtown Des Moines with a new Thursday date. Upgrade your ticket and also gain access to exclusive fine wines from the private collections of The Wine Club, paired with high-end culinary creations in the secluded elegance of the Reserve Experience room. GRAND SHOWCASE Advance $50 | At-the-door $60 RESERVE EXPERIENCE $150
106 West Boston Avenue Indianola, IA 50125-1836
Visit: desmoinesmetroopera.org Like: facebook.com/DesMoinesMetroOpera Follow: instagram.com/DesMoinesMetroOpera Follow: twitter.com/DesMoinesOpera Watch: youtube.com/user/DesMoinesMetroOpera Change Service Requested
MARCH 5-6 DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER MOZART’S
THE
MAGIC FLUTE
TICKETS START AT $25: 515-246-2300 OR DMMO.ORG
WATCH THE TRAILER