Des Moines Metro Opera Vivace Spring 2024

2024

DES MOINES METRO OPERA SPRING 2024

I love a challenge, and I love to challenge our company and you, our audience, too. We continue to build on our achievements over the last decade, offering new horizons and projects that spark growth and inspiration. The 2024 Festival Season does just that. Moving from three operas on the mainstage to four, we try something new. First, a classic reimagined for the 21st century, then two epic works that kicked open the door of 20th century music in uniquely different ways, and finally one of the opera world’s most highly anticipated premieres. Along with the 50th year of our acclaimed Frank R. Brownell III Apprentice Artist Program, opera events are once again hot tickets!

The Barber of Seville never fails to delight first timers and seasoned attendees because it brims with familiar tunes and beloved characters. It returns to our stage for its fifth visit, but new this time in a vibrant and witty updated production by Lindy Hume and Tracy Grant Lord that we present in cooperation with Opera Queensland in Australia. Gary Thor Wedow returns to conduct a cast led by brilliant mezzo Sun-Ly Pierce as Rosina and former apprentice artists Alexander Birch Elliott as Figaro and tenor Duke Kim whose career has skyrocketed in recent years as Count Almaviva.

Salome (1905) by Richard Strauss and Pelléas & Mélisande (1902) by Claude Debussy took the world by storm—creating sensational headlines, challenging audiences and even sparking brawls and banishment. It’s fascinating to experience both works in the same season. It’s noteworthy that the title roles in both are sung by former apprentice artists Sara Gartland and John Moore. Joining them are audience favorite Sydney Mancasola as Mélisande, baritone Norman Garrett (who made a sensation as Crown in 2022’s Porgy and Bess) as John the Baptist, the debut of Brandon Cedel as Golaud, and the noteworthy return of Gwendolyn Jones as Herodias who sang over two dozen major roles with us between 1989 and 2007 including Carmen, Octavian, Regina, Queen Elizabeth I and many more. Conductor Derrick Inouye makes his debut with Debussy, and Music Director/Principal Conductor David Neely leads the Strauss. Directors Chas Rader-Shieber and Nathan Troup will stage stunning productions.

At long last, American Apollo will have its world premiere. Damien Geter and Lila Palmer have created a provocative work that plays beautifully at the intersection of historical events and the contemporary zeitgeist—art as both subject and medium for posing important questions. After two years of workshopping the evening-length version, you are in for a treat. Justin Austin, William Burden and Mary Dunleavy will embody these characters in an unforgettable way. Shaun Patrick Tubbs and his team have created a beautiful production. Those fortunate enough to have tickets will be transformed.

Opera tickets are the hottest tickets in town. Subscription sales are at a 12-year high and several performance dates are already sold out. First time attendees, cultural tourists, industry leaders and major classical music critics already have their tickets. Do you? I certainly hope so. If not, we won’t tell—just fix it fast!

Michael Egel, The Linda Koehn General and Artistic Director

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE / SALOME / PELLÉAS & MÉLISANDE / AMERICAN APOLLO

The Lauridsen Family Foundation is DMMO’s Season Presenting Sponsor

ABOVE The gardens surrounding the Blank Performing Art Center, designed by horticulturalist Kelly D. Norris, come alive every summer just in time for the opera season thanks to the generous support of the Ruan Foundation, Sunnie Richer and Roger Brooks and the Warren County Board of Supervisors.

ON THE COVER Baritone Justin Austin debuts the role of Thomas Eugene McKeller this summer in the world premiere of Geter/Palmer’s American Apollo

Editor/Designer KIM DRAGELEVICH

Contributors SCOTT ARENS, JOSHUA BORTHS, MICHAEL EGEL, LINDY HUME, DERRICK INOUYE

Photographers LUKE BEHAUNEK, AUSTIN HYLER DAY, BEN EASTER, PAIGE PETERSON, EMILY SECOR

Proofreader JULIA HAGEN

Vivace is a newsletter published annually by Des Moines Metro Opera, 106 West Boston Avenue, Indianola, Iowa 50125-1836. Volume 11, Issue 1.

Sitcom in Seville

Is Barber the greatest sitcom ever? Maybe, maybe not. First show me another sitcom that has maintained its global popularity for more than a few decades and we can compare.

This production began life in 2016 as a 200th birthday celebration of The Barber of Seville between Opera Queensland (Australia), Seattle Opera and New Zealand Opera. It is a delight to revisit our salute to Rossini’s comic genius at a time when the world is thirsty for what Barber offers in abundance: humanity, love, laughter and the possibility of a happy ending, all set to exhilarating music.

BY LINDY HUME, DIRECTOR

Rossini wrote Barber in 13 days and was only 24 when he did. His Rosina, Geltrude Righetti, was the same age, and the opera explodes with her youthful energy, velocity and naughtiness. The piece was based on subversive political ideas: the possibility of love bringing together nobility, the bourgeoisie and the lower classes; a middle- class hero—Rossini’s characters are anarchic, flawed and full of humanity. His Act I finale, characterized by the famous “Rossini crescendo” and “ensembles of perplexity,” is the embodiment of utter chaos verging on madness. The famous story of that disastrous opening night in Rome in 1816 just adds to this already delicious feast.

Rosina / SUN-LY PIERCE

Count Almaviva / DUKE KIM

Figaro / ALEXANDER BIRCH ELLIOTT

Tracy Grant Lord’s design is a chaotic collage of doors of all kinds—but this illogical architecture makes sense—the action takes place first in a streetscape and then inside a crazy, fusty old house with many rooms and a suspicious old man guarding the keys. Trapped inside, a young girl is growing into a woman who longs for escape. She hears enticing news from Figaro of the world outside those doors—a world of freedom and excitement, of noisy musicians and nosy neighbors, of Paris fashions, gossip and most thrillingly, a world of romance and adventure. And on the other side of her window, the Count Almaviva sings as he dreams of breaking down the doors to rescue her.

At its heart, like all timeless dramas, The Barber of Seville is about people, relationships and a human theme everyone can relate to—the battle between younger and older generations. Two young people in love overcome all obstacles to be together. Set to Rossini’s ebullient melodies, this is the secret of its longevity. No prizes for guessing which side of the battle the composer was on. To borrow the military analogy Almaviva, disguised as a drunken soldier, slurs to Rosina’s crusty old guardian Bartolo: “You want to fight? Good! This is the trench, and you are the enemy!”

Rosina is both battleground and prize in this war. Victory will be won by strategy and resourcefulness. The odds seem stacked in Bartolo’s favor. He has the prisoner, the keys and a ragbag army: crazy Basilio running intelligence and propaganda, Berta and Ambrogio as the Stasi spies and gatekeepers (although one senses that in their hearts they too long for liberation). The “poor student” Lindoro has only his youthful audacity and a series of harebrained schemes cooked up by his ex-servant Figaro. The fact that he’s actually a fabulously wealthy nobleman in disguise does however help when things go pear-shaped.

Director / LINDY HUME

In 1825 The Barber of Seville was the first full- length opera ever performed in New York, with the teenage Maria Malibran, a superstar in the making, playing Rosina in a cast that included her father as Almaviva and her brother as Figaro. It was a sensation. America immediately took Barber to its heart, and it’s not hard to see why. The unashamedly showy character of Figaro is the very embodiment of the American spirit of enterprise and optimism. An ambitious self- made man, Figaro loves his work. He makes himself indispensable to his clients; in turn, his usefulness and charisma makes him money. And money makes him a free man: Seville’s most sought-after businessman, no less. Who needs the class system? In a merit-based society, anyone with a work ethic and chutzpah can succeed!

Finally, a word about Figaro’s dazzling aria. It’s probably too famous for its own good, and the prospect of finding new ways to stage any hit song is daunting. But in preparing this production, I’ve gained a new respect for “Largo al factotum.” Rossini wrote it for his friend Luigi Zamboni, and the affection shows. He knew it was a showstopper and probably the best entrance aria ever written.

One thing’s for sure, when the orchestra strikes up with that famous tune, 208 years after it was written, it’s still guaranteed to send a shot of adrenalin from stage to audience and back again. And it reminds us, here in the digital age on the other side of the planet, of Rossini’s complete mastery of comedy.

Conductor / GARY THOR WEDOW

Image courtesy of Opera Queensland, © Stephen Henry, Photographer

But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and she pleased Herod so much that he promised an oath to grant her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.”

Matthew (14:6-8)

Salome: FROM SCRIPTURE TO STAGE

BY JOSHUA BORTHS

Interestingly, “Salome” is never named in this story from the New Testament, and the events of John the Baptist’s death account for only a paragraph or so in the gospels of Matthew and Mark. And yet, the story of Herod’s daughter and her infamous dance has loomed large for millennia, capturing the imaginations of historians, theologians and artists alike. For—despite its brevity—this mysterious episode captures not just the tensions, desires and politicking of an ancient world gone by, but the darkest impulses of our own.

Salome, as named by the Jewish historian Josephus, was the daughter of Herodias and Herod Antipas’s brother, Philip, making her part of an incestuous, insidious family who violently ruled Roman Palestine at the start of the first century. After all, Salome’s grandfather, Herod the Great, notoriously ordered the Slaughter of the Innocents, and her stepfather would turn Jesus of Nazareth over to Pontius Pilate before engaging in a series of disastrous rebellions. As summarized by Jewish historians, the lineage of Herod was thoroughly corrupt. Herod the Great and his descendants were not interested in faith, religion or spirituality. They were interested in political power.

Around the year 30 AD, Herod fell in love with his brother’s wife, Herodias, and together, they plotted to kill her husband. The prophet, John the Baptist, spoke out against this palace coup. In the ancient world—as in our own—the role of the prophet was not to foretell, magically predicting events of an unknowable future; it was to forthtell, speaking truth to power, despite great personal risk. Therefore, John preached against the incestuous marriage of Herod and Herodias; he spoke out against fratricide; he raged against the moral decay of the royal court. Herodias wanted him dead. Herod, however, was wary and “afraid” of John, so Herodias used her daughter—Herod’s stepdaughter—as a pawn to murder the prophet.

Centuries later, beginning in the Renaissance, depictions of Salome and the head of John the Baptist became popular as artists explored this story of extremes: innocence versus corruption, life versus death, spiritual truth versus worldly desire. By the 19th century, Salome not only entranced visual artists, but also writers, poets and composers, such as Jules Massenet who wrote the opera Hérodiade in 1881.

In 1893 the Irish playwright and celebrity Oscar Wilde published his one-act play, Salomé. Since English law banned depictions of Biblical figures onstage, Wilde wrote his play in French, creating quite the scandal in the process. At the same time, though, Germany was on the cutting edge of artistic and psycho-sexual developments, and unlike other European

nations, German intellectuals were entranced by Wilde’s provocative work. It was quickly translated by Hedwig Lachmann and taken up by composer Richard Strauss, who brilliantly transposed Wilde’s subtext, decadence and decay into his ever-evolving musical language.

While Salome had always been central to the story of John’s death, focus has traditionally been placed on the prophet himself. Wilde, Lachmann and Strauss, however, change this perspective, and Salome becomes the focus of her own drama. Tapping into anxieties of modernity, Salome depicts a world where unconscious and mysterious desires abound, exploring how little we can truly comprehend about ourselves and those around us. Like the moon, which is only visible by reflecting the sun’s light, Wilde posits that, through our subjective reflection, we can never really know one another at all.

In any production of Salome, therefore, thousands of years of history, theology and art collapse into one singular moment, and the work itself becomes a form of prophesy. Premiering less than a decade before WWI, the opera Salome speaks to a world about to be consumed by fire. Salome, the opera, “forthtells,” depicting the dangers of a society on the brink, consumed by its own self-interest. Salome warns us against dancing for death.

Salome / SARA GARTLAND

Jochanaan / NORMAN GARRETT

Herodias / GWENDOLYN JONES

Conductor / DAVID NEELY

Director / NATHAN TROUP

OPPOSITE Set rendering of Salome by Steven C. Kemp. ABOVE Costume sketches for Herod and Salome by Jacob A. Climer.

Mysterious Beauty

BY DERRICK INOUYE, CONDUCTOR

Costume design for Mélisande by Jacob A. Climer.

Claude Debussy’s Pelléas & Mélisande is an enigmatic, impressionistic tale. Its characters wander in the mists of a neverending dream set to shimmering hypnotic music that serves as a reflection of its opaque world. The story takes place in the imaginary kingdom of Allemonde, where Mélisande, a fragile and mysterious creature, wanders lost in the forest. While hunting one day, Prince Golaud discovers her and marries her before learning anything about her mysterious past. When he introduces her to his half brother Pelléas, a secret bond forms between the two—but is it love?

DMMO’s new production is directed by Chas Rader-Shieber with scenic design by Andrew Boyce (The Queen of Spades, 2021) and costumes by Jacob A. Climer. It is a work often found at the top of wish lists for singers, designers and especially conductors for the interpretative possibilities its unique qualities offer. Maestro Derrick Inouye, who has conducted the piece at the Metropolitan Opera, makes his debut with DMMO this summer. Below he reflects on what appeals to him about the work.

Debussy was very discerning when it came to finding a story and storyteller for an opera that would match his style of music. In Maurice Maeterlinck he found a kindred soul, for in his play “Pelléas et Mélisande” Maeterlinck’s aesthetic could be described as “what is left unsaid may reveal more than what is said.” That aesthetic beautifully matches Debussy’s musical language and his sense of theatre, for in his pursuit of impressionistic color and dream-like soundscapes his approach to storytelling is far from the in-your-face drama and spectacle of the verismo composers like Puccini. This requires us as listeners to adjust our approach to this mode of storytelling. Because nothing is handed to us on a silver platter, we have to discern “what is left unsaid.” Debussy’s music sounds incredibly lush and haunting, but there is an underlying, almost unseen tension that builds the drama in place of the usual grandiosity or rhythmical frenzy that other composers might use.

Just like the art of Monet which paints light suggesting the impressions of landscapes, Debussy’s musical soundscapes evoke feelings and atmospheres that lift you through the story of Pelléas and Mélisande in a way that no other composer could. His use of orchestral color and elusive harmony can seem almost sensual at one moment and inspire time-suspending awe at another. It makes us feel with deep compassion the humanity of the characters in the story. Debussy’s opera is a masterpiece of haunting beauty, and the immersion in his storytelling can be a profound experience. PELLÉAS

Conductor / DERRICK INOUYE

Pelléas / EDWARD NELSON Mélisande / SYDNEY MANCASOLA

Golaud / BRANDON CEDEL

Director / CHAS RADER-SHIEBER

Arkel / MATT BOEHLER

Portrait an Opera of

BY JOSHUA BORTHS

In 1916 the world-famous artist, John Singer Sargent, stepped into an elevator at the Hotel Vendome in Boston, Massachusetts. As the doors began to shut, Sargent noticed—and presumably began a conversation with—the young, Black bellman, Thomas McKeller, operating the lift. While the nature of their interactions behind closed doors is unknown, this encounter was clearly the beginning of a long relationship between the two men.

McKeller quickly became Sargent’s preferred model in the United States, posing for a dizzying array of figures in Sargent’s paintings and murals, all of whom were depicted as white. And yet, despite this erasure of McKeller from Sargent’s public work, it was a private, nude portrait of McKeller that dominated Sargent’s studio when he died in 1925.

Since the rediscovery of this complicated relationship, art historians and scholars have worked to uncover the life of Thomas McKeller and reexamine the works of John Singer Sargent. However, no amount of research can ever fully unearth what happened between them. It is only fitting, therefore, that this relationship be explored through a work of art, the opera American Apollo, making its much anticipated premiere this summer at DMMO. “McKeller and Sargent were artists, and artists are better judged by their art than what they say about themselves,” explains librettist Lila Palmer, adding “you can always tell when someone takes a picture of—or paints—someone they love.”

American Apollo began its life as a 20-minute opera as part of Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative. It caught the eye of David Neely, DMMO’s Music Director and Principal Conductor, and the company quickly commissioned an expansion of the opera.

Now the full work has been fleshed out, workshopped, and prepared for its world premiere. “We tweaked and cut a lot,” explains composer Damien Geter. “It’s easy to get swept into the world of famous figures and chiseling them down was a challenge.” Palmer adds, “The process is very technical and detailed, but what has been clear through all the workshops is that different people resonate with different aspects of the story… I’m excited to learn what people see.”

Many of the same singers who will premiere American Apollo have been with the project since the beginning. “Their voices are each so interesting, and their contributions were invaluable,” says Geter. “Listening to them, I got a lot of information about how the text and notes were working together.”

Musically, Geter explains, “I used almost every note of the original version, but the material is now spread out. The score is motific, so musical ideas are used over and over in variation. As I wrote, I was thinking about how Sargent painted McKeller in all these different poses… The score is like a theme and variation.” Geter’s eyes brighten. “I wanted to use a musical palate that was colorful and makes you think you are looking at a painting. There’s a lot of swirling as different ideas and musical styles collide.” Geter concludes, “But I’m most excited for people to learn about Thomas McKeller… People need to know about the contributions of Black folks across the country.”

While American Apollo is a work of historical fiction, Geter and Palmer agree that this is a story that needs to be sung. “The issue of erasure… is an important part of the story. We had to tackle it.” Palmer concludes, “It is so delicate and nuanced. People contain multitudes, and there is so much that is sweet and bitter as we depict the complexity of humans trying and failing.”

Set design elements by designer Steven C. Kemp

Expanded version commissioned by DMMO with leadership support from the Pamela Bass-Bookey and Harry Bookey Charitable Foundation

After decades of neglect, Sargent’s portrait of McKeller now hangs in the Boston Museum of Art for the world to see. Surrounded by both Gilded Age artifacts and paintings by contemporary Black artist Kehinde Wiley, an explosion of color and pulsating beauty now confronts viewers as ubiquitous French vases give way to Black excellence. When baritone Justin Austin, who is originating the role of Thomas McKeller, finally stood face-to-face with the portrait, he exclaimed, “Yes… I see.”

The Creators

John Singer Sargent / WILLIAM BURDEN

Isabella Stewart Gardner / MARY DUNLEAVY

Conductor / DAVID NEELY

Thomas Eugene McKeller / JUSTIN AUSTIN

Director / SHAUN PATRICK TUBBS

Composer / DAMIEN GETER

Librettist / LILA PALMER

Frank Brownell III OPERA’S ADVOCATE

Frank Brownell loves opera. Hard stop. But he is passionate about Des Moines Metro Opera. He came to his first productions at DMMO in 1974, the company’s second season, and he hasn’t missed one since. For many decades, he was accompanied by his late wife Nancy. In recent years he can be seen with several new friends at performances and special events. “I’ve known Frank since my earliest days with the opera. Both he and Nancy were quick to welcome me into the fold when I arrived in the mid 1970s. His friendship and support have meant the world to me,” said Jerilee M. Mace, former Executive Director at DMMO. Frank’s love of opera and of DMMO grew over time. He showed his appreciation, not only by his attendance, but through financial support that grew from an annual gift to major production underwriting and recently to leadership endowment support.

Frank is a native Iowan and graduated from Montezuma High School in 1957. He attended the University of Iowa, graduating magna cum laude in 1961 with a degree in Journalism and married his sweetheart Nancy Denton that same year. After college Frank attended Naval Officer Candidate School and served aboard the USS Caliente in San Pedro, California. He became a Lieutenant in 1966 while serving in the US Naval Reserves. In 1964 Frank returned to the family business, Brownells, Inc. He fulfilled many duties within the company before being appointed President/CEO in 1991, a position he held until 2008 before becoming Chairman of the Board. Frank and Nancy had three sons—Bob, Pete and Matt—and six grandchildren. To his delight, one of his grandsons in Colorado has recently started singing lessons. “He’s a tenor. We finally have a singer in the crowd,” Frank said.

Frank (right) with Jerilee M. Mace and fellow AAP supporter, the late Jim Collier.

Civic service was a major tenant of Frank’s professional years. He served on the Montezuma City Council for 54 years, including a stint as mayor pro tem, and was given an “Outstanding Citizen Award” in 2019 on his retirement from municipal service. Frank is a member of the Alumni Board of the School of Journalism at the University of Iowa and has served on numerous boards and committees, including the board of DMMO. He is a passionate philanthropist as well, leading by example through campaigns for the Montezuma Public Library, school district and local hospital—all while continuing to cultivate a love for opera and the performing arts.

This love for music and opera was not perhaps the most obvious hobby for him, but his parents are mainly to blame. His mother listened regularly to Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts on Saturday afternoons, and his father purchased a set of 13 opera performances on record from a jeweler who was closing his shop. Frank wore out the records listening to them. One year an aunt bought the whole family tickets to a performance at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and they took the Rock Island train from Grinnell to Chicago to see the legendary Risë Stevens sing Carmen. Those were the first of many miles traveled to see opera.

Throughout life, Frank continued to travel frequently to see performances at companies like the Metropolitan Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago and San Francisco Opera, which he often attended with his sister Diana. But no matter how far he traveled, he always preferred his favorite seats in the third row center at the Blank Performing Arts Center in Indianola to any theatre in the world. “It’s my favorite theatre of all—it’s the best. It spoils me. I’m the most comfortable there,” he said.

A manufacturer by trade, it’s not surprising that Frank also wanted to know how all the parts of an opera came together. “Tell me about scenery design. What does building a costume mean? How is a festival different than other opera companies?” he often asked. The more he learned, the more interested he became. Backstage tours for Frank are commonplace, and he could often be found inspecting rigging systems or touring the stage deck. His years in the Navy even informed some of the advice that he gave the stage crew while touring the set for one of his favorite operas, Billy Budd in 2017, set on a British naval ship. Frank befriended longtime DMMO Production Manager Jim Lile and even traveled to Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, which boasts one of the largest opera stages in the country, where Lile worked. “We hit it off right away. Each season we’d go out after a show to catch up,” said Lile. “I knew The Tales of Hoffmann was

his favorite opera, and so I contacted him to invite him out to Bloomington to see it. To my delight, he accepted.”

Most importantly of all, Frank became passionate about DMMO’s Apprentice Artist Program. “Aspiring singers are of particular interest to Frank,” said Mace. In the early 2000s he would journey to New York with Mace and DMMO Founder Robert L. Larsen on the annual audition trip. Frank would spend time in the afternoon listening to singers and marveling at the breadth of talent he’d hear and then attending productions at New York City Opera and the Metropolitan Opera in the evenings and even dancing afterwards!

In 2015 Frank made the first of many yearly trips to New York with current General and Artistic Director Michael Egel. They took in museum exhibits, opera performances and often planned their trip around the invitation-only semifinals of the Met’s Laffont Competition which Frank enthusiastically enjoyed. “Frank shares my passion for identifying promising singers and searching near and far to find the next generation of artists,” said Egel. “He has a good ear for singers, and I always value his perspective. Those trips to New York with a close friend were very happy times.” In 2022 Frank generously endowed the Apprentice Artist Program for young singers with a $1 million gift, and the program now bears his name. He looks forward to attending the Apprentice Spotlight on June 1 and the Stars of Tomorrow concert on July 20 this season.

“Of all the causes I support, this one is just about the most important, followed by the local hospital which fixes the body—DMMO fixes everything else,” Frank said. We couldn’t agree more, and we are all better for his spirit of giving back and his immense love of opera.

Frank and DMMO General and Artistic Director Michael Egel in 2018 at the Whitney Museum.

PREACHING TO THE CHORUS

DMMO celebrates a milestone anniversary for Lisa Hasson, Chorus Director and Director of the Frank R. Brownell III Apprentice Artist Program

BY JOSHUA BORTHS

Lisa Hasson, DMMO’s Irene Graether Chorus Director and Director of the Apprentice Artist Program, started her tenure at DMMO as a last-minute staff replacement. “I never called. I never auditioned. I just kind of slipped through the back door.”

Looking back on that first season, Hasson says, “It was a bit of a shock. I came in expecting to be intimidated by Robert Larsen, but he and I took to each other immediately.” Since that serendipitous summer, “I’m really proud of myself. I changed and grew as the company changed. When I started, I never dreamed it was the beginning of this long, stunning relationship.”

This summer Hasson celebrates her 20th anniversary with the company and says that coming to DMMO each year has become more than a job. “My kids referred to it as their Iowa house… and I’m incredibly lucky that the company has always supported me. A generation before, I think artists felt like they couldn’t live this life and have a family. They had to choose—especially women.” Sometimes, productions have even become family affairs. “I will never forget it. During Romeo and Juliet, my husband was the fight choreographer, and my kids—who were eight— were really into sword fighting. During a rehearsal, Alexander ran over to Brian and said, ‘That’s wrong. Tybalt wouldn’t do that. He would put up more of a fight.’ They restaged the scene!”

During Hasson’s tenure, the Apprentice Artist Program has grown immensely, gaining national prominence for training, promoting and launching major talent. “I’m extremely proud of the level of the Apprentice Artist Program. There is a long list of singers who go on to big programs, competitions and careers. The program has become a destination for impresarios, agents and companies across the country.”

When asked how the program has been able to grow while similar companies have struggled in the constantly shifting landscape of American opera, Lisa’s eyes brighten. “It’s everything that surrounds us. The people who work at DMMO are friends more than colleagues. It’s a harmonious thing. People care about each other, and everyone has the singers’ interest at heart.”

Over the course of 20 years, Lisa has been a beloved fixture at DMMO, and her leadership and talent has been instrumental in the elevation of the company, nurturing an environment where singing, camaraderie and artistry grows.

FROM APPRENTICES TO TITLE ROLES

Fifty years of the

DUKE KIM, AAP 2016

Count Almaviva, The Barber of Seville

ALEXANDER BIRCH ELLIOTT, AAP 2011 Figaro, The Barber of Seville

SARA GARTLAND, AAP 2008 Salome, Salome

Apprentice Artist Program have produced many notable careers. This season the major roles in three operas are sung by former apprentice artists.

OPERA IOWA CONCLUDES TOUR

On April 29 Des Moines Metro Opera’s OPERA Iowa troupe presented the final performance of its 38th annual statewide music education tour. Over the course of nine weeks, the eight-member troupe drove over 5,100 miles across Iowa to present over 50 classroom workshops, eight aria concerts, 10 masterclasses and 55 performances of two operas: Sid the Serpent Who Wanted to Sing and Grétry/Borths’ Beauty and the Beast. Over 25,000 students were impacted by the 2024 tour! Bravi to troupe members Emily Secor, Hannah Neumann, Connor Buckley, Sarah Kathryn Curtis, Gwen Van Denburg, Milutin Jocic, Hayden Smith and Sarah Rosales!

OPERA AMERICA GRANT

Des Moines Metro Opera was recently awarded $29,000 in funding from OPERA America’s Opera Fund in support of the much-anticipated world premiere of Geter/Palmer’s American Apollo. These prestigious grants support the development of new American opera, allowing creators and producers to refine works-in-progress by offsetting creative fees and other costs including workshops, readings and revisions.

AMES GUILD AT 35 YEARS

In March of 1989, Ames resident and opera lover Jaime Reyes invited 240 people to the Ames Public Library for the inaugural meeting of the Ames Chapter of the Des Moines Metro Opera Guild. No one came. He tried again. This time four people joined Jaime and his wife Daphne—Anita Beal, Don Zytowski, Charlie Fouts and Barney Cook—and thus, the Ames Chapter was born. Over the years, the Guild continued to grow and expand its membership and offerings. Today the Ames Chapter boasts 69 dedicated and passionate members and maintains a robust calendar of events that educate and enrich the lives of the greater Ames

community. Congratulations to the Ames Chapter on this milestone anniversary! To learn more about the DMMO Guild’s four chapters (Ames, Des Moines, Indianola and Newton), visit dmmo.org/guild or call 515-961-6221

50 SEASONS AT DMMO

Dr. Michael Patterson, DMMO’s longestserving staff member, will celebrate his 50th season with the opera this summer. Apart from the two years where Patterson said he was “exploring,” he’s spent every summer since 1973 working for DMMO, first as a member of the stage crew in the early seasons and then becoming a staple of the front-of-house staff from 1985 to the present day.

Visitors to the opera every summer will find him in the theatre lobby, managing the front-of-house interns, greeting opera patrons and always at the ready for any artist or audience member in need of his assistance. He enjoys this position because of the endless possibilities that come with the job. “It’s the last of the free-wheeling spirit of those early days for the company. Each day brings a new adventure.”

The 2024 Opera Iowa troupe L-R: Connor Buckley, Sarah Kathryn Curtis, Sarah Rosales, Hayden Smith and Milutin Jocic.

Patterson often thinks of his life as a rondo, a musical form with a recurring theme. “In a rondo you always come back to the ‘A’ section. For me that’s Des Moines Metro Opera. I’ve found my way back each year— eager for what the next season will bring.”

In honor of his 50th season, Patterson published a beautiful collection of art songs entitled Songs of Sven Lekberg All proceeds from the songbook will be donated to the DMMO Foundation. Featuring nearly two dozen remarkable songs composed by his mentor and friend, Dr. Sven Lekberg, the collection is available for purchase at shopdmmo.org or at the Opera Boutique in the theatre this summer.

WELCOME TO NATALIE RUMER

In February DMMO welcomed Natalie Rumer to the full-time staff as Development Coordinator. Natalie has always had a passion for the arts. She received her BA in Music from Luther College and went on to earn her MM in Opera from Manhattan School of Music. Natalie comes to DMMO from Raccoon Valley Bank, where she served as a branch manager. Welcome to DMMO, Natalie!

DINING AT THE OPERA

Enhance your DMMO experience by adding dining to your day!

INDOOR CAFÉ DINING

Enjoy our own white-linen gourmet restaurant located in the air-conditioned comfort of the lobby at Blank Performing Arts Center. The Des Moines Embassy Club has worked their magic and created menus themed for each opera. The Café is open for evening performances only. Dinner begins two hours before the performances. $75 per person. Advance reservation required.

À LA CARTE DINING

Create your own picnic meal from an assortment of sandwiches, salads and other goodies from local vendors including Savor the Rise, Nourished, Thistle’s Summit, Purveyor and Doré Bakery, and enjoy eating in any of our outdoor dining areas under the shade sails on the theatre plaza. We have curated a wide variety of options that include vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free items. À La Carte Dining items will be available at the outdoor concessions beginning two hours before every performance. No pre-order or reservation is required.

Visit dmmo.org/dining or call the box office at (515) 961-6221 to make reservations.

2O24 FESTIVAL CALENDAR

& Mélisande American

UPCOMING EVENTS

JUNE 1 & 15 OPERA PREVIEWS

M Matinee (2pm on Sundays and 7/20, 1pm on 7/13 & 7/19) ^ 8pm performance (7/13 & 7/19) Shuttle Stars of Tomorrow

Dates and times subject to change | All times are CT

2:00PM | Franklin Ave Library, Des Moines

Get a sneak-peek of The Barber of Seville, Salome, Pelléas & Mélisande and American Apollo from DMMO Lecturer-in-Residence Joshua Borths, presented at and in partnership with Franklin Avenue Library. FREE

JUNE 1 APPRENTICE SPOTLIGHT CONCERT

6:30PM | Blank Performing Arts Center, Indianola

DMMO’s Apprentice Artists, selected from a national audition process, open the season singing their signature arias. FREE

JUNE 7 & 8 PICNIC & PUCCINI FAMILY ADVENTURE

10:00AM | Blank Performing Arts Center, Indianola

Join us for this family opera adventure that includes a tour of the theatre, a special performance of Sid the Serpent Who Wanted to Sing and lunch. $12 (cash/check) or $15 (online), dmmo.org/picnic

JUNE 8 OPERA GALA

5:30PM | Ruan Center, Des Moines

Celebrate the kickoff of the festival season at the 2024 Opera Gala!

Enjoy an elegant evening at the Ruan Center in downtown Des Moines, complete with a gourmet plated dinner and a stunning musical program featuring performances by mainstage artists. dmmo.org/gala

JUNE 15 THREADS AND TRILLS

11:30AM | Embassy Club West, West Des Moines

Join the DMMO Guild for a delicious lunch and captivating arias from mainstage artists as special guests model some of DMMO’s most extravagant costumes. $55/person, dmmo.org/threads

JUNE 29, JULY 5, JULY 16 APPRENTICE SCENE PROGRAMS

2:00PM | Lekberg Recital Hall, Amy Robertson Music Center

The 2024 Apprentice Artists take the spotlight in fully staged excerpts from across the operatic spectrum. All scene programs will be held in Lekberg Recital Hall in the Amy Robertson Music Center on the campus of Simpson College. FREE

JULY 13 AMERICAN APOLLO EVENTS

3:30pm and 7:00pm | Kent Campus Center, Indianola

Acclaimed biographer and historian Paul Fisher presents his talk, A Mysterious Apollo: John Singer Sargent and His Muse Thomas McKeller at 3:30pm prior to the opening night of DMMO’s exciting world premiere opera. Later, enjoy a conversation between DMMO’s Company Dramaturg Joshua Borths, composer Damien Geter and librettist Lila Palmer at 7:00pm. FREE

JULY 20 STARS OF TOMORROW

2:00PM | Sheslow Auditorium, Drake University, Des Moines

The rising stars of the Apprentice Artist Program perform duets, trios and ensembles alongside DMMO’s acclaimed Festival Orchestra at this special concert in Des Moines. FREE. Tickets required. dmmo.org/stars

The Barber of Seville Salome Pelléas

Apollo

SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGES

Select a 3- or 4-opera subscription to secure the best seats at the best price. Plus, earn benefits like free date exchanges, monthly payment plans and more.

TICKET EXCHANGES must occur at least 24 hours in advance of the affected performance. Seating is subject to availability. Subscribers may exchange tickets at no additional cost. Single ticket buyers incur a $10 exchange fee. A price increase may be incurred based upon performance date (no refunds for lower priced dates).

ADD-ON TICKETS

ACCESSIBILITY The Blank Performing Arts Center is ADA accessible. Please let the Box Office know your needs in advance. Call the DMMO office at 515-961-6221 for more information.

FEES & REFUNDS No refunds or cancellations. Casts, repertory, seat map and ticket prices are subject to change. The credit card processing fee is $5 per order for single tickets and $10 per order for subscriptions. Full ticketing and box office information can be found at: dmmo.org/boxoffice.

READY TO ORDER?

BY PHONE: 515-209-3257 (MON - FRI, 9:00AM-4:30PM, CT)

ONLINE: DMMO.ORG/TICKETS

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 who go the extra mile to ensure our guests enjoy everything Indianola has to offer. Get 10% off your booking by using the code DMMO24 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 Radisson, Indianola, IA, provides a comfortable getaway in the Greater Des Moines region.