Des Moines Metro Opera 106 West Boston Avenue, Indianola, IA 50125

"You'll find, perhaps surprisingly to those who don't know of DMMO, world-class theater in the heart of the Midwest. Whether or not you think opera is your "thing," you simply must travel here for a show (or 3) during their summer festival. DMMO puts on 3 mainstage productions and 2 "second stage" operas throughout the summer. Huge set pieces, innovative show design, incredible singers, and great programming lead to predictably awesome and engaging performances every time. The theater is intimate and features a playing circle, so truly no matter where you buy your tickets you are guaranteed an amazing view. I love this company and I love the passion and friendliness of the staff. I love DMMO's commitment to performing classic, famous operas alongside less-often performed works. They commit to performing American and contemporary operas too by diverse composers, and they do outreach to schools in Iowa through their Opera Iowa traveling troupe. This summer, I went to three shows: "Carmen," a classic Bizet tragedy with huge set pieces and a large cast, "Bluebeard's Castle," an intense psychological one-act opera starring just one man and woman, and "A Love for Three Oranges," a rarely-performed Prokofiev opera that is absurd, rollicking fun. I enjoyed an incredible weekend of emotion, drama, and silliness. And you just won't find nicer, more dedicated people anywhere else than the ones who work here. Please take the time to go to Indianola and see a show! You won't regret it!"

"A powerful, moving production...made more relevant by adding the panel talk-back. Has the DMMO considered inviting local law enforcement officers to a performance? Or perhaps city/county/state officials? The power of art might help nurture some empathy. Last year's A Thousand Acres raised the consciousness of audience members to a number of ag-related and familial issue concerns. dwb continues to demonstrate that DMMO maintains its relevance to today's societal issues. BRAVO..."

"dwb at Mainframe Studios. The performance was excellent, but different for those accustomed to melodic music. There were no real "melodies" to follow, but the music reflected the emotions of the story - jarring, scary, angry, sad. The panel discussion following the performance was extremely valuable and could have gone on twice as long - there is SO much to unpack!"

"I visited all the way from Houston and was blown away by the performances. Des Moines Metro Opera has the most amazing cast, crew, music, and costumes. I had the opportunity to see Carmen last night and it was phenomenal. Keep up the excellent work. I can’t wait to visit again."