2nd Stages Series

"Des Moines Metro Opera is a major force in the national opera scene, and if any reinforcement of that was needed, after this remarkably effective mounting of Glory Denied, I can emphatically say: Mission Accomplished." -Opera Today

Conceived as an expansion of the company’s successful Summer Festival Season, the 2nd Stages Series builds on Des Moines Metro Opera’s rapidly expanding capacity as a true community partner and allows audiences to experience this remarkable art form through operatic presentations in unorthodox spaces. Creative place-making is a core component of our mission to introduce live performance to audiences in the Midwest and to demonstrate the power of the human voice to tell the stories of our own time. These productions will be added to the line-up of various seasons as interesting projects, locations, occasions and sponsors are identified and brought together.

Over ten seasons, the 2nd Stages Series has partnered with various community organizations to present unique performances at venues such as the African American Museum of Iowa, Maytag Dairy Farms, the Iowa Culinary Institute, the Greater Des Moines Botanical Gardens, Hope+Elim, the Science Center of Iowa, the Freedom Center at Camp Dodge, the Des Moines Art Center, the Temple Theater, Hoyt Sherman Place and Stoner Theater.

Previous Productions

dwb (driving while black)

Music by Susan Kander
Libretto by Roberta Gumbel

Presented June 16, July 8, 15, 22, 2023
African American Museum of Iowa
Mainframe Studios
Hope+Elim
Viking Theatre, Grand View University

THE FALLING & THE RISING

Music by Zach Redler
Libretto by Jerre Dye

Presented July 20, 22, 2023
Freedom Center, Camp Dodge

In collaboration with the Iowa National Guard

AMERICAN APOLLO

Music by Damien Geter
Libretto by Lila Palmer

Presented July 20, 21, 23, 2022
Levitt Auditorium, Des Moines Art Center

In partnership with Des Moines Art Center and Pyramid Theatre Company

Des Moines Metro Opera has commissioned the full version of American Apollo, which will debut during the organization's 2024 Season.

THE MAGIC FLUTE

Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder
Previously performed in 1975, 1988, 2006

Presented March 5 & 6, 2022
Des Moines Civic Center

A production of the Komische Oper Berlin; Co-produced by Los Angeles Opera and Minnesota Opera

FELLOW TRAVELERS

Music by Gregory Spears
Libretto by Greg Pierce
Based on "Fellow Travelers," the 2007 novel by Thomas Mallon

Presented July 17, 2021
Hoyt Sherman Place

In partnership with the One Iowa, Capital City Pride, and the Hoyt Sherman Place Foundation

THE JOHN HOLIDAY EXPERIENCE

Featuring countertenor John Holiday
With pianists Neeki Bey and Kevin J. Miller

Presented July 11, 2021
Sheslow Auditorium, Des Moines

THE HUMAN VOICE

Music: Francis Poulenc
Lyrics: Jean Cocteau

Presented January 31 and February 2, 2020
Viking Theater, Grand View University campus

BON APPÉTIT!

Music: Lee Hoiby
Libretto: Julia Child, adapted by Mark Shulgasser

Presented July 18, 19, 21, 2019
Iowa Culinary Institute, DMACC Ankeny Campus

In partnership with the Iowa Culinary Institute

GLORY DENIED

Music: Tom Cipullo
Libretto: adapted by the composer from the oral history Glory Denied by Tom Philpott

Presented November 16-18, 2018
Drill Hall, Freedom Center, Camp Dodge

In collaboration with the Iowa National Guard

THE TENDER LAND

Music: Aaron Copland
Libretto: Horace Everett (Erik Johns)

Presented July 5 & 8, 2018
An outdoor production at the Maytag Dairy Farms in Newton, Iowa

In partnership with the Maytag Dairy Farms

AS ONE

Music and concept: Laura Kaminsky
Libretto: Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed
Film: Kimberly Reed

Presented Nov 17-19, 2017
Stoner Theater, Civic Center

In partnership with One Iowa and Transformations Iowa