OPERA Iowa’s 40th Annual Tour Concludes
By Samuel Carroll, Director of Education and Engagement
When Des Moines Metro Opera invited me to return last fall as Director of Education and Engagement, my decision wasn’t labored or drawn out. I found myself imagining the possibilities—how we might expand access to music education across the state, deepen our engagement in communities, and build lasting relationships with students and teachers throughout Iowa.
It was an easy “yes.”
Now, as we reflect on the conclusion of OPERA Iowa’s 40th anniversary tour, I am more certain than ever that it was the right decision.
Over the course of nine weeks, the OPERA Iowa troupe traveled to every corner of the state—from Mondamin to Dubuque, and Sioux Center to Chariton—bringing live, professional opera directly into schools and communities. In total, the 2026 tour included 60 performances of The Billy Goats Gruff, 7 performances of Cinderella, 10 Spotlight Aria Concerts, and 8 masterclasses for high school and college students, reaching over 25,000 students across Iowa and Illinois.
In each community, the transformation was immediate. A school gymnasium or cafeteria became a stage. Students who may never have experienced live performance found themselves watching a story unfold just feet away from where they sit each day.
But what stays with me most are not just the performances themselves, but the responses.
One educator shared:
“The Opera Iowa run in Sioux City was highly successful - please thank everyone at DMMO for continuing to provide this service to those of us who are smart enough to take advantage of it!”
Another wrote:
“Once again OPERA Iowa has put on fantastic and engaging performances! I appreciate how you’ve made the art form so accessible for our elementary students!”
And perhaps most meaningfully, a student reflected:
“Thank you for coming to our school. Not many people think of [us]. I liked when the Troll was singing about how he was a bully because it showed how some people could be bullies and not know it.”
See OPERA Iowa in Action
To better understand the impact of this year’s tour, I invite you to explore a few moments from the road:
Watch: OPERA Iowa in Johnston Schools (WHO-TV Scholastic Spotlight)
Read: Coverage from the Dubuque Telegraph Herald
From the Road: Short Videos from Classrooms & Performances
Creating memorable moments for over 40 years
OPERA Iowa makes opera possible anywhere
These glimpses offer just a small window into the excitement, curiosity, and joy that filled classrooms and performance spaces across Iowa this spring.
Planning is already underway for the 2027 OPERA Iowa tour, which will expand to ten weeks and include new productions of Pinocchio and Hansel & Gretel vs. The Witch, alongside our ongoing masterclasses and Spotlight Aria Concerts.
But even as we look forward, I find myself returning to the same thought that guided my decision to come back to Des Moines Metro Opera in the first place: the belief that this work matters—not only in the performances we bring to the stage, but in the connections we build along the way.
To the teachers, students, community partners, and supporters who made this 40th anniversary tour possible—thank you.
—Samuel Carroll
Director of Education and Engagement
Des Moines Metro Opera