INSPIRE diverse audiences through statewide educational programs and unique community collaborations.

ENCOURAGE established and emerging artists and administrators to produce their best work through a creative, inclusive environment.

CURATE innovative repertory from four centuries of composition presented at the highest levels of artistic and vocal achievement.

IMPACT the economic vitality of the Greater Des Moines region through programming that generates national and international tourism.

The mission of Des Moines Metro Opera is to create distinctive theatrical experiences and inspirational learning opportunities for artists and audiences of the 21st century.

Des Moines Metro Opera has taken its place as a major American summer opera festival and is one of the Midwest’s largest performing arts organizations, annually producing over 100 performances across Iowa. The company’s summer festival season runs from May through July of each year during which three operas are performed in repertory. The summer festival season takes place in the intimate Pote Theatre at the Blank Performing Arts Center in Indianola. All productions, regardless of language, are performed with English supertitles above the stage.

Unique among local arts organizations and national opera companies, the company’s programming encompasses a distinctive mix of styles from five centuries of composition, with a special emphasis on fascinating combinations of early and mid-20th century masterpieces infrequently heard in the United States. Recent seasons have seen The Love For Three Oranges paired with Bluebeard’s Castle, Wozzeck with Candide, Salome with Pelléas et Mélisande, and The Rake’s Progress with The Cunning Little Vixen. Seasons generally open with a standard from the operatic or American musical theatre canons, and nearly all productions of the festival are presented in new and original productions in one of the world’s most remarkable and intimate performing theatres. We demonstrate that opera is a vibrant, theatrical and creative art form.

DMMO enlarges experiences through a curated series of concerts, lectures, art shows, film screenings and unique performance collaborations. We cultivate the next generation of musicians and music lovers through programs like the Apprentice Artist Program and the OPERA Iowa tour. The company has earned a reputation for quality and loyalty that annually draws audience members from more than 40 states and five countries. DMMO believes that an entirely professional theatrical organization should be a cornerstone of our growing region, and we serve that need.

DMMO receives annual reviews from industry publications such as Opera with Opera News and Opera Today. The company has also been featured in the pages of The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, the Kansas City Star, The Chicago Tribune and The New York Times, which said in 2025, “In an opera landscape of caution and contraction, Des Moines has become one of the country's most ambitious and successful smaller companies.” 

Unique among local arts organizations and national opera companies, the company’s programming encompasses a distinctive mix of styles from four centuries of composition, presented in original productions that transport audiences to the intersection of art and ideas. Utilizing a spectacular array of professional talent assembled from over 1,000 national applicants, we demonstrate that opera is a contemporary and creative art form. Whether it’s a classic reimagined for the 21st century or a contemporary work, the company’s programming commitment offers high quality productions in one of America’s most unique and intimate theatres.

DMMO enlarges experiences through curated series of concerts, lectures, art shows, film screenings and unique performance collaborations such as those in our 2nd Stages Series. We cultivate the next generation of musicians and music lovers through programs like the Apprentice Artist and the OPERA Iowa Programs. The company has earned a reputation for quality and a loyalty that annually draws audience members from 43 states, 68 Iowa counties, four countries and every zip code in the metro. DMMO believes that an entirely professional theatrical organization should be a cornerstone of our growing region and we serve that need.

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Des Moines Metro Opera

Des Moines Metro Opera's administrative headquarters.

Lauridsen Opera Center

Des Moines Metro Opera's theatre where all mainstage performances are held each summer.

Des Moines Metro Opera

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