Opera lovers braved the sweltering summer weather this past holiday weekend for some world-class productions, care of Des Moines Metro Opera.
The opera company was the subject of a series of Des Moines Register articles last fall reporting that crew behind the scenes were routinely overworked, underpaid and occasionally put in dangerous positions to prepare sets, lighting, costumes and other technical elements. Two weeks after the first article scrutinizing DMMO’s working conditions, the company advertised three new full-time jobs on their production staff.
“These three positions represent the next phase of [a] multi-year effort to support reasonable workloads and strengthen our production operations,” Director of Production Clayton Rodney — then the company’s only full-time production staffer — said in an email to the Register in September 2025.
In February, the new hires were announced. Since the Register’s initial series, DMMO has also added overtime pay for crew and is insulating its production warehouse for safe use in winter months.
While Des Moines Metro Opera has had some (overly) ambitious seasons featuring four or more productions, they wisely chose to return to their roots this summer, focusing on three mainstage offerings. The circumstances leading to the decision are far from ideal, but the outcome is a trio of productions with space to flourish. When it comes to such an expensive art form, I will always vouch for quality over quantity — and a safe cast and crew above all.
Tosca by Giacomo Puccini
The weekend opened with Tosca, a masterpiece adored by many opera lovers, myself included. Puccini’s verismo opera still feels relevant to modern audiences, a passionate tale of love and corruption amid political turmoil.
Des Moines Metro Opera’s production design satisfied all my aesthetic expectations. Steven C. Kemp’s scenic designs brought 19th century Rome to the stage, and Kate Ashton’s lighting enhanced the more symbolic elements. The costumes and hair and make up, designed by Robert Perdziola and Brittany V.A. Rappise respectively, were a mixture of sumptuous and stark. Tosca’s emotional journey was illustrated through her appearance, transitioning from a richly adorned diva to a more repentant, simple silhouette. The small visual details added to an already compelling narrative.
Conductor Christopher Allen led the orchestra in an adequate rendition of this lush score. Puccini’s tantalizing push and pull creates the emotional undercurrent of the opera, and this tension needed to be taken up a few notches. The chorus, under the direction of Lisa Hasson, was a charming presence, making the most of their brief appearance in Act One.
The cast of Tosca brought both new talent and returning favorites to DMMO’s stage. Alan Williams launched the audience straight into the drama as Angelotti, a man on the run. Williams’ resounding bass voice aptly conveyed the character’s desperation in the first act before he met his demise offstage. In contrast, Wei Wu brought some much-needed levity to the opening scenes as the bumbling Sacristan. Lucas van Lierop and Titus Muzi III sang the roles of Spoletta and Sciarrone, skulking around the stage to do the bidding of their lecherous boss.
Baritone Norman Garrett portrayed one of opera’s most infamous villains Baron Scarpia, the corrupt chief of police. Garrett’s rich and round tone was a pleasure to the ears, but I’m not sure his voice is best suited to this particular role. Garrett was overpowered by the orchestra and his fellow singers on occasion, lacking the heft or edge to cut through the more dramatic moments. Garrett did convey Scarpia’s duplicitous nature well, particularly during his interactions with Tosca in the first act, but I must admit his confrontation with her in the second act wasn’t as sinister as I craved. The staging undermined much of his villainy, and in the end, Garrett just didn’t inspire the hatred that Scarpia deserves. However, I would love to see this singer shine in a role that is better suited to his beautiful voice.
Laura Wilde returned to the Des Moines Metro Opera stage for the title role. Wilde captured the complexities of the jealous diva, displaying her fiery passion as well as her vulnerability. Her chemistry with her beloved Cavaradossi in Act One was sweet and convincing, which raised the stakes for the drama that followed. Wilde’s tension with Scarpia in the second act was less compelling, and her vocally stirring performance of “Vissi d’arte” was undercut by a baffling staging decision that had the audience staring at the back of the soprano’s head for a significant portion of the iconic aria.
Brian Michael Moore delivered a knockout performance as Mario Cavaradossi, Tosca’s ill-fated lover. The tenor demonstrated true vocal versatility, striking just the right balance between crooning romantic and heroic nobility. Cavaradossi’s third act aria “E lucevan le stelle” was heart-wrenchingly beautiful, which made his tragic demise all the more powerful. I must commend Des Moines Metro Opera on introducing their audience to a truly phenomenal tenor with a stellar career ahead of him.
The staging of this opera was needlessly restless. The production fell into a trap that often occurs in this particular theater, which is a perceived obligation to utilize the playing circle and the stage lift, even when it does little to serve the story. Performers were in constant orbit around the orchestra pit, facing upstage far too often. While the audience could still hear the singers in the intimate theater, we were deprived of their facial expressions in crucial moments. Sometimes you just need to let the singers plant their feet and unburden their souls. Puccini’s score already brings the drama, so let his music shine without distractions.
King Roger by Karol Szymanowski
What if a twink shepherd made you and your wife so horny you questioned everything? That’s probably not the most philosophical interpretation of Szymanowski’s opera, but it was one of many questions that plagued me during Des Moines Metro Opera’s fascinating production of this hidden gem.
Rarely performed since its premiere in 1926, King Roger remains a mystery to even the most knowledgeable opera fans. The composer endured a life of strife that hampered his musical aspirations, but this opera has garnered more productions in recent years. Hopefully it is just the beginning of a revival of this lesser-known composer’s works.
David Neely led the orchestra in a nuanced performance of Szymanowski’s lush, chimaeric score. The chorus, under the direction of Lisa Hasson, demonstrated versatility, a formidable wall of sound in the opening act and a raucous orgy in the next. A small ensemble of dancers also graced the stage, and the choreography by Isaac Martin Lerner felt like an ancient bacchanal colliding with a modern nightclub as the debauchery escalated.
The cast navigated the philosophical quandaries of this opera with great skill. Symanowski’s music doesn’t offer many opportunities for singers to showcase their virtuosity, but the vocal and dramatic demands were undeniable.
Lucas van Lierop sang his second role of the season as Edrisi, the king’s faithful advisor and the one character who keeps his mind right and his clothes on. Lierop was a warm and grounding presence in a sea of uncertainty.
Lydia Katarina portrayed Roxana, King Roger’s wife who is down bad as soon as she lays eyes on the mysterious shepherd. Roxana spent most of the opera wailing offstage, begging her husband to show clemency, and Katarina conveyed those deceptively difficult hysterics with impressive technique.
The Shepherd, sung by Christopher Sokolowski, was a captivating Dionysus in disguise. Sokolowski looked like one of those infamous sculptures of Lucifer that were deemed too hot by the church, clad in a translucent white toga in the first act and dripping with gold chains in the second. Given how little the Shepherd was wearing during their philosophical discussion, I can’t really blame King Roger for the gay panic that followed.
Alexander Birch Elliot was a tortured, indecisive soul as the titular King Roger. His commanding presence and rich baritone was fitting for the monarch, and his chemistry with the Sokolowski was compelling. By the end of the opera, the king was transformed into a lost pilgrim, stripped down to his boxer briefs but full of hope.
The true star of the opera was the production itself. The costumes, designed by Robert Perdziola, were a somewhat jarring combination of medieval and modern aesthetics, featuring mosaic print fabrics, shimmering hot pants and gold evening gowns. The scenery and lighting designs by Jimmy Stubbs and Connie Yun, respectively, were breathtaking, particularly in the opulent first act. The gilding gradually stripped away as the opera progressed until Roger was left in a barren landscape with an overturned throne. Natural elements were crucial to the opera’s visual language. Smoke poured from a giant thurible. Water rained down as dancers crossed the stage. It all made for a powerful assault on the senses that drew the audience in.
Chas Rader-Shieber’s staging evolved as King Roger’s sense of order unraveled. The opening religious scene offered minimal movement and impactful vignettes. Rigidity gave way to sensuality as the Shepherd slowly whipped Roger’s court into a frenzy. The final act was solemn and symbolic. The king’s fate is left uncertain, but this lack of closure was satisfying in its own way.
King Roger presents many questions and not a lot of answers, which is probably why the composer called it a “mysterium” rather than an opera.
Of Mice and Men by Carlisle Floyd
The weekend’s final offering was an American classic, Of Mice and Men by Carlisle Floyd. This adaptation of Steinbeck’s novel was an emotional gut-punch delivered via Floyd’s signature combination of dark drama and beautiful music.
Luke Cantarella designed the scenery and projections for this production, bringing the gritty existence of 1930s migrant workers to the stage. Projections gave the audience glimpses of the character Lennie’s perspective, depicting his fears and fixations on the wooden backdrops. Costume designer Kara Harmon and hair and makeup designer Brittany V.A. Rappise used clever details to highlight the characters’ hardships. Each garment looked truly lived-in, with just the right amount of grime smeared on denim and skin.
The orchestra delivered a potent performance under David Neely’s baton. Floyd’s swelling score often revealed the true emotions lurking within the repressed characters, and the orchestra bore this narrative weight well.
Kristine McIntyre’s staging was grounded, unafraid to let the audience sit in their discomfort. The characters moved in a manner that felt realistic, and McIntyre always kept the focus on the powerful emotions at the core of Steinbeck’s tale, both the optimistic aspirations and the grim monotony.
The bunkhouse was brimming with toxic masculinity, including a rowdy ensemble of ranch hands. This group of apprentice artists gifted the audience with some glorious harmonies as they sang of their dreams.
Kevin Deas delivered a heartbreaking performance as the elderly Candy, who showed the physical and emotional toll life on the margins can take. Dean Murphy’s grounded vocals and steady presence were well suited to the ranch’s foreman and jaded realist, Slim. Adrian Kramer played the opera’s antagonist, Curley, shrill and tense as he harassed his employees and neglected his wife.
The lone woman in this operatic sausage fest was Curley’s Wife, portrayed by Cadie J. Bryan. Floyd didn’t cut the singular female role any slack in this opera, and Bryan handled the challenging vocals well, soaring to great heights before meeting her untimely demise. Bryan’s portrayal of the character was refreshingly sympathetic, painting her as a victim despite her faults.
The duo leading this production were well matched, both dramatically and vocally. Des Moines Metro Opera favorite John Moore sang the role of George Milton with an angry yet hopeful defiance that felt all too relatable. Moore is as talented an actor as he is a singer, a quality that makes him perfectly suited to Floyd’s poignant dramas.
Lennie was portrayed by John Findon, a tenor capable of hitting high notes with both power and tenderness. As a character with an unidentified intellectual disability, Lennie can often become a caricature, but Findon delivered a respectful and vulnerable performance that made the tragic ending all the more devastating. It just wouldn’t be a true weekend of opera if I didn’t cry at least once, and I hold Moore, Findon and Floyd himself responsible for my tears this time around.
Despite presenting three operas with tragic or, at the very least, unsettling endings, Des Moines Metro Opera’s season left the season on a hopeful note. Whatever uncertainties await us in the future, we can always look forward to another summer of opera down in Indianola.
