|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|||||
Offutt AFB
|
 |
|
Des Moines Metro Opera performs a scene from Così fan tutti as part of their performance at Offutt AFB. Photo by Kendra Williams, courtesy of Offutt AFB |
This evening was conceived by the base as a pre-Valentine's Day special event for couples; the performance was preceded by a cocktail reception and three-course dinner. Sated by a desert of fried raspberry cheesecake, the appreciative audience enjoyed a lively two-hour performance by Des Moines Metro Opera. The repertoire skewed a bit toward the romantic in honor of the occasion.
Des Moines Metro Opera took an innovative approach to their production - the first half was a 50-minute performance of Così fan tutte, Mozart's comic opera, complete with a backdrop, costumes, and props. The work was adapted quite well to this setting. The second half of the evening consisted of Broadway and American opera classics.
One word that came to mind during the second act was "seamless." The coming and going from the stage, and transition from song to song was all very smooth, with little to no lag time between each song. Because DMMO's program included a synopsis of each play or operatic work, they did not use a narrator to provide explanations for each song. Many of the songs were from the golden age of American musical theater, a fact which was appreciated by the numerous military retirees in the audience.
Concert program (PDF)(32K)
Return to Program Highlights>
National Endowment for the Arts · an independent federal
agency
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20506