Metro opera cancels season

The Des Moines Metro Opera has canceled the summer season due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The DMMO board of directors has voted to honor all 200 artists’ contracts for the season. Ticket holders may get a credit for next season, a full or partial refund or donate the value of the tickets to the opera. The board and friends have raised $125,000 to match tax-deductible donations.

To tide opera fans over until live performances can be staged again, the opera is working with Iowa PBS to show reruns of several operas from previous seasons at the Indianola stage at Simpson College. Those shows will include “Billy Budd,” “Rusalka,” “Manon,” “Le Comte Ory” and “Bon Appétit!”

The opera also plans artist recitals, cast reunions, interviews, prelude talks, and digital versions of some annual events.