(Credit: Iko Freese)

To celebrate its 50th anniversary season, Des Moines Metro Opera (DMMO) will perform Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” on March 5-6, 2022 at the Des Moines Civic Center.

Soprano Raven McMillon as Pamina and tenor Aaron Blake as Tamino sing their first roles in DMMO. Soprano Audrey Luna returns to the DMMO stage to sing the role of Queen of the Night. Baritone Andrew Wilkowske sings the role of Papageno alongside soprano Denis Vélez as Papagena. Bass Christian Zaremba embodies Sarastro, tenor John Robert Lindsey sings Monostatos. Mathilda Edge, Sun-Ly Pierce and Kathleen Felty will play the roles of first, second and third lady, respectively.

Director Erik Friedman conducts the acclaimed Komische Oper Berlin 2012 production by Barrie Kosky and Suzanne Andrade. The hand-drawn animations are designed by Paul Barritt and the sets and costumes are by Ester Bialis. Christopher Allen conducts the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra.

The 1920s version, inspired by Mozart’s silent film “The Magic Flute,” has been described as “enchantingly surreal” by LA Weekly. DMMO Managing and Artistic Director Michael Egel says, “This is not your ordinary magic flute. Our city has never seen anything like it.

The opera will be sung in German and will have English surtitles projected.