Iowa PBS and Des Moines Metro Opera present Carmen
Matthew Cairns as Don José and Taylor Raven as Carmen in Act IV of Bizet's CARMEN; photo by Duane Tinkey

Enjoy a stunning presentation of one of the world’s most beloved operas. Iowa PBS and Des Moines Metro Opera have partnered to provide exclusive coverage of Des Moines Metro Opera Presents Carmen. This twisting tale of romance, intrigue and obsession will premiere on statewide Iowa PBS October 27 at 9 p.m. and will be rebroadcast October 29 at 2:30 p.m. 

First performed in Paris in 1875, Carmen features some of the most recognizable operatic arias of all time. A rebel with a cause, the free-spirited Carmen lives boldly in her fiery pursuit of freedom. “Born free, she will die free,” she sings, but sparks fly when the fiery Carmen ignites the passion of two men.

“The light moments and the familiar tunes feel like they belong there just as much as some of the dramatic and darker elements of the story,” said Des Moines Metro Opera General and Artistic Manager Michael Egel. “That all combines to create a really remarkable and incredible masterpiece.”

Des Moines Metro Opera Presents Carmen features mezzo-soprano Taylor Raven in her much-anticipated role debut as Carmen. Tenor Matthew Cairns made his Des Moines Metro Opera debut in the role of Don José. The two and a half hour presentation includes behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and creative team. The opera was sung in French with supertitles in English. 

Des Moines Metro Opera is one of the largest performing arts organizations in the state, hosting performances in Central Iowa. This performance was recorded in July 2023 at the Blank Theater for Performing Arts in Indianola.

Funding for this program was provided by Krumm Charitable Trust and Friends of Iowa PBS Foundation. 

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