Arias in April Featuring Puccini's La Rondine

Iowa Public Radio’s Arias in April features an encore broadcast of the Des Moines Metro Opera’s 2012 performance of La Rondine (The Swallow) on April 13, 2013 at 7 p.m. Des Moines Metro Opera chose to bring this opera to life once again for their Fortieth Anniversary 2012 season after also performing it in their first year. The cast includes Joyce El-Khoury as Magda de Civry, making her Des Moines Metro Opera debut after being featured in Opera News and John Viscardi performing the poet Prunier. They are joined on stage by former Des Moines Metro Opera Apprentice Artists Sarah Jane McMahon performing the role of Lisette and Harold Meers performing the role of Ruggero. Puccini’s rarely performed gem is a romantic tale of winning and losing love. Since it was first performed in 1917, critics have praised this opera with terms such as beautiful and a rare operatic jewel.