Metropolitan Opera House (Iowa Falls, Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Metropolitan Opera House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 515 Washington St. Iowa Falls, Iowa |
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| Built | 1899 |
| Architect | O'Meyer & Thori |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival Italian Renaissance |
| Part of | Washington Avenue Commercial Historic District (ID12000889) |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000690 |
| Added to NRHP | February 20, 1975 |
The Metropolitan Opera House (MOH) is an historic opera house in Iowa Falls, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. In 2012 it was included as a contributing property in the Washington Avenue Commercial Historic District.
The Metropolitan Opera House was designed by the Omeyer & Thori architecture firm and opened with its first performance on December 27, 1899, with an audience numbering over 800, later proclaimed as the "biggest social event in the history of Iowa Falls." The house hosted notable artists including Otis Skinner, Walker Whiteside, and John Philip Sousa and his band. Between 1930–54, the house presented films and served as a venue for concerts and drama and dance productions of Ellsworth College and Iowa Falls High School. The theatre was purchased by John P. Whitesell of Iowa Falls in June 2013 and reopened after an upgrade to digital projectors.
Oscar-nominated actor Hugh Jackman appeared at The Met's grand re-opening with his family on September 20, 2013. He introduced two of his films — Prisoners and The Wolverine.
