Ballet Des Moines

The Arts and Education sectors have been hit particularly hard by the social distancing requirements during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Thousands of students will be attending school virtually this fall, and public performances have been cancelled.  The near-total loss of ticket revenue has put performing artists out of work and vibrant artistic institutions on the brink of collapse.  In order to contribute to the collective strength of these sectors, Ballet Des Moines, Civic Music Association, and Iowa PBS have forged a strategic partnership to create Peter and the Wolf.  This exciting project underscores the critical role the arts plays in education and our community: a free, accessible program for young learners to experience rich artistic programming whether they're in the classroom or at home; an opportunity for world-class artists to remain employed in our area; and a chance to strengthen our Des Moines' reputation as a vibrant, creative community on national networks.

Peter and the Wolf will be an inspirational resource for children across the country: an intimate introduction to classical music and the performing arts, with a rich library of support materials and educational content for classroom and home school use.  In an age of distance learning, this kind of resource, particularly when available free of charge, is vital for our children and communities.  The program will be specifically tailored for a school-aged audience, but with world-class artists and creative, unique interpretations of a classic work, the appeal of this production will be broad.

The full length performance and behind-the-scenes content will be broadcast on Iowa PBS to a current viewership of over 1.2 million viewers per month, spread across all 99 Iowa counties and parts of six adjoining states.  Through nationally-accessible PBS Learning Media, educational content and support materials will reach countless more.