Metropolitan Opera House (Iowa Falls, Iowa)

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.[2] In 2012 it was included as a contributing property in the Washington Avenue Commercial Historic District.[3]

Entrance to the Met.

Metropolitan Opera House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Show map of Iowa Show map of the United States
Location	515 Washington St. Iowa Falls, Iowa
Coordinates	42°30′55″N 93°16′8″W
Built	1899
Architect	O'Meyer & Thori
Architectural style	Renaissance Revival Italian Renaissance
Part of	Washington Avenue Commercial Historic District (ID12000889)
NRHP reference No.	75000690[1]
Added to NRHP	February 20, 1975

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.[4]