AINSWORTH

A rare experience awaits you on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at the Ainsworth Opera House.

The evening begins at 6 p.m. with a meal of 1920’s comfort food. Although organizer Mike Zahs says the menu has not been finalized, it is likely to be meatloaf made from a special recipe, cornbread and vegetables.

Following the dinner, enjoy a showing of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” Universal Studio’s largest scale silent film, released in 1923. The musical score will be performed live by a 7-piece band of international musicians assembled by Jean-Francois Charles and Nicolas Sidoroff; the music composed specifically for the film is the result of classical, jazz, Persian, and Afro-Cuban influences.

“This is a very significant event,” Zahs said. The film and music will also be performed at the University of Iowa, but the musicians also wanted to bring the experience to a small-town Iowa setting, for which they chose the Ainsworth Opera House.

Charles and Sidoroff have worked together on several life film music projects over recent decades, including scores and performances for “The Great Train Robbery” (1903), “Man with a Movie Camera” (1929) and “The Eleventh Year” (1928).

Admission to the meal and movie is $25 per person; advance reservations and payment are due before Tuesday, Nov. 7. For tickets, call Mike Zahs at 319-653-6250 or email mdzahs@gmail.com.