Talk:Des Moines Metro Opera
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Citations tag
[edit]The tag above the article requesting additional citations was inserted in March 2008. As of this date (August 7, 2008), the article has 10 citations. I, personally, feel the tag should be removed. Does anyone wish to add an opinion?Voiceperson (talk) 18:49, 19 August 2008 (UTC)
- No objections, so I took the citations needed tag out today.Voiceperson (talk) 16:37, 22 September 2008 (UTC)
Enormous long list of productions over 30 years
[edit]This list included every operas presented by the company. If we chose to do that for the Met (say), the article would be pages and pages long.
WikiProject Opera's policy, developed by a consensus of editors over time, is that where lists are included, they be reduced to only the non-standard works, the rarities or the commissioned premieres. Therefore, I've reduced the list to two columns. Viva-Verdi (talk) 00:19, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
Assessment comment
[edit]The comment(s) below were originally left at Talk:Des Moines Metro Opera/Comments, and are posted here for posterity. Following several discussions in past years, these subpages are now deprecated. The comments may be irrelevant or outdated; if so, please feel free to remove this section.
| Article extensively expanded; productions for 36 seasons listed; 2 sources added. Voiceperson (talk) 23:58, 3 July 2008 (UTC) |
Last edited at 23:58, 3 July 2008 (UTC). Substituted at 13:16, 29 April 2016 (UTC)
Proposed revision to “Controversy” section for neutrality and completeness
[edit]I’m proposing a revision to the current “Controversy” section to better align with Wikipedia’s neutrality and due weight guidelines.
The current wording presents conclusions in Wikipedia’s voice (e.g., “long history of labor abuse”) rather than clearly attributing claims to sources. Additionally, it does not include follow-up reporting from The Des Moines Register (February 16, 2026), which documents steps the organization has taken in response, including adding staff and implementing overtime pay.
To improve neutrality and completeness, I suggest: 1) replacing evaluative language with attributed statements; 2) including the February 2026 follow-up article for balance; and 3) renaming the section to “Labor practices and response” (or integrating into “History”) to avoid undue weight.
Proposed revision:
Labor practices and response
[edit]In September 2025, The Des Moines Register published an investigative series by reporter Tyler Jett examining working conditions at Des Moines Metro Opera, including allegations from current and former employees regarding long hours and workplace practices.[1] The reporting referenced historical examples, including a 1978 Iowa PBS broadcast that depicted extended rehearsal hours.
In a follow-up report published in February 2026, the Register reported that the company had taken steps to address staffing and workload concerns, including adding production staff and implementing overtime pay at 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 per week.[2]
I’m happy to incorporate feedback or adjust wording to best meet Wikipedia standards. OperaAtTheCarnegie (talk) 13:35, 1 April 2026 (UTC)
References
- ↑ Jett, Tyler (2025-09-05). "Register investigation: Des Moines Metro Opera wins immense recognition, but at what cost?". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2025-12-31.
- ↑ "Des Moines Metro Opera adds staff, overtime pay after complaints". The Des Moines Register. 2026-02-16.