Des Moines Metro Opera has announced the 40 singers selected for the 2026 Frank R. Brownell III Apprentice Artist Program. The 2026 soprano roster includes Caitlin Aloia, Phoebe Chee, Emily Finke, Eliza Lucyna, Daniela Machado, Milan McCray, Zoë Meier-Juhlin, Sarah Rosales, Margaret Macaira Shannon, Adriana Stepien, Sara Stevens, and Gabriela Stoloff-Báez. Mezzo-sopranos selected for the program are Emily Amesquita, Christine {…}

The Des Moines Metro Opera is being accused of excessively long hours. A six-article report by the Des Moines Register reported that the company’s work practices featured long work hours and “grueling conditions.” According to the report, workers had 89.5-hour workweeks and 14-hour days. The company was also reported not give overtime pay to its workers, and staff were forced {…}