In January, Plácido Domingo, one of opera’s most recognizable stars, once again made international headlines due to new accusations of sexual impropriety. These allegations come three years after his dismissal from LA Opera due to similar complaints. Then, an investigation by the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) found that testimony of his inappropriate behavior — provided by dozens of singers, staff members, and other artists — was credible. Domingo’s reputation and connections in the industry can make saying “no” to any sort of advance professionally damaging, and while he’s one of the highest-profile singers to come under scrutiny for such complaints, he’s far from alone.

Since 2019, OPERA America, AGMA, and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) have been developing a program called Opera RESPECTS to address sexual harassment and discrimination in the field. “We just don’t have any uniform policies,” says Laura Lee Everett, OPERA America’s former chief programs officer. “We don’t have anything that is field-wide in opera. Nothing.” In an industry where such complaints are surfacing more regularly, these three national organizations have come together to hammer out a transparent process for artists and employees to report inappropriate behavior and to train staff on how to handle such complaints.

Given the transient nature of the field — in which singers may work contracts that last a mere week before moving on to another company — a uniform policy could help companies work together to curtail instances of harassment. The new policy is a template that covers everything from workplace discrimination to harassment in the rehearsal studios and even in post-performance and donor events. “We are in an industry where people are simulating sex and violence repeatedly every single day onstage,” says Everett.

Companies will be able to access the policy and fill in their personal information and relevant state law. The hope is that providing such a template will encourage companies to fill it out and also that it will help standardize policies at companies that already have protocols in place. Activist and lawyer Chai Feldblum, a former commissioner at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, will host orientation sessions to begin training company leaders. She is also working on creating a corrective action matrix — with a range of corrective actions based on the type of offense — to be used by companies in cases where discipline is warranted.

It has taken more than four years to design these policies, due in part to a delay caused by an executive order issued by former President Trump that prohibited the use of federal funds to support diversity training. President Biden rescinded that order. Now, the policies have begun rolling out across the field. FMCS has begun working with four opera companies serving as beta testers for the new program: LA Opera, San Diego Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. “We’re taking time to think through this,” says Pittsburgh Opera General Director Christopher Hahn. “We want to get this right and not rush the timeline.”

As more companies begin implementing the policies, the intention is for companies to hold regular training sessions. And, looking further ahead, OPERA America and AGMA are working to create an online course for those who cannot attend in-person sessions. They also hope to develop a process by which companies will receive updated training annually and a database to keep track of who is current on their trainings.

The companies working with FMCS acknowledge that rolling out this policy will take time, but they note that measured progress is taking place. “This is the first opportunity for companies to work jointly with AGMA on this joint topic,” says Hahn. “That’s very encouraging. Coming together alongside one another is a very positive step forward.”