National Post (National Edition)
FAMOUS CONDUCTOR ACCUSED OF ASSAULT
Former director of Montreal symphony
SAN FRANCISCO • Worldrenowned conductor Charles Dutoit, who had a 25-year run with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, is accused of sexually assaulting four female musicians in the United States.
In separate interviews with The Associated Press, three opera singers and a classical musician provided detailed accounts of incidents they say occurred with the Swiss-born conductor between 1985 and 2010 in a moving car, the twotime Grammy winner’s hotel suite, his dressing room, an elevator and the darkness of backstage.
The women accuse the 81-year-old artistic director and principal conductor of London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of sexual misconduct on the sidelines of rehearsals and performances in five cities — Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Saratoga Springs, New York.
“He threw me against the wall, shoved my hand down his pants and shoved his tongue down my throat,” retired mezzo-soprano Paula Rasmussen recounted of an incident she said occurred in his dressing room at the LA Opera in September 1991. She refused to ever be alone with him again, she said.
Soprano Sylvia McNair, herself a two-time Grammy winner, said Dutoit “tried to have his way” with her at a hotel after a rehearsal with the Minnesota Orchestra in 1985. “As soon as it was just the two of us in the elevator, Charles Dutoit pushed me back against the elevator wall and pressed his knee way up between my legs and pressed himself all over me,” said McNair.
The other two accusers did not want to be identified, saying they feared speaking up because the power the famous maestro wields could lead to them being blacklisted from the industry.
Dutoit, who married Canadian violinist Chantal Juillet in 2010, was the artistic director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra between 1977 and 2002. He resigned amid complaints from the Quebec Musicians’ Guild about “offensive behaviour and complete lack of respect for the musicians.”
When contacted by The Canadian Press, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra said it was aware of the allegations but would not make anyone available for an interview.
“The allegations are related to events that occurred outside the (Montreal Symphony Orchestra), it would not be appropriate for us to comment,” the organization said.
In response to the allegations, the Boston Symphony Orchestra said Thursday it is cutting ties to Dutoit, citing the “extremely troubling” charges.
In a statement, the orchestra said it will end its relationship with Dutoit, who had been a guest conductor since 1981.
Dutoit, who holds the titles of conductor laureate of the Philadelphia Orchestra and conductor emeritus of the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo, did not respond to multiple attempts to reach him through the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and his office in Montreal. The Royal Philharmonic said Dutoit was currently on vacation, but that it had forwarded the AP’s emailed requests for comment directly to him. The AP also contacted Dutoit’s office with several phone calls and emails.
In a long, distinguished career, he has led highly regarded orchestras in Paris and Montreal, and travelled the globe as a guest conductor. He is scheduled to conduct the New York Philharmonic next month in a four-day program honouring Ravel.
All four accusers’ stories are similar, and the AP spoke with their colleagues and friends, who confirmed that each of the women shared details of their experiences at the time.
One of the women who asked not to be identified said Dutoit attacked her three times in 2006 and once in 2010, grabbing her breasts, pinning her wrists against his dressing room wall and telling her that they would make better music if she willingly kissed him.
All four women said Dutoit either lured them to a private place to discuss or practise music, or simply seized a moment alone to make his move. The women all said they resisted him and escaped. They said they never filed formal complaints because they were young and Dutoit was the maestro.
In interviews with the AP, more than a dozen singers, musicians and stage staff spoke of a culture of sexual misconduct in the classical music world that they said has long been implicitly tolerated by people in positions of authority.
Dutoit’s accusers said they felt inspired by all the women speaking out about sexual misconduct by powerful men in Hollywood, politics, the media and other industries, and ultimately felt empowered to break their silence after the Metropolitan Opera suspended conductor James Levine earlier this month when misconduct accusations surfaced.
“I never went to the police. I never went to company management. Like everyone else, I looked the other way,” said McNair, now 61. “But it is time now to speak out.”