Domingo sex harassment claims ‘credible’ says LA Opera
SEXUAL harassment allegations against Placido Domingo are “credible”, the Los Angeles Opera said last night, at the conclusion of its investigation into the operatic superstar.
LA Opera said its investigator interviewed 44 people, and found 10 allegations of inappropriate conduct between 1986 – when Domingo was named artistic adviser – and October 2019, when he resigned as general director, a post he had held for 16 years.
“The level of discomfort reported by the women varied, ranging from some stating they were not uncomfortable to others who described significant trauma,” the investigation summary said. “Some individuals stated that they felt discouraged to report misconduct due to Mr Domingo’s importance.”
Exact details of the allegations were kept secret, to protect the accusers.
Domingo himself “denied all allegations of unwanted contact and maintained that all his interactions were consensual,” the report noted.
Allegations against the 79-year-old Spaniard first emerged in August.
Last month, the union representing many American opera performers, the American Guild of Musical Artists, released the results of their own investigation, which found that Domingo had “engaged in inappropriate activity, ranging from flirtation to sexual advances, in and outside the workplace.”
The LA Opera investigation summary noted that the investigator, from law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, found the Domingo accusers to be credible “in part because of the similarities in their accounts.”
Singer Angela Turner Wilson worked with Domingo during the 1999-2000 season of Washington Opera in Washington DC, where Domingo was artistic director.
She told the AP that when she and Domingo were having their make-up done together, he stood behind her, slipped his hands into her robe and under her bra straps, and grabbed her breast. AP also interviewed the makeup artist, who did not recall the incident. The investigation also found “no evidence that LA Opera ever ignored, failed to address, or covered up sexual harassment complaints”
Christopher Koelsch, president and chief executive of the company, wrote to all employees to explain that LA Opera plans to implement recommendations by Gibson Dunn, including a strengthened HR department, and a more formal process for investigating and resolving complaints.
“I am troubled, and regret, that individuals engaged with the company may have felt disempowered, vulnerable or unheeded in any way,” he said.
Domingo’s career remains in the balance. A number of opera houses and festivals around the world have welcomed him for spring and summer performances, but others, such as the Royal Opera House in London, have cancelled shows featuring him.
The Hamburg State Opera recently announced that Domingo had withdrawn from performances there later this month, citing his concerns about coronavirus.