Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Domingo continues to perform in Europe
But opera star could face probes in future
MILAN — Even as his U.S. career seemingly winds down amid accusations of sexual harassment, opera legend Placido Domingo remains on the bill of a host of European opera houses. But cracks, even if slight, are beginning to show in his support.
The 78-year-old singer who rose to stardom as a tenor has been confirmed to sing the baritone title role in “Nabucco” at the Zurich Opera House in Switzerland on Sunday.
It will be Domingo’s first performance since he stepped down Oct. 2 as general director of the Los Angeles Opera and withdrew from future performances at the company.
The move left the star with no more U.S. dates on his public calendar, putting a question mark over his professional future in a country where he thrived artistically for decades.
In addition to LA Opera, three U.S. musical companies already had canceled Domingo performances, and he pulled out of a series of appearances at New York’s Metropolitan Opera under pressure.
The U.S. response has been relatively decisive in the wake of a pair of reports by The Associated Press in August and September based on interviews with more than 20 women who accused Domingo of sexual harassment or other inappropriate contact.
Domingo has denied the allegations.
In contrast to the United States, so far no theater in Europe, where the #MeToo movement has had little impact, has canceled any of the singer’s planned performances on calendars running through the fall of 2020.
In continuing the performances, European venues have cited an absence of allegations in their venues, the lack of a judicial case against him and the singer’s undeniable popularity.
No investigations have been announced in Europe, though some houses say they are awaiting the outcome of one being conducted at LA Opera, suggesting possible future action depending on the findings.
Even as the Zurich Opera confirmed again last week that Domingo would sing there, the Swiss venue emphasized that it continues to monitor the situation.