BLIGHT AT THE OPERA Tenor shows nixed amid probe
Claims that Placido Domingo subjected nine women to unwanted sexual overtures will be the subject of a new probe conducted by “outside counsel,” the Los Angeles Opera vowed Tuesday.
The news came as the Philadelphia Orchestra and San Francisco Opera canceled upcoming appearances by the opera superstar.
“We believe all employees and artists should be treated respectfully and feel safe and secure within their work environment,” the L.A. Opera said in a statement.
The top-tier tenor, widely considered one of the best opera singers in the world, has been general director of the L.A. Opera since 2003.
The institution did not name the lawyer or law firm hired to conduct the independent probe or say whether it received complaints regarding the industry icon.
“Plácido Domingo has been a dynamic creative force in the life of L.A. Opera and the artistic culture of Los Angeles for more than three decades,” it said in the statement.
“Nevertheless, we are committed to doing everything we can to foster a professional and collaborative environment where all our employees and artists feel equally comfortable, valued and respected,” the company said.
The news came after The Associated Press published a lengthy exposé detailing Domingo’s alleged abuse over the past three decades.
According to interviews with the accusers identified as eight singers and one dancer, Domingo pursued the women relentlessly, pressured them to attend one-on-one meetings and punished them if they rebuffed his unsolicited gropes and kisses.
Domingo, 78, denied the allegations as “inaccurate” in a statement to the AP, but that failed to stem the fallout.
The Philadelphia Orchestra rescinded its invitation for Domingo to appear at its opening night gala next month. The Sept. 18 concert is under the leadership of Canadian conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who also serves as music director of New York’s Metropolitan Opera.
“We are committed to providing a safe, supportive, respectful and appropriate environment for the orchestra and staff, for collaborating artists and composers and for our audiences and communities,” the orchestra said in a statement.
The San Francisco Opera, meanwhile, canceled an Oct. 6 concert featuring the venerated vocalist. The show was meant to mark Domingo’s 50th anniversary with the San Francisco company, but the institution said its “strong antisexual harassment policy” requires “all company members to adhere to the highest standards of professional conduct.”
Speaking to the AP on the condition of anonymity, several accusers said Domingo forced wet kisses on their lips and touched them inappropriately without consent. One said he stuck his hand down her skirt.
“A business lunch is not strange,” one of the singers said. “Somebody trying to hold your hand during a business lunch is strange — or putting their hand on your knee is a little strange. He was always touching you in some way, and always kissing you.”
Patricia Wulf, a mezzosoprano who worked with Domingo in 1998 at the Washington Opera, said he pursued her night after night while serving as her boss.
“Every time I would walk off stage, he would be in the wings waiting for me,” the 61-year-old Virginia resident told the AP. “He would come right up to me, as close as could be, put his face right in my face, lower his voice and say, ‘Patricia, do you have to go home tonight?’ ”