CHANGES HIS TUNE
Now Placido’s ‘truly sorry’ for ‘hurt’ to women
Placido Domingo is singing a sorry song.
The legendary opera singer, facing allegations of sexual harassment from at least 20 women, said he was “truly sorry” for the hurt he caused them after an investigation by the U.S. union for opera performers found a clear pattern of misconduct and abuse of power spanning at least two decades.
“I have taken time over the last several months to reflect on the allegations that various colleagues of mine have made against me,” Domingo said in a statement Tuesday.
“I respect that these women finally felt comfortable enough to speak out, and I want them to know that I am truly sorry for the hurt that I caused them. I accept full responsibility for my actions.”
The mea culpa comes amid a probe into his behavior by the American Guild of Musical Artists, triggered by allegations from women who said the 79year-old Spanish star (inset) forcibly kissed, grabbed or fondled them.
Conducted by lawyers hired by the American Guild of Musical Artists, the investigation found more than two dozen people who experienced or witnessed inappropriate behavior by the embattled baritone while he held senior management positions at the Washington National Opera and the Los Angeles Opera.
Sources told The Associated Press that lawyers interviewed 55 people in addition to the 27 women who said they fell victim to Domingo’s inappropriate behavior in the 1990s and 2000s. They reported unsolicited touching — ranging from kissing on the mouth to groping — and after-hours phone calls during which Domingo would invite women to his residence and ask women out socially with “such persistence that some felt they were being stalked,” according to the report.
Two women reportedly told investigators they had sexual relations with the opera great because they worried his position and authority could be a threat to their careers if they declined.
Domingo, also a prolific conductor, has previously denied the allegations raised against him, calling them “inaccurate” while claiming that his relationships were “always welcomed and consensual.”
Following an August 2019 AP exposé detailing various accounts of misconduct, Domingo withdrew from a production of New York’s Metropolitan Opera and stepped down from his general director role at the L.A. Opera.
“Recent accusations that have been made against me in the press have created an atmosphere in which my ability to serve this company that I so love has been compromised,” he said in a statement to the Daily News at the time, adding he would “continue to work to clear my name.”
American Guild of Musical Artists officials would not directly comment on the findings of its investigation, which have not yet been made public. National Director Leonard Egert said in a statement it “salutes the brave people across all our industries and encourages them to continue speaking out against wrongdoing.”
“We call upon management, and pledge to work collaboratively with them, to get at the root causes that have allowed this behavior to occur, and go unaddressed, in opera, dance and choral cultures for too long,” he added.
The union’s investigation into Domingo is the first of two. The second, launched by the L.A. Opera, is ongoing.