LONDON (AFP) – Opera nice Placido Domingo, who has been hit by sexual harassment claims, has withdrawn from deliberate appearances on the Royal Opera Home, the London venue stated on Friday (March 6).
The 79-year-old performer, referred to as “the King of Opera”, had been as a result of carry out in director Nicholas Hytner’s interpretation of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Don Carlo” in July.
However the Covent Backyard venue stated it had “mutually determined” with the Spanish singer that he’ll not participate.
“We wish to affirm that we have now acquired no claims of misconduct towards Maestro Domingo throughout his time on the Royal Opera Home and are sympathetic of his causes for stepping down,” it stated in a press release.
“Placido is an excellent singer and artist and we’re vastly grateful for his help and dedication over many a long time.
“We’ll announce the casting for his position in ‘Don Carlo’ sooner or later.”
The opera is a co-production with the Norwegian Nationwide Opera and New York’s the Metropolitan Opera.
Sexual harassment claims first emerged in 2019 towards Domingo, who has had a glittering six-decade profession, together with as one of many Three Tenors with Jose Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti.
The primary allegations, by which he’s accused of forcibly kissing, grabbing or fondling 20 ladies in incidents from at the very least the 1980s, prompted a Los Angeles Opera investigation.
He later resigned as its normal director.
Scheduled performances have been then cancelled at a number of venues throughout the US.
Domingo himself has denied the claims and stated he believed all interactions and relationships all through his profession “have been all the time welcomed and consensual”.
He known as the allegations, which emerged from the #MeToo motion towards sexual misconduct, “deeply troubling, and as introduced, inaccurate”.
Domingo has made greater than 100 albums and picked up a dozen Grammy awards. In 2019, he celebrated his 4,000th efficiency in a profession stretching again 60 years.
When the US allegations got here to mild, the Royal Opera Home stated it had a “zero tolerance coverage in direction of harassment of any form”.
Author: ” — www.straitstimes.com “
