×

TRAFFIC

The official Washington D.C. news site - timworld.info

  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACTS
  • WEATHER & TRAFFIC
  • News
  • Business
  • Opinions
  • Politics
  • Sport
  • DC
  • Tourist Attractions
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Science
  • Home
  • News
  • Philadelphia Orchestra cancels Placido Domingo’s performance hours after #MeToo report
 

Philadelphia Orchestra cancels Placido Domingo’s performance hours after #MeToo report

by Frances Fromm / Tuesday, 13 August 2019 / Published in News

The orchestra justified its decision by saying that it is “committed to providing a safe, supportive, respectful and appropriate environment” for its staff, collaborating artists and its audience. The sudden move appears to be a hasty reaction to a report, in which the 78-year-old, long married, world-renowned performer was accused of sexually harassing women some 30 years ago.

The Philadelphia Orchestra Association has withdrawn its invitation to Plácido Domingo to appear as part of its Opening Night concert on September 18, 2019. pic.twitter.com/5wJXkuhI8t

— PhilOrch (@philorch) August 13, 2019

A lengthy piece published by AP earlier on Tuesday details the accusations leveled against Domingo by eight singers and a dancer as well as “a half-dozen other women.” The accusers, all but one remained anonymous, claimed that back in the 1980s the opera superstar engaged in inappropriate touching, unwanted kissing and made sexually-suggestive overtures like repeatedly asking out women on dates.

Some of the women also told AP that they believe their decision to reject Domingo’s advances also “adversely impacted their careers.” Although the article does not present any concrete evidence of Domingo’s alleged misdeeds beside the accusers’ words, it still says that the singer’s inappropriate behavior has long been an “open secret” within the industry.

<span>
    <span>
        <span>Also on rt.com</span>
        <span>Actor Geoffrey Rush wins record US$1.9mn in Daily Telegraph #MeToo defamation case</span>
    </span>
        <span></span>
</span>

The tenor, who is also a prolific conductor and the director of the Los Angeles Opera, dismissed the allegations as “deeply troubling, and as presented, inaccurate.” Yet, he also offered an apology to anyone he said he might have made “feel uncomfortable.”

“People who know me or who have worked with me know that I am not someone who would intentionally harm, offend, or embarrass anyone,” he told AP, adding that the “standards by which we are — and should be — measured against today are very different than they were in the past.”

Yet, his words were apparently not particularly convincing to the Philadelphia Orchestra, which decided to promptly scrap his performance even before any of the accusations were properly examined.

thank you for doing this! this is 100% the correct move and shows integrity and a commitment to the importance of making classical music a safe place for all

— Brin ? Solomon (@nonstandardrep) August 13, 2019

In the spirit of the Me Too era many praised the move by saying it was “high time” he was held accountable and calling the accusations in the report “strong.”  Others, however, pointed to the presumption of innocence and condemned the decision as “shameful.”

What happened to the presumption of innocence??? These kind of decisions set a very dangerous precedent, in my opinion as both a classical music and a law graduate. I feel this is akin to bowing to mob rule, to be blunt. #Domingo

— Vlad Bourceanu (@vlad_bourceanu) August 13, 2019

Some people also called it “mob justice” led by people who are driven by “hate and envy masquerading as virtue.” Domingo appears to be the latest high-profile public figure to become embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal after similar accusations were leveled against actors, athletes and politicians in the US and beyond in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!

Frances Fromm
  • Corresponden & leading expert at Washington, D.C. news
  • Former reporter at Miami Herald
  • Studied at Stanford University
  • Went to Finlay DR Carlos J Elementary School
  • Lives in Washington, District of Columbia
  • From Miami, Florida

Is a national and foreign correspondent based in D.C. She files investigative reports and covers breaking news on a range of topics, including corruption, police shootings, etc. Before joining the TimWorld in 2018, she worked at the Miami Herald. She was a John S. Knight fellow at Stanford University.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...
  • Tweet

What you can read next

Online rent platforms to patrol DC listings for housing assistance discrimination
Kevin Hart Reportedly Suffered Multiple Spinal Fractures in Car Accident
Bangladesh opt to bowl against Zimbabwe in tri-series T20

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

1200 G St NW Suite 807, 457r
Washington, DC 20005
United States (US)
Email: admin@timworld.info

  • News
  • Business
  • Opinions
  • Politics
  • Sport
  • DC
  • Tourist Attractions
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Science

The team of the Timworld Washington DC breaking news monitors the most relevant and important Washington, DC local news, so that you are always aware of incidents and events in the criminal, political and public life spheres in our city. With Timworld.info you will always know what, where and when it happened or is planned to happen in Washington, District of Columbia. Daily and especially for you – the most relevant information!

TOP
%d bloggers like this: