Legendary opera singer Placido Domingo is fighting back against allegations of sexual harassment against him, saying he recognizes there are new rules today that are “very different than they were in the past.”
Domingo, who is the director of the Los Angeles Opera, responded to a report by the Associated Press in which he was accused of sexual harassment by eight singers and a dancer, who detailed encounters that they say took place over three decades beginning in the late 1980s. Domingo said in a statement: “the allegations from these unnamed individuals dating back as many as thirty years are deeply troubling, and as presented, inaccurate. Still, it is painful to hear that I may have upset anyone or made them feel uncomfortable — no matter how long ago and despite my best intentions. I believed that all of my interactions and relationships were always welcomed and consensual.”
On Tuesday, the LA Opera announced it would investigate the complaints. The San Francisco Opera announced the cancellation of an upcoming performance by Domingo scheduled in October, citing reports on the allegations.
The 78-year-old Domingo is regarded as one of the greatest opera singers of all time. He’s won 14 Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards and performed with fellow tenors Luciano Pavarotti and José Carreras as part of the Three Tenors.
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