AP:
“Singer says opera’s Domingo harassed her, grabbed her breast
The AP obtained a copy of an email sent Thursday to LA Opera employees saying that administrators, who hired outside counsel to investigate after the initial accusations, “are very troubled by the ongoing allegations raised by the Associated Press, and take them very seriously.” The email noted that Domingo would not be involved in day-to-day management until the investigation concluded and asked employees not to comment publicly.
Thursday evening the Dallas Opera announced it had canceled a March 2020 gala in which Domingo was scheduled to perform. The opera’s statement cited “ongoing developments regarding allegations” against Domingo.
Washington National Opera issued a statement saying it was “disturbed and disheartened” by the new allegations, but did not say whether it planned to investigate them.
Wilson said she was spurred to come forward after the 78-year-old Domingo’s reaction to the AP’s initial story, in which he said he believed his actions “were always welcomed and consensual” and added that “the rules and standards by which we are — and should be — measured against today are very different than they were in the past.”
Read the article HERE.
28-year-old singer named Angela Turner Wilson rejects the idea that such behavior has ever been acceptable.”
“What woman would ever want him to grab their breast? And it hurt,” she said. “Then I had to go on stage and act like I was in love with him.”
Melinda McLain, who was the production coordinator at LA Opera for its inaugural season in 1986-87 and also worked at the Houston Grand Opera with Domingo, told the AP she made it a point not to put Domingo in rehearsal rooms alone with young female singers, even if he specifically requested it, and also tried to supply him with male dressers.
“We created these elaborate schemes for keeping him away from particular singers,” McLain said. “I never would have sent any woman of any sort into his dressing room.”
Read the article HERE
