On Pointe Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 This is not a good look for AGMA at all. A union has no business making side deals like this. Link to comment
Helene Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 Definitely. Unions rarely acquit themselves well when both sides of a grievance are members, as I remember well from my Newspaper Guild days. Link to comment
abatt Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 I've read that the Royal Opera intends to proceed with planned performnces starring Domingo. This seems like the height of hypocrisy, since they fired Grigolo for a single offense. Domingo has been engaging in this unsavory conduct for decades. Link to comment
nanushka Posted February 27, 2020 Author Share Posted February 27, 2020 (edited) 44 minutes ago, abatt said: I've read that the Royal Opera intends to proceed with planned performnces starring Domingo. This seems like the height of hypocrisy, since they fired Grigolo for a single offense. Domingo has been engaging in this unsavory conduct for decades. Given the great number of years and alleged cases involved, it does seem like a contradiction. That said, the RO had completed their own investigation of Grigolo's actions on an RO tour, I believe, whereas for Domingo they may be waiting to see what outside investigations find. Are there abuses he's alleged to have committed while performing with the company? To be clear, I'm not suggesting the distinction makes sense to me, just that there may be an explainable (if not persuasive) logic to it.....so, maybe not quite the height of hypocrisy? 9 hours ago, sandik said: I heard this on the radio today and am confused. The union may be able to make an agreement with Domingo that includes limiting the distribution of their investigation, but have the women who accused him in the first place signed some kind of non-disclosure agreement? If they haven't (and no one so far seems to say that they have) they can certainly speak out. I don't believe there's any indication that they have. The AGMA agreement seems to have been for the union itself not to release the findings, while the alleged victims would not be barred from sharing their stories. Edited February 27, 2020 by nanushka Link to comment
Mashinka Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 21 hours ago, abatt said: I've read that the Royal Opera intends to proceed with planned performnces starring Domingo. This seems like the height of hypocrisy, since they fired Grigolo for a single offense. The Grigolo incident caused bemusement, as he appears to have touched an extra's prosthetic belly during a curtain call in front of a couple of thousand people. The RO is struggling to sell seats this season and the truly ghastly, highly unpopular production of Lucia scheduled later is unlikely to sell at all without Grigolo. Domingo is still singing throughout Europe and despite his declining vocal abilities and the unsavoury accusations still has a massive fan base partly made up of travelling fans. Don Carlo is likely to be a sell out. I smell hypocrisy too. Link to comment
nanushka Posted February 28, 2020 Author Share Posted February 28, 2020 According to the Times, Domingo has apparently determined that his previous apology either went too far or has been misinterpreted: Quote On Tuesday, the opera star Plácido Domingo apologized to women who had accused him of sexual harassment. “I respect that these women finally felt comfortable enough to speak out, and I want them to know that I am truly sorry,” he said. “I accept full responsibility for my actions,” he added. But on Thursday, as some of Europe’s leading opera houses considered canceling his future engagements, Mr. Domingo said he wanted to “correct the false impression” his statement had created. “My apology was sincere and wholehearted,” he said. “But I know what I haven’t done, and I will deny it again.” “I have never behaved aggressively toward anybody, nor have I ever done anything to obstruct or hurt the career of anybody,” he continued. “On the contrary, I have dedicated a large part of my half-century in the world of opera to helping the industry and to promoting the career of innumerable singers.” Link to comment
sandik Posted February 29, 2020 Share Posted February 29, 2020 13 hours ago, nanushka said: "I have never behaved aggressively toward anybody" Oh, for goodness sake. Link to comment
nanushka Posted March 2, 2020 Author Share Posted March 2, 2020 On 2/27/2020 at 10:53 AM, On Pointe said: This is not a good look for AGMA at all. A union has no business making side deals like this. Indeed. I don't think this from the AP today really adds any significant new dimension, but it certainly reaffirms how much of a bad look this is. The gist: Quote SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A senior member of the main U.S. union that represents opera performers resigned Monday, accusing the leadership of a cover-up in its investigation into accusations of sexual harassment against superstar Plácido Domingo. Samuel Schultz, a baritone and vice president of the American Guild of Musical Artists, had provided the full findings of the union’s investigation to The Associated Press, which he said AGMA’s leadership had planned to keep secret as part of an agreement with Domingo. Schultz said the deal involved the legendary tenor paying the union a $500,000 fine and issuing a negotiated public apology in exchange for the full details not being disclosed. Link to comment
Mashinka Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Domingo's London performances have now been cancelled. The timing is a disgrace, they sold the tickets and then made the decision. People will have booked flights to London to see him, were I one of them I would be seeking compensation. My in box is overflowing with email messages of anger from outraged opera fans this morning. Putting aside other considerations the ROH can't afford ill will in a season where attendances have dropped off a cliff. The sheer dishonesty of promising a singer, getting in the money and then announcing that he won't be singing is downright theft in my opinion.. Link to comment
nanushka Posted March 7, 2020 Author Share Posted March 7, 2020 (edited) 5 hours ago, Mashinka said: Domingo's London performances have now been cancelled. An unfortunate outcome for those ticket buyers, to be sure, but also not a surprise to anyone not in denial about the seriousness of the allegations against him. Edited March 7, 2020 by nanushka Link to comment
canbelto Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 5 hours ago, Mashinka said: Domingo's London performances have now been cancelled. The timing is a disgrace, they sold the tickets and then made the decision. People will have booked flights to London to see him, were I one of them I would be seeking compensation. My in box is overflowing with email messages of anger from outraged opera fans this morning. Putting aside other considerations the ROH can't afford ill will in a season where attendances have dropped off a cliff. The sheer dishonesty of promising a singer, getting in the money and then announcing that he won't be singing is downright theft in my opinion.. Well they didn't anticipate that Domingo would cancel himself due to his own behavior. Link to comment
nanushka Posted March 7, 2020 Author Share Posted March 7, 2020 18 minutes ago, canbelto said: Well they didn't anticipate that Domingo would cancel himself due to his own behavior. The behavior has allegedly been going on for decades, and I suspect the ROH and many other companies knew about it but chose to hire him regardless. Link to comment
canbelto Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Yes but after the AGMA investigation came out I think companies from Europe also distanced themselves from Domingo. He's already been fired from Madrid. Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 I'm willing to bet his replacements will do a better job of the singing. Link to comment
Helene Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 At minimum, they'll be baritones. Link to comment
cubanmiamiboy Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 2 hours ago, nanushka said: The behavior has allegedly been going on for decades, and I suspect the ROH and many other companies knew about it but chose to hire him regardless. Nothing new. Just like our current Hollywood "Shrines of Morality", #TheyKnew Link to comment
On Pointe Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 Speaking of "Me Too", Placido Domingo has tested positive for Corona virus: https://variety.com/2020/music/news/placido-domingo-coronavirus-opera-singer-1203541761/ Link to comment
dirac Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Best wishes to him and his family for a full recovery. Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 This nugget comes from the Bolshoi's latest English-language newsletter: "According to Domingo, American media quoted his words without the context. He pointed out that he had never taken advantage of his position, and if he saw his behaviour as disturbing to someone he would ask pardon immediately. /…/ Please note that the Bolshoi did not renounce its collaboration with Placido Domingo. The Bolshoi General Director Vladimir Urin stated that harassment cases should be proven at court not 30 years after but when they really happened. ‘The Bolshoi now has this opportunity to work with this great musician and to afford pleasure both to the audience and to ourselves, and we will never decline it,’ he said.” http://www.bolshoinews.com/images/Newsletter/2020_2021/4.pdf The newsletter also included Domingo's birthday message to Vladimir Putin: Quote Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich! I congratulate you wholeheartedly on your birthday. I love Russia very much not only because it is a powerful realm spread over thousands of kilometres, but because it is the birthplace of Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Vladimir Atlantov, Elena Obraztsova, Evgeni Mravinsky and many others. This is a country of great culture. My life is devoted to music. I know from my own experience than music will never fail, deceive or betray you. I wish you that in your tight schedule you might find time to enjoy art and that Russian culture has found a true friend and protector in you. Happy birthday, Mister President. Link to comment
Mashinka Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 On 10/15/2020 at 9:10 PM, volcanohunter said: Please note that the Bolshoi did not renounce its collaboration with Placido Domingo. Domingo is currently fully employed in Europe, his most recent performance was in Florence. Link to comment
Recommended Posts