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Adam Davy

Opera star Placido Domingo withdraws from all future Met performances

The Spanish opera star is facing numerous allegations of sexual harassment.

OPERA SINGER PLACIDO Domingo, who is facing numerous sexual harassment accusations, is withdrawing from all future performances at New York’s Metropolitan Opera.

The 11th-hour decision comes just one night before the 78-year-old Spaniard dubbed the “King of Opera” was scheduled to perform the title role in the Met’s sold-out first production of Macbeth.

“Placido Domingo has agreed to withdraw from all future performances at the Met, effective immediately,” the opera said in a statement, adding that the bankable star agreed “that he needed to step down.”

Domingo - who has been a conductor and director of some of the world’s most prestigious opera houses, and debuted at the Met at age 27 – said in a separate statement that he had in fact “asked to withdraw.”

“I strongly dispute recent allegations made about me, and I am concerned about a climate in which people are condemned without due process,” the singer, currently accused of harassment by 20 women, said.

But “upon reflection, I believe that my appearance in this production of Macbeth would distract from the hard work of my colleagues both on stage and behind the scenes,” he said.

“As a result, I have asked to withdraw and I thank the leadership of the Met for graciously granting my request,” he continued, saying he considered his final dress rehearsal his “last performance on the Met stage.”

In August, a number of women said that they were sexually harassed in incidents going back to the 1980s. One accuser said Domingo had put his hand down her skirt while three said he had forcibly kissed them.

Some said they felt their careers had been damaged by rejecting his advances.

“The allegations from these unnamed individuals dating back as many as 30 years are deeply troubling, and as presented, inaccurate,” Domingo said in a statement following the accusations. 

“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,” he added.

Domingo has made more than 100 albums and picked up 14 Grammy awards. Earlier this year, he celebrated his 4,000th performance in a career that stretches back 60 years.

The allegations are the latest in a series made against high-profile entertainment personalities as part of the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct.

© AFP 2019  

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    Mute 9QRixo8H
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    Jun 9th 2024, 3:30 PM

    If immigration was apparently the top issue, and the single-issue far-right anti-immigrant parties couldn’t even get seats, then there is no hope for them lol. The current govt who have been overseeing the migration “issue” is reelected. This echo chamber won’t be happy and clearly doesn’t reflect the rest of the nation.

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    Mute M To The B
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    Jun 9th 2024, 4:44 PM

    @9QRixo8H: these people predominately exist on social media and are based on foreign soil. They absolutely do not represent the views of the vast majority of Irish people

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    Mute Stiles
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    Jun 9th 2024, 6:36 PM

    ming has worked tirelessly to call out hypocrisy corruption and general BS since he started in his career.. he is one of the most honest politicians I’ve ever come across.. he actually wants to improve our country.. most politicians are just spouting about whatever topical soundbites are currently fashionable to have an opinion on, while behind the scenes being only interested in lining their pockets.. this man is the real deal.. just my opinion..

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    Mute John finn
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    Jun 9th 2024, 6:54 PM

    @Stiles: thanks. You made me laugh. See you in 5 years time ming

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    Mute Oh Mammy
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    Jun 9th 2024, 3:33 PM

    Brendan, the extreme left hypocrite, speaking for the Irish people. How many votes did you win?

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    Mute Brendan O'Brien
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    Jun 9th 2024, 3:37 PM

    @Oh Mammy: The Irish people spoke for themselves yesterday, and I am not ‘extreme left’.

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    Mute 9QRixo8H
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    Jun 9th 2024, 3:40 PM

    @Oh Mammy: Think he supports FFG, who have topped the polls. How many votes did your far right parties get? You’ve all been very quiet licking those wounds.

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    Mute Éamonn OKane
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    Jun 9th 2024, 4:08 PM

    @Oh Mammy: you need her, time for your bottle

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    Mute Hibernicus
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    Jun 9th 2024, 2:50 PM

    None the wiser, then!

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    Mute tom mitchell
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    Jun 9th 2024, 3:11 PM

    Surely away to digitalize the vote for 2042 elections

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    Mute Adam O'Sullivan
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    Jun 9th 2024, 3:14 PM

    @tom mitchell: There is, but they’ve been sitting in a barn for 20 odd years!

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    Mute Padraig O'Brien
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    Jun 9th 2024, 4:52 PM

    At least he called out the agribusiness lobby. On a radio discussion some idiot tried to raise the “derogation issue.
    Ming pointed out that it affected some 300 farmers in the constituency out of 13,000 and asked why it should be discussed.
    No. 1 for me!

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    Mute Ronan Mc
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    Jun 9th 2024, 5:10 PM

    Bring in e-voting for these huge constituencies. Only fair way to do it.

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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Jun 9th 2024, 4:29 PM
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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Jun 9th 2024, 4:33 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill: https://euandi.eu/en/survey/european-elections.html
    This is a better link

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