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NEW YORK (AP) – The Metropolitan Opera announced Tuesday that Placido Domingo had agreed to withdraw from the list of concerts scheduled at the Opera following accusations of sexual harassment brought by several women in two articles of the United States. Associated Press. The legend of the opera indicated that it would never happen again at the Met.
Domingo was to play the lead role in the first part of Verdi's "Macbeth" season Wednesday night, which would have been his first performance in the United States since the AP reported that many women accused him of inappropriate behavior, including a soprano who said that he caught his bare chest.
The Met had been under increasing pressure to cancel Domingo's planned seven appearances, but general manager Peter Gelb rehearsed to the performers after a dress rehearsal on Saturday that the opera was awaiting the results of LA Opera's investigations, where Domingo has been managing director since 2003, and the American Guild of Musical Artists, the union that represents various opera personnel.
Domingo, who had sung during rehearsals, issued a statement claiming that his career at the Met was over after what the company had described as 706 performances.
"I made my debut at the Metropolitan Opera at the age of 27 and have sung in this magnificent theater for 51 consecutive and glorious years," said the star. "Although I strongly disagree with the recent allegations made about me and I am concerned about the climate in which people are condemned without due process, I believe that my appearance in this production of" Macbeth "would deter hard work of my wife. colleagues on stage and behind the scenes.
"As a result, I asked to withdraw," he added, "and I thank the management of the Met for having graciously granted my request.I am happy that at age 78, I I was able to sing the marvelous main role of the Macbeth dress rehearsal, which I consider my last performance on the Met stage. "
In his statement, the Met said Domingo had "agreed to withdraw from all future performances of the Met, from now on".
Gelb on Tuesday sent an email to Met staff saying, "We are grateful to him for recognizing that he had to withdraw."
Zeljko Lucic will replace Domingo for the three performances of "Macbeth". Domingo had also been scheduled for four performances as Sharpless in Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" at the Met in November.
In addition, Gelb said that the Met was suspending the tenor Vittorio Grigolo pending the outcome of an investigation opened Tuesday by the Royal Opera of London, according to which he would have been involved in an incident of September 18 when He would have interpreted the main role of Gounod "Faust" with the touring company in Tokyo.
Grigolo, 42, was scheduled to sing six performances of Alfredo in Verdi's La Traviata at the Met in February and March.
Prior to Domingo's withdrawal, the New York State Senator, whose district includes the Met, asked Domingo to withdraw from the program.
"I believe they have an obligation to maintain their top performers, as they are one of the most important cultural institutions in the world," said Brad Hoylman, Democrat. "They should think not only about his celebrity and his star power, but also about the 20 women who would have complained. The Met has an obligation to ensure the safety and well-being of its employees and I am concerned that, if they do not take action on this, it may discourage future employees from making themselves known. "
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Associated Press editors Jocelyn Gecker and Jocelyn Noveck contributed to this report.
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