Mari Yoshihara, a scholar at the University of Hawaii, has turned up 350 letters at the Library of Congress detailing an unknown love affair between the musician and Kunihiko Hashimoto, a young man he met who was working at a Tokyo insurance company.

Her researches will be published shortly by Oxford University Press under the title, Dearest Lenny: Letters from Japan and the Making of the World Maestro .

Report here.

photo: Hashimoto/OUP/The Guardian

The Teatro Real of Madrid today issued a strong statement of support for Placido Domingo, confirming his next engagement as Giorgio Germont in La traviata and calling for the anonymous accusations against him to be thoroughly investigated.
El Teatro Real reitera a Plácido Domingo su admiración y reconocimiento por todo lo que representa su extraordinaria carrera para la lírica española e internacional, y por su ejemplar trayectoria en esta institución. Y así lo reafirmará en su próxima interpretación en “La Traviata” en el papel de Giorgo Germont, en el Teatro Real.
El Teatro Real quiere manifestar su tolerancia cero ante cualquier conducta que pueda suponer abusos y acosos sexuales o de cualquier otra índole, y su absoluta solidaridad con las víctimas de estos actos.
Por último, el Teatro Real también considera que las acusaciones que se viertan sobre este tipo de comportamientos, dadas sus consecuencias, tienen que estar fundadas, y ser probadas en las instancias que corresponda.

Less expected, the rising Lithuanian star Asmik Grigorian has posted this tribute to the beleaguered singer:

Dear Maestro,
First of all – Thank You!!!
Thank You for being a wonderful colleague and a true friend to my father!
Thank You for Your inner warmth, supporting smile and unbelievable energy that each day You share with whole World for many years! Thank You for countless things I have learned as well as those that I greatly admire. Thank You for thousands of young talents who are on the big stage nowadays. Thank You!!! I support You with all my heart and I hope that this terrible absurdity will soon be over.
Thank You for everything You’ve given to our World!!! You are GREAT!!!

Further support from Doming has come today from Barbara Frittoli, Ermonela Jaho and the singing group Il Volo.

The biggest names in opera are still holding back.

 

 

Watch what Nicholas McCarthy can do with left hand only.