Voices are raised in defence of Placido Domingo
mainA columnist on the influential Spanish daily El Pais has come out in vigorous defence of the opera singer, whom he describes as a personal friend and a great philanthropist.
Domingo, writes Ruben Amon, has been harshly treated by the opera world after nine women, eight of them anonymous, accused him of being a sexual predator.
Amon writes: ‘I think I know Domingo well enough to state that it is unlikely he has abused or harassed women. Or had relationships without consent. Domingo is not a criminal. ‘
He adds: ‘Domingo is an altruist who has dedicated more time, faculties and energy than anyone else to the cause of music, music lovers and fellow-professionals…. His Operalia contest (pictured) represents the future of opera.’
Read more here.
This looks like the start of a fightback, rallying the Hispanic world to his corner.
UPDATE: A second defender in El Pais is the Basque soprano Ainhoa Arteta. She says: ‘I know he is not a stalker (of women), he would (rather) put his hand in the fire.’
Paloma San Basilio, who made a record with Domingo said: ‘I can only affirm that Mr. Domingo was always a gentleman with me, a great companion and a generous artist, of those there are not many, and with whom I had the privilege of sharing the stage.’
The soprano Pilar Jurado added: ‘He is a perfect gentleman (who has been) ‘fighting gender violence for many years’.
Read also: Domingo’s choices
This is why many victims of sexual predation and abuse and of abuse of power don’t speak up until many years later:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/14/opinion/jeffrey-epstein-jennifer-araoz.html
Ok Caravaggio, but Domingo has never been a raper. He has been a “Don-juanesque womaniser” all throughout his succesful career, and with the consent of the opertic world, who now needs to “monitor the outcome of a few investigations”.
Say what you want, but it sounds like hypocrisy and it smells of BS…
I’d have taken his words as a complement in those days myself as someone pinching my backside on a bus in Rome!!! Everyone now gets offended at the least thing or is accused of being abusive. And then 30 years later as anonymous or unknown middle-aged 60+ women – often American – saying they were abused?
A sense of perspective is a fine thing, Ungeheuer.
Maybe spend a couple of minutes comparing what Epstein was accused and convicted of (industrial-scale rape and trafficking of minors) to what Domingo is being accused of. Then think about whether you really want to bring up Epstein in this forum.
Nik, I wasn’t comparing Domingo’s actions to Epstein’s. But the psychology behind egomania and of unchecked and enabled power, and of abuse of it, is exactly the same regardless. I posted the link so readers can become aware of why it is daunting and difficult for victims of abuse to come forward. Think about it: trauma, fear, shame, humiliation, livelihood, etc.
But you did.
Caravaggio is the former Ungeheuer? I should have guessed…there could not have been two.
Caravaggio is the former Ungeheuer? I should have guessed…there could not have been two.
What do extra-pair copulations have to do with altruism?
Norman: The situation is horrible enough without you turning this into a racial thing, ie. “rallying the Hispanic world to his corner.”
Read the article.
Yes…but Pilar Jurado spoke to others, and included this:
Fellow Spanish soprano Pilar Jurado said she also felt respected by Domingo, but she didn’t dispute the accounts of the nine women who spoke to the Associated Press.
“It’s complicated because I don’t know what other people have experienced,” she said. “What I can say is that his relationship with me has been that of a perfect gentleman.”
Source: https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-spanish-sopranos-praise-placido-domingo-amid-sex-misconduct-probe-20190814-fseszlscubh4lh3qel6mugepiy-story.html
Their story is based upon one in Spanish from Europa Press. Provided for those who do not read Spanish.
Pilar Jurado is a lightweight soprano wannabe and self-promoted “personality” (for lack of a better word) in Spain, who jumps onto every musical cause celebre in Spain to enhance her own career.
The other soprano mentioned is a Zarzuela singer with professional ties to Domingo. Both are ridiculous.
‘Hispanic’ is not a race.
Jerry Hadley once told me a funny story (he was good at that) about covering for Domingo in Carmen at the Met. One evening Jerry said he stopped by Placido’s dressing room to say Hi shortly before the performance. Domingo said he really wasn’t feeling well and didn’t think he’d be able to sing. Jerry got suddenly terrified that he might have to go on and replace him at a moment’s notice. Just then, a ballerina or chorus member was passing by and Placido invited her into his dressing room. Jerry waited outside, and from behind the closed door he could hear delightful exclamations: “oh, Mr. Domingo!” etc. After a few moments when Placido came out, he had a big smile on his face and told Jerry that he now felt wonderful! When Jerry told that story, he added “La fleur que tu m’avais jete” at the end, and you could picture Domingo warming up in full voice there in the hallway 😀
(yes, this is only an anecdote, and for those of you who will complain here, that could of course have all been consensual. Just a sample of how many male artists can equate sexual prowess or persuasion with star power, stage presence, and success in opera performance.)
A nonsensical comment.
If we are going to go down this road, then Furtwängler was a serial harasser!
Not to mention Carlos Kleiber.
Thank the lord they lived in another era, because they would be destroyed and eaten alive by the today’s societies for their sexual lives.
Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Benvenuto Cellini( by his own admission in his autobiography) were pedophiles. They and many others kept young boys as apprentices and used them for sex. A reprehensible practice that would rightly land them in jail today, but then was common and acceptable. Should their art be banned or condemned because of what they did then?
In the old days women were invited to “come up and look at my etchings”. The oldest trope in the world and there have been many, many willing females. Unless it’s rape and the police are involved I don’t want to hear about it.
A delicate problem to solve. It is true that the professional markets need to address and solve the questions regarding “career advancements through sex”, whether perpetrated by men or women. Yes, aham, men also DO get approached by young females hoping for such opportunities, a potential mine filed these days and a situation not mentioned in #metoo discussions which seem to target only men, as disgusting as some of the bad examples have been. It would be naive to conclude that unwanted sexual pressures are born of men only. The central question really is “was damage done”. The #metoo movement is needed to help us create a better, fairer future, but if that comes at the cost of ruining careers which have been central to the development of classical music it will end up hurting all of us, male and female. It seems that these days we hear more about such scandals at the top than the superb leadership work being done on many fronts, but the accused or not, which directs us to a bigger, better future for all. Such attacks on people like Domingo need to be born out of the rule of law and due process, rather than mere accusations so far under investigation.
I understand Mozart boasted to have touched over 200 women. It would be difficult to claim that all of these were proper and consensual. It is also well known that sopranos at the time did indeed get opera roles from Wolfgang as a result of such work behind doors. So, shall we boycott Mozart? And boycott his operas too for being the plain evidence of the very activity now planted at Domingo’s feet? I gather not, and let’s not even bring up Rameau…. Shall we boycott Wagner and so many others for their anti-semitic words? We are all above that, I hope. The rules have changed, for the better, but it is complicated to judge the past according to the present, be that 200 or 20 years ago, and that would open doors to a whole slew of wide ranging accusations at the end of which all we will have is anger, blame, and the loss of icons. Imperfect icons, ok, but still icons nonetheless. What was Dvorak doing in stolen Indian territory? Shall we boycott him for being an implicit participant in a yet-to-be-recognized genocide? And the rumors about Tchaikovsky’s horrifying rounds by the St. Petersburg docks?
Domingo is merely “accused” of wrong doing. I hope that with a frank, honest discussion all of this can be solved as adults without the destruction of everything he built, for himself and for all of us. This is less of a time to throw rocks at Placido Domingo, and more of a time to show all that is great about our art and our ability to overcome difficulties with poise.
200 or 100 or even 50 years ago is much different than 25 or 30 years ago.
Most people are reasonable, and those same reasonable people aren’t buying the “standards change” excuse when it refers to actions from 1985 or 1990.
change your name to “A View from America” because its total BS now
The more things change the more they remain the same.
Wow! Your linking Dvorak to genocide is quite a stretch. And what is your source about Mozart? Surely all these examples are a sign of desperation. I suppose you could say you are using the reductio ad absurdum argument, but need you be quite so absurd?
It’s too late for Mozart to apologize now.
I believe many would only be satisfied if he were disinterred and interrogated.
That’s a pretty roundabout way of saying “Domingo should be given a pass because he sings good.” I don’t think it’s appropriate to draw a comparison between living in America (your Dvorak example) and using your position of power to abuse women. I do think the examples you brought up are illustrative of something… that is, the lengths some people go to in order to rationalize unacceptable and predatory behavior. Attempting to draw an equivalence between Domingo and Mozart reeks of the same attitude that allowed Domingo’s predatory behavior to remain unchecked, namely that he should be excused because he is a genius. 250 years ago, we didn’t expect anyone to pull commissions from Mozart because of his behavior- luckily we’ve gotten to a point (seemingly) where predatory behavior is generally unacceptable, even when perpetrated by talented people.
Moreover, I don’t know if anybody is systemically advocating a boycott of Domingo’s recordings (though I don’t doubt the airwaves will be clear of his voice for a while). I believe that the actions of many arts organizations, namely canceling his future engagements to protect others and to cease the enabling of his behavior, are appropriate.
Can you give a reference as to WHERE that reference comes from that Mozart boasted about touching more than 200 women, or that it was well known in that time that sopranos got roles for such behind the doors work.
I’ve never read that.
You yourself say: “I understand that Mozart….”
The incredible amount of intrigue that went on EVERY TIME Mozart put on an opera, works which then were performed less than just about anyone else’s, to now have what was more performed then, and more paid then just about entirely out of the repertoire; to say that “Wolfgang” had such control over who would end up in an opera that he took them to bed, I find a bit suspect. But after he died, and his works become more “famous,” then there would have been talk, and it would have appeared in the tabloids. So I wonder where you get your sources. And if he of course managed to get along with any of them beyond the stage, there would have been talk as to why.
I wouldn’t even trust is wife Constanze as a source. I’ve read that SHE’s the one that started all of the gossip about Salieri poisoning Wolfgang, that gossip I read she started during little concerts she gave mentioning that he said he was poisoned with Aqua Tofana. And that actually was as a reaction to there being in that time a lot of gossip that she poisoned her husband.
Anyhow, that Mozart boasted about having touched 200 women, is there any more credence to that than that Salieri poisoned him?
I’d liked to know what your sources are, if you’d care to share.
I actually have heard that Mozart did frequent taverns with certain ladies, that he had quite a few “mistresses,” but that wouldn’t be considered a valid source, because that was in conversation with Mozart’s mother through a spiritualism medium, who (the medium) in that time when Mozart lived appears to have possibly been one of his “mistresses,” I think that I was told he was a mistress, and then I asked whether there were “mistresses,” and I was told there were a considerable amount, but that was done in a tone more that it was something he didn’t hold back on, and it gave them more of a life, possibly. And it seems she (the medium no longer a she but a he) maybe inspired the C major concerto KV467, and had come from England after her husband had been beaten to death by thugs, and thus needed the money to survive.
You don’t have to believe ANY of that, and if you don’t have the notion to, please don’t. It’s fortunately beyond any testing, even less than if someone had a physical problem that spirit healed, which you might test with modern equipment, although that’s often also not believed, which makes no difference as long as there was healing, however. But people should be allowed their beliefs.
Also, I don’t know the story about Rameau.
I’ve read a lot about Rameau and am puzzled by the reference. Lully, yes, lots of bad behavior, but Rameau…?
Dear Mr. Klein, how come you had a totally difference stance on Jonathan Carney, the Baltimore Symphony concertmaster, just a few months ago? You didn’t give him a free pass, did you?
His musical doing isn’t the question here. No one says his behaviour towards women “devalues” him as a singer. Yet being a great singer doesn’t rectify harassing women – just so simple.
This is more than hyperbole comparing P D to those you mention. in fact those you mention are more likely the ones P D might have dismissed did they not play his games. And that’s beyond whether the current accusations are true.
This is just simply amazing how a modern day celebrity gets put in the likes of Dvorak, Mozart, Rameau…
It’s like the modern day “Christian” Church acting like Jesus wouldn’t survive without them, when it’s more the other way around; AGAIN!
It’s the obvious reaction to one more “semi-anonymous” attack of correctedness and retrospective pain at the expense of others
Domingo abusing his power in opera world is not a secret. And he is not the only one. Many articles have been written about abuse and harassment in classical world before, with musicians (both female and male) recollecting incidents like that, no names mentioned of course. It’s clear now that one of those names would be Domingo. Wish that all of the victims and witnesses would come out and bring abusers to justice – so everyone can work in much safer environment.
As for Mr Amon – you think you know…
The point I made in another post, what is justice in this context? If crimes have ben committed they must be prosecuted, if they haven’t then what?
There is bad behaviour short of crime, you know. Don’t you think it can be called out and dealt with? Children misbehave – well-raised children are punished. Adults misbehave:: surely the same applies and more so.
There may be legitimate questions as to what precisely the punishment or dealing with should entail. But so far no criminal punishments have been meted out for unproved criminal behaviour. Some people have lost their jobs, usually after investigations into accusations.
What’s their beef — that they were not taken to law? They have no more right for their word to be believed than the women or young men who have come forward with their complaints. Often many of them with consistent stories. Or, put the other way, the accusers have no more call to be disbelieved than the accused.
You might well ask why more of the accused have not sued for libel or slander? If truly innocent of all they were accused of why not? Most of them could forum-shop for the most sympathetic court, so many of these accusations emanating from various centres of activity.
What about suing for wrongful dismissal? Haven’t seen much of that, either, and none that made it to court.
Innocent until proven guilty, as is often noted around here in these all-too-frequent discussions, is a legal standard. Those not prepared to go to law if they maintain their innocence must then deal with the situation they find themselves in, in the forum in which it is raised — often the only one the accusers (or victims) have recourse to. That’s the court of public opinion and, as we see from these discussions and from some of the resolutions received, there are advocates on both sides. Not, alas, always swayed by logic or reason or even fairness — more often, as is emerging in this case, by prejudice (can’t believe it of a well-loved singer, someone so magnetic he wouldn’t have to, etc.).
It’s tough. My heart sinks every time someone I have regarded highly is named, and credibly accused. But I remember that for every famous person who appears to have been getting away with this sort of behaviour, there are dozens, hundreds, more, people unknown to most of us who have abused their pettier powers and who are in some cases now being called to book as a result of the not-always-pretty Me Too movement. It had to begin in Hollywood (although you might say it began in the congregations of churches) for it to receive the attention this widespread and dreadful situation requires to be corrected. Where there are false accusations, I hope there is fightback. But there is a difference between that and denial.
Mike Schachter: “The point I made in another post, what is justice in this context? If crimes have ben committed they must be prosecuted, if they haven’t then what?”
Are you really claiming that people can do anything they like as long as it isn’t a criminal offense? Because personally I don’t socialize with people who I think are nasty or `immoral’ people (even though their actions are technically legal); and I would be surprised if most people didn’t follow this strategy.
Not only have singers come forward with this accusation, many others connected to Doming’s performances have spoken out.
A statement about Domingo’s charitable acts has nothing to do with what he does in private. One old geezer defends another.
Those women all said, they didn´t dare to say “No” to Maestro Domingo. So how could he know, that they mean “No”, when they said “Yes”???
Some of them described that he stopped immediately when they said “No”.
So who did wrong?
Just b/c the man didn’t put his hand in Arteta’s fire does not mean he didn’t in someone else’s. And that from a soprano who recently admitted being raped –years earlier–.
I suppose hypocrisy and self-servedness have no bottom.
https://slippedisc.com/2019/07/spanish-soprano-i-was-raped-in-new-york/
It’s because she was raped that her support of Domingo is powerful. Arteta is the real deal. She’s a great artist, a compassionate human being and now, I see, a fine colleague. Brava, Ainhoa.
Wrong, very wrong. Apples and oranges. What Arteta is really saying is that *her* story of rape is credulous over and above and more important, even though it happened many years earlier, than the stories of the women accusing her idol and fellow Spaniard. In other words, Arteta is a Domingo groupie with a career highly dependent on his graces; therefore her defense of him is hollow, biased and utterly self serving.
That’s ridiculous. Absolutely not. Do your research. Arteta’s successful career has nothing to do with Domingo. She got to the MET on her own. (Domingo has no influence there anyway.) She was actually married to US baritone Dwayne Croft, a longtime leading figure at the MET.
Arteta achieved her success on a completely separate career path from Domingo. She’s Basque, he’s from Madrid. Worlds apart. They arrived at many of the same places, have worked together and both being Spanish, I’m sure became good friends, but Ainhoa Arteta is much closer to being an equal to Domingo than the other wannabe sopranos who came out in his defense at the same time. She is in no way shape or form a Domingo groupie. She is a colleague.
after reading all the news and reactions about Domingo in the last 24 hour, I feel sick. A wonderfull artist driven by his artistry and sensibility versus a performer driven by his lust and power chasing:. which is true? it seems…
I know. The man had SEX. Unbelievable!!! The war against sex rages on…
Bill Cosby had SEX! Unbelievable! The war against sex rages on….
PA: We have spent months interviewing the alleged victims, have carefully verified the interviews with friends and colleagues of the victims, analysed timelines and itineraries and found that they match up and have been made repeatedly aware that Mr Domingo’s behaviour towards vulnerable women is an open secret in the industry. We have passed this article through one of the most competent media law departments in the world and we are sure of our work.
Ruben Amon: I have met Plácido several times and he seems like a nice guy and look he’s FAMOUS and he gives money charity. How could he possibly be a predator?!
And so it goes…
For those who don’t quite get it, here’s a well written piece about the core issue. https://www.theoperaqueen.com/2019/08/13/domingo-consent-metoo/
With this accusation the me too club has hit rock bottom. It open hunting season guys, so zip it up
Or, guys, stop thinking that you can use power and position and privilege to consider the workplace your personal harem and hunting grounds.
Domingo would rather put his hand in the fire than stalk women? If he had confined himself to grabbing burning logs, we wouldn’t need to be having this discussion.
whoa, there has got to be more than wulff’s complaint of boorishness:
https://slippedisc.com/2019/08/eight-singers-accuse-placido-domingo-of-sex-offences/
Anonymous accusations from decades ago should not be acceptable. It strains credulity to believe that Domingo controlled careers worldwide even at the height of his powers. Had these women refused him they would not have worked anywhere? ALLL of the hours of Europe were under his control?
Everyone involved were/are adults and made their decisions. Regret for those decisions years later should not be an excuse to destroy a great artist. I’m certain Domingo has made errors in his judgement and has done things that he regrets, but I’m equally certain so have we all.
So accusations towards Catholic priests from 20/30 years ago should be dismissed also?
This is not the “Hispanic world”, this is specifically Spain closing ranks to defend one of their own. It’s a national characteristic to behave like this and it’s very predictable.
I’m glad to see this article but the problem is that the Spaniards coming forward to defend Mr. Domingo, with the exception of Ainhoa Arteta genuinely lack credibility.
It’s a noble effort by Mr. Amon, and he makes some fine points, but he is cloying and making an awful lot out of a casual friendship with Domingo.The article is sappy and blindly worshipful. He also gets the name of the one named complainant wrong, calling her Ruth instead of Patricia Wulf. Nonetheless, kudos for an important publication like El Pais to bring it forward, as lightweight as it is.
Ainhoa Arteta is a genuine credible voice and lends much to his case. She’s had a big international career and has appeared often at the MET. She is also a rape victim.
The other Spanish “sopranos” who’ve jumped on the bandwagon are a joke. They are seeking publicity for their own careers. If anything they are harming Domingo’s cause.
Paloma San Basilio is a middle aged pop singer/actress/tv personality who came to fame singing “Evita” on Eurovision. Davinia Rodriguez is a Zarzuela singer. The only legit appearance on her website is an upcoming performance with (no suprise here) is LA Opera, which Domingo heads.
And OMG not again with Pilar Jurado. She will do or say anything to get her name in the news. She is not a serious musician – or whatever it is that she claims to be. Her modus operandi is to jump on the bandwagon for whatever cause celebre is going on in the world of music for her own self promotion. She is of the Inma Shara school of being a muscian: I am pretty, I dress well and the world owes me a living as a musician. She got herself named as head of SGAE and they’ve been thrown out of the international organization which oversees authors’ and musicians’ royalty rights. It’s a fiasco. She should be tending that mess instead of ridiculously coming forward to jump on the Domingo bandwagon. Does she even know him?
So while it’s great that Spain is defending their native son, they need to get someone with a little more substance speaking out on his behalf. Right now with the exception of Ainhoa Arteta, he’s got a pack of fools on his side.
Like many I am hoping that Domingo did not cross that line into offering career advancement ( or not) for sexual favours. However only an investigation allowing all concerned to give their side of the story can help to establish the facts. We cannot just stick him in the box marked guilty based on allegations or backstage stories. Proof still counts.
Where I take issue with your comments I’m afraid is that you seem to belittle artists who have taken his defence and in an inaccurate manner? Take for example Paloma San Basilio- if you had correct facts you would know that she is 68 years old and concluding her farewell tour. She has nothing to gain professionally from defending Domingo. She did not come to fame singing Evita at the Eurovision. At the song contest she sang ‘ La fiesta termino’ and was already an established artist taking her turn singing for Spain. She became a famous ‘Evita’ in the Spanish speaking countries having begun with portraying the role in the Madrid production . She has sold millions of records, won a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement among other things. She has run her long career in an impeccable manner. Does she really deserve then to be classed as part of ‘ a pack of fools’ because, when asked, she expresses her opinion on these allegations concerning Placido Domingo her colleague and based on her own experience of him?
There are plenty of others singers , musicians and directors who hold Domingo in high regard and it is only normal that they should speak up too, however that doesn’t mean that these serious allegations shouldn’t be investigated thoroughly and with due respect to all concerned.
Point taken. You are right. Unfortunately, at the mention of Pilar Jurado many of us cringe. It’s a shame that Ms. San Basilio came forward at exactly the same time as Ms. Jurado. It puts her in inferior company clearly.
It would be best for everyone if Pilar Jurado stayed out of the press for once – especially with respect to Mr. Domingo. She only does him harm, as she has done with SGAE.
Did he persist after they said “No”? I think that’s the real issue.
Don’t want to be a conspiracy theorist, but his daughter in law just came out exposed some crazy stuff about Scientology last month. And this whole thing came up now, timing is very suspicious… https://heavy.com/news/2019/07/sam-domingo/
People have known this about PD for as long as I’ve been in the business, which is going on 25 years. And this article has been in the making for at least 9 months.
Human nature has pretty much remained unchanged over centuries and is probably unlikely to change any time soon. There are always going to be these kinds of events as long as there are horny men (and women). What we can hope to change is how institutions behave when complaints are made, how they support their employees, and what constitutes good policy in promoting professional behavior going forward so hopefully a pattern of behavior stops before it becomes habitual. And accusations that can shred someone’s reputation should be timely.
“rallying the Hispanic world to his corner.”
When was the last time Spain rallied the Hispanic world to anything? 1492?
Spain did nothing, nada, for Domingo’s career. If Domingo had to rely on Spain for his career, he’d be an anonymous provincial zarzuela singer.
It is not surprising that others are springing to his defense. That is only natural. Having myself witnessed a very obvious case of sexual harassment, as described in an earlier thread, I fully stand by my differing view to the point where I would give evidence in a court of law if so requested.
Remember what Jerry Seinfeld says “”I can’t watch a man sing a song…they get all emotional, they sway, it’s embarrassing!” Yes, and with the emotion comes the touchy-feeliness.
Since PD knew when to take no for an answer, it’s really time to move on from this
Domingo could have been a total gentleman to every woman he met but ONE, and his behavior towards that ONE person would be enough to publicly call him out for his misconduct. The fact that there are NINE accusers speaks volumes. I have no doubt those speaking on behalf of Domingo are speaking from their heart, but they seem to be blind to the fact that the way someone treats one person can be very different to the way they treat someone else, especially someone lower on the totem pole than a superstar singer.
I knew Plácido, sang with and under his baton before we ever filmed the 1991 „La Fanciulla del West“ at the MET; as a colleague and as a man he was always professional, a total gentleman and never in any manner harassed me. I cannot speculate on what kinds of women would consider themselves prey to a great artist and humanbeing of such integrity.
Apropos „top singers“…of the men, let’s just stick with tenors, in his age group and on his professional artistic level who (if they’re still alive!) grabbed enough ass and sexually patrolled every opera house and concert hall, all of them are shitting their pants hoping none of their „victims“ start coming forward…and THEN we start down the list of baritones, basses, buffos…AND THEN come those conductors of great -or lesser- reknown (and believe me, Plácido can’t, or if they’re dead, could never hold a candle to them!) This is ridiculous and of course the US and her faux-puritanical-double-standard ethics are off the wall….but, I was never raped, loved to flirt, dressed to get attention as a young woman and singer, SO??? it’s going to be a tough call for Plácido, and I hope all those anonymous ladies yelling about sexual misconduct never did anything to encourage their miserable experiences‼️
#ISupportPlacidoDomingo at Facebook has gained 880 subscribers in 3 days (I am one).
There are a number of famous singers whose behaviour is past the line of what would be considered acceptable in any other workplace. Domingo is obviously the most famous and possibly the lesser erring of what I have seen having worked with many of them. There is certainly a very famous tenor at the moment who is notorious and a lawsuit waiting to happen. Opera management does need to get its act together.