Domingo quits AGMA with a $500,000 gift

Domingo quits AGMA with a $500,000 gift

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norman lebrecht

March 21, 2020

Message received:

March 20, 2020

Dear members of AGMA,

Today, Plácido Domingo notified the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) that he was permanently resigning from the Union. His resignation is effective immediately.

Mr. Domingo also notified the Union that he is making a $500,000 contribution to the AGMA Relief Fund (a separate non-profit organization) to help AGMA members in crisis and to conduct training and education to eradicate sexual harassment in our industries.

Based on Mr. Domingo’s permanent resignation, the charges filed against him have been withdrawn and will require no further action by the Union.

***

From a separate letter of AGMA to its members about the Relief Fund:

“The AGMA Relief Fund Trustees have announced that the AGMA Relief Fund will temporarily double the cap of financial assistance available to AGMA members in need. Through March 31, due to the devastating toll COVID-19 has taken on our members, the maximum amount has increased to $2,000 (basic living has increased to $1,500, medical assistance is now up to $2,000). AGMA hopes this will help to alleviate the dire financial straits our members now face in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.”

 

Comments

  • Rob says:

    A cheap money shot ?

  • Karl says:

    Unions are dying everywhere because they treat people badly.

  • Victoria says:

    A generous donation. Well done Placido Domingo. With the massive layoffs caused by the virus crisis across the music industry, financial aid is what the musicians need pressingly, and that is what Domingo’s donation should be helping with. Here is to hope AGMA will use the donation fully for that purpose.

    • AGMA Member says:

      The AGMA Emergency Relief Fund (administered by the Actors’ Fund) just raised its grant limit to $2000. Thanks to Maestro Domingo’s donation, 250 broke artists may get their rents/mortgages paid.

      It is a shame to lose him from American opera houses, but he will be 80 next January.

  • Edite says:

    Thank you Mr. Lebrecht for the straight-forward, honest information.

  • Daniela says:

    Bravo Placido Domingo! A generous donation for artists now facing unemployment. I hope others will follow his example.

  • Elina says:

    Placido Domingo is a very noble person. Support musician which can’t earn money now is so great decision.

    A great artist and a great man!

  • anon says:

    “Based on Mr. Domingo’s permanent resignation, the charges filed against him have been withdrawn”

    Well, that was a non-sequitur.

    “Based on the priest’s resignation from the Church, God’s laws no longer apply to him, therefore all charges filed have been withdrawn. Hey, what’s in the past is in the past, like who’s keeping tabs anyway?”

  • Alexa says:

    Placido Domingo made a donation of $500,000 to the U.S. union’s Relief Fund to aid members in need! A very noble gesture!

  • Doris says:

    This is a generous donation Bravo Maestro Domingo! God bless you!

  • Olga says:

    A friend in need is a friend indeed. In such a situation people show real faces: some people panic and some offer practical help. A noble and generous thing to do, bravo Domingo!

  • Thinking aloud says:

    What a cheap shot at Placido Domingo, Anon.
    Giving half a million dollars to help musicians and singers when their livelihood has been taken away is a generous gesture, typical of the man.
    Whatever indignities have been throw at him by the press, MeToo, Slippedisc and regrettably people like you Anon, he has maintained his humanitarian instincts. Ask the Mexicans, those who live in New Orleans and other organisations who have benefited from his generosity.
    The fact that the AGMA chose to close the file on the accusations against him ,after he had resigned had nothing to do with the donation.
    If the statement by the AGMA is read correctly, the money is donated to the AGMA Relief Fund – a separate non-profit organisation to help AGMA members in crisis.
    It is typical in this day and age that people read into statements what they want to read and miss the facts.

  • George says:

    The file is closed because he resigned from membership.

    The donation on top is very generous. He did not have to.

  • A.L. says:

    Pay-for-Play

  • Elfriede says:

    Bravo Maestro Domingo
    for his generous donation to AGMA for Artists helping in this Corona-crisis!
    God bless him!

  • Kundry64 says:

    Placido Domingo did a noble and elegant gest to help hundreds of families who will be in need now that the theaters are closed, it remains the year 1985 when he helped the familes devestated by the mexican earthquake and the years after , when he helps the mexican orphelans with SOS Chidren villages

  • Women setting themselves back says:

    The females gushing over this man’s pathetic attempt to BUY a shred of his reputation back are just the type he PREYED UPON!

    You need to look more objectively at the photo Norman thoughtfully chose.

    That’s his WIFE on his arm who he BETRAYED multiple times!!!!!

    Of course, none of you are married and clearly void of scruples so you make ideal sycophants thinking with your privates…

    • Alexa says:

      Marta Domingo certainly knows her husband better than you! So it’s a big presumption to use it for your arguments! She stands by her husband because there is nothing to criticize. – Again with his donation – not for the first time – P. Domingo has shown what a great personality he is! What world do we live in when even a good deed is pulled into the dirt in such difficult times!

    • Bruce says:

      Remember, the more exclamation points you use, the more credible you are online.

      • Olga says:

        Bruce, I don’t think so. Nowadays false info is much more credible. Like the accusations of anonymous women

        • inclusive says:

          and MEN Olga.

          James Levine exploited numerous men (based on the Metropolitan Opera and their Lawyers findings) beyond the NYT News Article and of course their private settlement pursuant to his firing.

          We stand UNITED!

    • Olga says:

      Dear Women setting… I hope a wife still has the right to forgive her husband. I am also thrilled to hear about female AGMA members who are not in trouble refusing the offered support. I suppose Domingo was also guilty in cancer cases and the earthquake in Mexico and tried to buy his forgiveness with donations 😉

  • Ingrid says:

    That’s a matter between the couple alone. Nobody has the right to judge things concerning a couple alone. My mind!

  • Ingrid says:

    As so many times before Placido Domingo is helping people in need. I think that those artists not able to earn money by their own will be very happy and thankful for this generous donation.

  • erich says:

    …but let us please not lose a sense of perspective. This is but 50% of ONE Three Tenors concert fee!

  • Addiiiiiiiiiioooooo!!!!! says:

    He can afford a $5,000,000 guilt offering.

  • Victoria says:

    Looking at the amount of each grant of AGMA financial assistance, Domingo’s donation can go a long way helping many members in need. I don’t know what is the total fund size of the Relief Fund, but I would venture a guess Domingo’s donation has significantly enlarged the fund size. At least those receiving financial assistance from the Relief Fund should have the conscience of feeling some gratitude. Not that this is the first time Domingo has helped anyone!

  • Elfriede Wengust says:

    Placido Domingo is one of the greatest Operasingers and we will hear him singing again in the Operahouses.
    I Support PLACIDO
    DOMINGO!!!

  • Alexandra says:

    Wishing my favourite artist the amazing Placido Domingo, a fast recovery and sending my most positive thoughts to him and his family. The last year has been really difficult for Placido Domingo, but he always has the love and respect from so many people around the world.
    #ISupportPlacidoDomingo
    #StandByDomingo
    Ich bin bei dir Placido!!!

    • Republican Women Unite says:

      It’s absolutely wonderful to see Republican women like yourself supporting your men along with all the rest of the women commenting.

      Those obnoxious leftie girls trash them all too often; ending up lonely, corpulent, bitter souls..

      Thank you dear heart.

      All of the women of the Right here are truly amazing.

  • Chris says:

    Great donation!

    .I wonder why people say things about other people that they neither know nor have ever dealt with their life and work?

    The media, especially the electronic ones, carry a lot of the disinformation and stultification of so many people who are not really familiar with the subject matter.

    VIVA Maestro Domingo!

  • Erica du Preez says:

    Well done, Maestro Domingo! Your South African fans are 100% behind you no matter what!

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