Washington strips Domingo of title

The Washington National Opera has just taken Placido Domingo’s name off the young artist development programme he co-founded.

It’s very little, too late, quite pathetic.

Statement from Washington National Opera

(WASHINGTON)—In 2002, while Placido Domingo was serving as Washington National Opera’s (WNO) artistic director, he created an apprentice artist development program for the company, the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. WNO respects and acknowledges Mr. Domingo’s singular artistic legacy and contribution to the opera field and to WNO. Mr. Domingo stepped down from his post at WNO in 2011 and has not been active with the company or its apprentice artist program in the years since.

In light of recent developments, the company today announces that going forward, WNO’s apprentice program for early-career opera singers and pianists will be called the Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera, retaining in the name The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, which has generously supported the program for nearly two decades. WNO commends the outstanding partnership and continued generosity of all its supporters, including the Cafritz Foundation.