Washington Post calls for Domingo to be retired
NewsThe newspaper has seized upon the singer’s alleged connection to a sex ring in Argentina to demand his retirement from the world stage.
Domingo, 81, has no further engagements in the US but premier European opera houses continue to employ him as a baritone and conductor. He is due to appear next week at the Arena di Verona.
The WP’s music critic Michael Andor Brodeur writes: ‘How desperate and sad to see institutions pretend that Domingo is a legend instead of a man, that his artistic legacy must be preserved at the expense of their own integrity. Then again, that integrity needs to come from somewhere. The opera world, overly prone to protecting its own bad habits, just can’t seem to quit Domingo.
‘Companies that continue to support abusive men send a crystal clear signal to young artists entering the world of opera: You’re on your own.’
UPDATE: Listen here to the compromising tape
I consider Domingo’s “female troubles,” or alleged troubles, while by no means unimportant, to be a sideshow of the more general situation.
Which is, in my thinking (which need not be anyone else’s thinking), he’s just “been on too long.” He was wonderful in his prime, and I own and treasure many of his recordings, but in the few instances where I’ve heard the current condition of the voice, it strikes me as “leathery.” And I find him utterly convincing as a baritone. (Same baritones or basses strain for high nights. I find Domingo straining for low notes, i.e., low notes delivered with true baritonal “heft.”) In other words, even if he had no “female troubles” at all, I just think he’s (as a grocery label might put the matter) past his “sell by” date.
Wish I could remember which retired singer said something like “better to go when they still want you, than be forced to go because they don’t”?
Nor am I persuaded that he offers any special insights as a conductor.
In my opinion, it’s time for this artist to make a graceful transition to retirement, or teaching, or reading mystery novels, or . . . whatever.
Sure appoint him to a voice faculty somewhere so he can snack on some non consenting undergrads
A well-known dictum in the sporting world is “The time to retire is when people are asking ‘why?’, not ‘when?’ I agree with you. Domingo is way past ‘why?’
Who are you to decide when anyone has to do whatever you thing one should do?
Agreed. But I would not want him “teaching” any young women. In my experience with him (as a young artist working with him) — young attractive women are not safe with him. And it matters.
I think you find him utterly unconvincing as a baritone.
Well, that’ll teach me to proofread myself more carefully. Sometimes the proofreading “eye” sees what it “expects” to find, instead of what’s actually there.
I meant, of course, that I find him “UNconvincing as a baritone.”
His ability as a vocalist is not the issue here! The man is a predator and needs to be cancelled!
Not only does the opera world need to get out the hook for the bari-tenor, he needs to just go away. If he engaged in smarmy behavior or, as alleged, illegal sex trafficking, I will never want to listen to him again. I don’t care if he can or can’t sing or conduct. Just F.O..
Did you mean to say utterly unconvincing?
If you really find him “utterly convincing as a baritone”, then you are in a rapidly shrinking minority.
I think it was Sills who said that or some similar
I don’t know. If he still wants to do stuff, let him do it. No one has to buy what he’s selling.
It is far too late for Domingo to retire gracefully. Like Dianne Feinstein, he missed the train. I could never understand why anyone would hire him to conduct.
Imagine that he is alone and except singing he can do nothing. How should he earn money?
Off of his investments. Plus old-age pension. Just like everyone else who’s retired.
I think the opportunity to ‘retire gracefully’ has been and gone now…
Graceful? He should have done it 20 years ago. Now it’s bordering on the ridiculous and pathetic.
There is would be nothing graceful, he’s being accused of sex trafficking. His days of “grace” are far over
Sex trafficking , who actually accused ? some hack grabbing his 15 mins of fame . Read on Aimee
To me he is still the greatest baritone of our time. Allegation of whatever he is accused of, have to be proven, and they have not. In these cases generally there are or might be a lot of testimonies but no actual evidence, thus ruining careers of innocent men. He should be allowed to continue with his career and engagements here in the United States, and around the world.
Thank you I entirely agree with your comment. Specially that there is no proof whatsoever. Also, he has been one of the most graceful and kind persons I have ever known. Helped so many people in many ways. As being one of the worlds best baritone indeed he has been and still is. I just went to a concert Greetings to you
The cognoscenti may be well aware of and in agreement with your artistic points.
But for the hoi polloi, who may be less capable of discerning the natural decline in vocal quality of an octogenarian, his name alone does still sell tickets.
Nowadays there are numerous highly talented younger singers whose talents surpass those of the [philandering] old guard. While the cognoscenti may flock to hear such performers, their [our?]° numbers are likely inadequate to repeatedly sell out each House and provide the organizers/ presenters with a strong financial footing.
Until the day arrives when the rising stars attain the well-deserved breadth in name recognition that their talents merit, presenters may find hiring an otherwise ‘canceled’ erstwhile superstar in vocal decline as a way to achieve “butts in the seats” and to amass the necessary financial resources required for the organization to survive to play another day.
° May I safely presume that anyone reading these virtual pages is more likely to be a member of “cognoscenti” than of “hoi polloi” ?
You have already burying a man who passion for music is his life , leave him alone, let him do what he does best for teaching the new singers of today, today singers learn there gift fro him.
I just saw Placido Domingo and had the pleasure of hearing his still magnificent voice. There has been no trial or formal declaration of any of the women who have accused him of sexual harassment whatsoever. It is just hearsay as far as I know. Maybe I’m wrong. Anyhow I don’t see why he should retire. Where is the proof of anything?
So right ! So very right !
As we obviously historically cannot expect individuals in positions of responsibility in the music world to act responsibly, we must move on to the fact that this superannuated, proven sociopath who has created and destroyed many careers in opera based on his libidinous requirements should be mortified into reclusion by the revelation that he has to PAY for the activities that he could always extort gratis from young colleagues by dangling career opportunities before them. He has progressed to the point of having no shame. And then there is the question about all of his subordinates in his various venues who, of course, allege to have seen and heard nothing while Grimes was at his exercise. They are all thriving in their “respective” careers.
One should not put the words “opera world” and “integrity” in one sentence. Not even in one paragraph.
JFK led a scandalous private life which his wife Jackie, had to put up with. His father had links to organised crime. Yet the Kennedys are idolised. One law for US politicians?
The Kennedys were idolized for a period of time, thanks to gushing and obsequious press coverage. But that hasn’t been the case for decades now.
There are still people in the UK who gush about JFK. They simply won’t listen.
Maybe it’s time to retire any interest we may show in the Washington Post.
At this point who really cares about Domingo’s artistic career? He chose the path of an abusive sex predator and most likely this behavior began from day one of his career. That is who he really is as a person, yes he might be a legend speaking in strictly musical terms. But Trying to judge Domingo only on his artistic merits would be like saying that Putin isn’t at all that bad a man because he got A’s in school and made his bed every morning.
The WP is no longer fit for purpose. It’s shocking the people who give it any credence whatsoever on any topic.
So a deep state mouthpiece, the Washington Post is concerned about a musician and his alleged misdeeds. Odd…
Another sore MAGA loser.LOL…
You’re a crafty one. You obviously can’t
be fooled. Darn!
“be retired”? how about be arrested and be prosecuted.
that’s the best way to retire him.
send him to Guantanamo Bay.
Definitely time for Plácido to retire – just a pity he didn’t retire twenty years ago.
Maybe they should retire the US empire. It’s a total failure and bad joke. Domingo-leave him alone. Enough of this Anglo woke joke nonsense.
https://operawire.com/placido-domingo-is-not-being-investigated-in-esceula-de-yoga-prob/
Apparently Mendy is 75 and a composer of sorts. She was even in Antwerp at DeSingel in 1989 an arts centre close to where I live.
Er hat den Zeitpunkt zum Abtreten etwa 15 Jahre verpasst.
It is shameful that, during Domingo’s last round of sexual harassment issues, the classical music world, effectively speaking collectively as someone who was born yesterday, fell all over itself to embrace his implausible denials and alternative facts. Let’s hope the reaction to this Category 5 criminal shitstorm will not see a repeat performance of that.
Wait. He hired a hooker? Or a hooker went after HIM?
That’s it?
Devastating, even for those who had suspicions about Domingo’s “Latin Lover” gropings and more. I worked with a couple of singers who had been intimate with this tenor giant, undoubtedly one of the greatest of the century, and I suspected often that he just took advantage of what was at first willingly presented to him, later simply expected as part of his status. Dozens of tenors before him were notorious for their open invitations and even insistance, where normally a smack would put things back in place, or high discretion. None of this is new in the opera world.
The tragedy of Domingo is much more a question of his idea of power, something his rather failed conducting quests through bribery proved limited. A fine and generous colleague, he simply could not get enough recognition and limelight : it’s like a drug, and like drugs with the fear of age and incapacity has taken a fatal turn. Poor Placido : what an undignified way to leave us after having graced the music world with his marvellous tenor voice for some 40 years, from Lucia with Lily Pons passing the torch until his monumental Cyrano of Alfano in Paris. A legend has indeed fallen.
Here we go again. If people want to pay to hear him sing or see him conduct, so be it. No one is forced to go;it is a lifestyle choice. 81 is however a bit old to be doing high-level singing, even for someone who started as a baritone, and just the whole physical thing of being 81. As for his alleged womanising, so be it. I would be far more concerned if the allegations were children and rent boys he was playing with than allegedly women – not even girls but women. If anything ever did happen, why did they not tell him where to go at the time? People out there wanting to bring him down regardless behind a phone screen.
Perhaps the sex cult thing is not true. If it is untrue, then this is a terrible stain on him as an elderly man. Gossip is a nasty and troublesome issue.
Could someone remind me what crime Placido Domingo has been convicted of? I must have missed it. Bill Clinton sexually harassed dozens of women, lost multiple lawsuits, was stripped of his law license, has been accused of rape and is still welcomed on the world stage. Why the double standard?
@James Weiss: Because he belongs to the caring party.
Because everyone is scared shitless of Hillary.
As this is not a musical issue, his opinion has no more sway than anyone else. As far as trying to cancel artists based on hearsay? That shipped has sailed buddy. Find a new way to draw attention to yourself.
An Argentine law enforcement official told AP in a story published Thursday: “Plácido didn’t commit a crime, nor is he part of the organization, but rather he was a consumer of prostitution.” Prostitution is not a crime in Argentina.
Did I somehow miss Placido at the Hong Kong club in Tijuana???
Brodeur’s comments are in contrast to WaPo’s news item, which insists that PD is not accused of wrongdoing nor of a crime (in this case). I’m no PD apologist, but the “Perspective” reads like the writer is making up for not having had a platform when the #MeToo scandals first broke–thanks in large part to his predecessor at the Post.
Kudos to Michael Andor Brodeur and the WP for encapsulating the essence of the problem in a few lines and one key word: integrity.
The problem is one of complete lack of integrity of top music institutions, not only opera houses. In one such desperate and sad top US institution, the Music Director, a European, has been conducting himself for years at his best like former Rep. Joe Barton, at his worst like as a libidinous crossover of Bill Clinton and Steve Easterbrook, with the full knowledge and tacit endorsement of the very top officer of the organization, and at least two of his director reports and one Board Trustee. Yes, the integrity must come from somewhere, and it’s not coming from them.
Top institutions underwriting unacceptable conduct are a problem very specific to classical music. Corporations and government agencies are light years ahead in tackling sexual misconduct, abuse of power and unethical behaviors intertwined with it. These classical music institutions will not self-reform. The international press and online global communities must urgently put a spotlight on them, or nobody will.
You have been implying such gross accusations for a while now (and very likely through multiple personas) on this website, but have not yet produced any iota of concrete proof. My bet is you are just some disgruntled employee who is unhappy with your career path as it is today (maybe you should’ve studied something else in school lmao), but even that is still no excuse for the libelous statements you have been making under this anonymous guise. If you really want a spotlight shone on these abuses of power or unethical acts that you claim to be so well-acquainted with, then you need to be the one to come forward and directly report to the press what is going on. Otherwise, please do us all a favor and STFU – you are the one causing real unacceptable conduct.
These woke freaks would have fired Mozart. Astonishingly small minded sex obsessed liberals don’t practice what they screech.
Exactamente Peter!! Bravo! A pezzonovante like Muti thinks exactly like you, and has expressed the very same noble notion in this interview! He actually maintains that Mozart would be in jail!
https://www.ilsussidiario.net/news/riccardo-muti-stanco-della-vita-silenzio-ai-funerali-mozart-in-galera-col-metoo/2189084/
You, Muti and Domingo should hang!
Has any charge of abuse actually been proved against Domingo or has he been convicted only in the court of public opinion?
It says clearly “alleged connection”; Domingo has not been charged in a court of law with anything, and of course this alleged connection may not be more than sour grapes from some of his previous accusers.
If he’s charged AND found guilty of any of those serious charges, then you may open the gates. In the meantime, presumption of innocence, that old civilized concept, is what should apply.
If, as another reader suggests, the issue is with his ‘best before’ date, then state that clearly and get rid of the man, without going thru the disgusting spectacle of soiling a very well earned reputation as a great artist.
If we needed further evidence that the United States is finished as a democracy ( if it ever was one!) here you have the shameful mob lynching of a man who has never been found guilty of any crimes. When the United States of America decides that the presumption of innocence is no longer to be observed, it means that the Bill of Rights is a piece of crap that no one takes seriously. Those who are eager to lynch PD are cowards and resentful losers.
Someone is hell-,bent on humiliating this man into the grave. Now trying to link Jim to a sex trafficking ring when it has been established that he hasn’t been accused of anything. The Washington Post has officially become an anti-American putrid RAG.
How DOES he hold bowel and bladder together at 80 plus years straining all through those high C’s in those long operas? It’s a miracle!!!
He never had a high C to speak of and what he had he lost years, years ago. When he definitely lost his top notes he started to sing baritone parts. But a tenor without a top doesn’t make a baritone, he sounds nothing like a baritone. Just like an old tenor.
“He is due to appear next week at the Arena di Verona.”
Of course it WOULD be Verona.
Yes. Go. Domingo long ago acquired a putrid stench.
It would be fascinating to see what all these people who want to see PD destroyed even further would do if they were accused of a crime without having been tried and found guilty as the law of the land prescribes. They are so incredibly stupid that they don’t realize that are jeopardizing the vey freedoms that protect them and that are contained in the Bill of Rights.
And if there is someone left in this country who should defend PD tooth and nail is the media. When The Washington Post joins the mob lynching, you know the United States is finished as a democracy (if we ever were).
Leftists are just envious of what the great, possibly the greatest opera singer ever, has done – and still able to do. Placido Domingo! First, absolutely disgusting, far – fetched accusations – and everything proofs that it is contrived, especially, considering these “me too” times, – when some women try to get famous and actually want to be touched. Then -this: some lazy critics who can’t even (won’t) be able to just walk at an age such as His – let alone singing, acting, moving, flying and so on.
I always suspected that the United States was a Banana Republic passing itself off as the shiniest democracy in the world. Finally, the mask has come off! Mostly because they don’t bother putting it on anymore! How many mob lynchings do you need to witness to realize what’s going on? If the best opera singer in history can be totally destroyed by a bunch of envious losers, you can imagine what could happen to YOU, PD cowardly lyncher! It’s clear that the process of disintegration in the United States is in full swing. And the future of the “land of the free” ain’t gonna be pretty.
Why was the phone with the 75-year old Mendy called recorded? Attempt at blackmail? According to other sources the call was simply to get him to sing so the sect could benefit financially.
The Washington Post has no influence in Europe where Domingo now mainly performs. It would do better to concentrate on Trump’s relationship with Putin and his radio silence on the war in Ukraine.
Frankly this vendetta against Domingo says more about his critics than it does about the singer who is not being charged with any criminal offence.
Wasn’t Pavarotti was lucky to die when he did?
Now, if WAPO would only be more outspoken against people that wield real power like the Biden family, their words would carry more weight against other abuses and abusers.
I took the time to read all of the comments here and the opinions they elicited from people reading them (thumbs up or down) and the overwhelming opinion expressed is in favor of nailing Plácido Domingo to a cross….
This confirms what I wrote in my comments: the number of FASCISTS in the United States is growing by leaps and bounds!
Mob justice rules!
As an American, it terrifies me to see that a ragtag, internet-spawned outfit (metoo) is being allowed to bypass the American legal system and blithely destroy the lives and reputations of people who have never been formally and legally charged, let alone found guilty of any crimes. Have you ever wondered why this despicable, illegal, cowardly and immoral outfit doesn’t go after Bill Clinton, and the Pope with similar ferocity and single-mindedness? Compared to these two, Plácido Domingo is a choirboy, even if everything he has been accused of were true.
And those who support these fascist tactics are deeply anti-American (the concept of what America aspired to embody!) and despicable cowards!