NEW YORK CITY - On September 6, 2019, The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) announced the union had retained an independent investigator to examine allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination made by AGMA members against Plácido Domingo.
The investigation concluded that Mr. Domingo had, in fact, engaged in inappropriate activity, ranging from flirtation to sexual advances, in and outside of the workplace. Many of the witnesses expressed fear of retaliation in the industry as their reason for not coming forward sooner. The AGMA Board of Governors has accepted the findings of the report and will take appropriate action.
“AGMA is the connective tissue of our industry. We owed it to our members to conduct this investigation,” said Raymond Menard, AGMA President. “We must remain committed to confronting systemic problems which can cause our members to suffer unlawful discrimination and harassment at work, and to protecting the health and safety of our members in all AGMA signatory companies.”
“AGMA’s efforts to protect its members will not end with this investigation. AGMA is calling upon all companies in Opera, Dance, and Choral concert fields to join an industry-wide initiative to positively change the culture,” said Leonard Egert, AGMA’s National Executive Director. “This will ensure that artists feel respected and empowered to address sexual harassment and related issues going forward.”
Opera America, along with several other major U.S. opera companies, has already responded to this call by expressing a desire to partner in these efforts. This new labor-management coalition will include AGMA membership, signatory companies, support partners, and other stakeholders in a unified commitment to improve culture, prevent harassment in the future. This is a developing effort and AGMA will continue to review and revise its approach. More details on this initiative will be released in the coming weeks. Additionally, AGMA will engage in a promotional campaign using videos, online and printed materials, as well as training programs, to empower its membership to speak out and prevent harassment.