Placido Domingo’s “Total Debacle” in Verona

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The orchestra of the emblematic Italian opera arena refused to stand in protest at the “terrible” show offered by the tenor

Plácido Domingo has problems piling up. After being spattered two weeks ago for his close association with members of a criminal group accused of human trafficking in Argentina, the Spanish tenor was showered with criticism for his recent performances at the Arena of Verona, Italy, where he played on August 25. offered two shows. and 26, which constituted “one of the most humbling evenings for the entire artistic sector”. The rating comes from the union representing the musicians and technicians of the Veronese arena, who refused to stand up when last Friday’s performance, directed by the Spanish artist, ended as a gesture of protest against the “terrible” image presented to spectators by a Sunday “that did not live up to its fame.” This newspaper tried to contact the tenor through its representatives to get its version of what happened, but got no response.

Although the 81-year-old singer from Madrid was greeted with bouquets of flowers and applause upon his arrival at the Roman amphitheater in this northeastern Italy city, the aftertaste of his shows was quite different. The local media called them a “failure” and emphasized that he sometimes forgot the repertoire and that a problem with his voice forced him to leave the scene before the end. The musicians of the orchestra and members of the choir continued to criticize the performances, calling the performances a “total debacle”, according to the statement of the union Cgil in Verona.

During rehearsals, the local staff noticed that the Spanish tenor was not at his best. “The result was appalling and only the professionalism of the artists and technicians ensured that the event did not end in a gigantic failure,” reads the note from the workers, who claim to have been “let down on more than one occasion”. felt by Domingo during the Friday performance of ‘Turandot’, Puccini’s complex opera. “We deserve to be managed by more qualified professionals to demonstrate our quality. The public also earns more, which risks getting used to mediocrity.

The protests could jeopardize the return of the Spanish tenor to the emblematic Arena of Verona, whose recitals he has participated in for half a century and who has already planned a gala for next year starring him. Criticism of the union is joined by that of the city’s feminist associations, who found the decision to continue counting on Domingo of the Fondazione Arena, which hosts the shows, “incomprehensible and grotesque”.

The feminists asked the mayor of the city, the ex-footballer Damiano Tommasi, who acts in his capacity as president of the lyrical entity, to stop counting on the Spanish tenor, who three years ago had to deal with complaints from several women for sexual harassment over several decades. An investigation deemed the allegations “credible” and Domingo himself apologized for the pain caused. That situation led to his resignation as general manager of the Los Angeles Opera in 2019.

Source: La Verdad

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