By Canadian Press

LA Opera names lawyer to lead Placido Domingo investigation

Aug 20, 2019 | 4:15 PM

SAN FRANCISCO — Los Angeles Opera said Tuesday it will immediately open a ‘thorough and independent investigation’ into allegations of sexual harassment against the opera star Placido Domingo, the company’s general director.

In a brief statement Tuesday, the opera company said it has hired Debra Wong Yang from the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher to lead the investigation.

Yang is a former U.S. attorney and Los Angeles County Superior Court judge who is chair of her firm’s Crisis Management Practice Group, according to the firm’s website. She has been involved in several high-profile cases and was hired by USC in 2017 to investigate the conduct of a former medical school dean.

The investigation into Domingo’s behaviour follows an Associated Press report last week detailing multiple accusations against the 78-year-old opera star.

Three of the nine women who accused the singer of harassment and abuse of power said the encounters took place while working with Domingo at the LA organization. The nine women and dozens of others interviewed said Domingo’s behaviour was an open secret in the industry and that he pursued younger women with impunity.

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Jocelyn Gecker, The Associated Press