Los Angeles (AFP)

After giving up performances in New York and seeing several of his performances canceled in other cities in the United States, Placido Domingo, accused of sexual harassment, left Wednesday the direction of the Los Angeles Opera, perhaps the coup de grace to his American career.

"Recent accusations in the media have created an atmosphere that prevents me from being useful to this company that I love so much," said the 78-year-old Spanish tenor in a statement obtained by AFP.

"Although I will continue to try to restore my reputation, I decided that it was better for the Los Angeles Opera that I leave my position as General Manager and forego my planned shows for the time being," he said. he added.

Placido Domingo, who rejects the accusations against him, said he took "with a heavy heart" the decision to abandon the leadership of this institution, which he had held since 2003.

The executive committee of the Los Angeles Opera welcomed in a statement the "marked" and "unprecedented" contribution of the famous singer to the cultural scene of the Californian city.

"He is not only an incredibly talented artist, but also the driving force behind the creation, development and growth of the Los Angeles Opera," notes the committee.

Under the direction of Placido Domingo, he continues, the institution has proved "able to attract great artists from around the world", foremost among which the Spanish tenor, who has performed at more than 300 times, in about thirty roles.

- Ovationné in Europe -

The star was overtaken in August by the #MeToo movement, which has since October 2017 brought down many men of power, especially in the entertainment world.

In a survey published in mid-August by the Associated Press, nine women, including one with a face, claimed to have been sexually harassed by the singer from the late 1980s.

These women spoke of inappropriate gestures and insistent calls, one of whom said he had sex with him for fear of jeopardizing his career.

The Associated Press released a second investigation on Sept. 7 claiming that an additional 11 women, also claiming to be victims, had come forward since the first revelations.

Placido Domingo had already given up last week to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he was expected in a new production of "Macbeth" by Giuseppe Verdi.

"After thinking, I think my performance in this production of + Macbeth + would divert attention from the hard work of my colleagues, on stage and behind the scenes," he had justified.

The Philadelphia Orchestra and the San Francisco Opera had canceled their performances, scheduled for this season, as soon as the charges were made public. The Dallas Opera had then canceled a concert scheduled for March 2020.

While his American career seems to be coming to an end, Placido Domingo continues to give performances across Europe. Ovationate this summer at the festival Salzburg, Austria, and Szeged, Hungary, it is expected in the coming weeks in Zurich and Moscow.

© 2019 AFP