Mexico (AFP)

The organizers of a Mexican classical music prize, the Premio Batuta, announced Thursday that they gave up distinguishing the Spanish tenor Placido Domingo because of the accusations of sexual harassment that weigh on him.

Two days before the awards gala in Mexico City, the organizing committee told AFP that the price expected for Placido Domingo would not be given until the situation of the famous tenor, who rejects the charges against him, does not would not be clarified.

"We reiterate our desire that this situation be quickly elucidated for the benefit of all parties involved and the world of classical music," said the organizing committee of Premio Batuta.

In this edition, "the prize will not be awarded to the maestro Placido Domingo" and "we will wait for everything to clear up," he said.

Nancy Seltzer, agent of the world star of the opera, told AFP by email that Domingo did not have any plans to attend the ceremony in Mexico.

On the contrary, the president of the organizing committee, René Platini, assured that the tenor had said that he would come to Mexico City before the accusations against him appeared.

After giving up appearances in New York and seeing many of his performances canceled in other cities in the United States, Placido Domingo, 78, left Wednesday the direction of the Los Angeles Opera, which he held since 2003.

"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 tenor.

In a survey published in August by the Associated Press, nine women said they were harassed by the singer from the late 1980s.

The Associated Press published a second investigation on Sept. 7 claiming that 11 other women, also claiming to be victims, had come forward.

Placido Domingo gave up last week to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. The Philadelphia Orchestra and the San Francisco Opera have canceled performances scheduled this season, and the Dallas Opera has 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