Around the Music Festival

Placido Domingo, a world-famous opera singer still active at the age of 82, is in trouble after a new sex scandal erupted in August, and his singing and conducting at the Arena di Verona at the end of August were criticized. Domingo has sent a letter of apology to the Verona city authorities.

A new sex scandal erupted in Argentina. A gang that was running a prostitution ring was rounded up, and it was discovered that a recording of the exchange between the gang and Domingo had been left behind, causing a huge uproar in the local media about the relationship.

This time, his performance as a musician is being questioned, only more seriously. At the “Domingo in Verdi Opera Night” gala concert of the Arena di Verona on August 25, where he appeared as a singer, he sang the baritone repertoire from “Aida,” “Don Carlo,” and “Macbeth,” but made some mistakes and lost his voice at the end. Roman Burdenko was substituted for “The Toast of Macbeth” at short notice.

The next day, he conducted Puccini’s “Turandot,” but according to the local media, the orchestra members said that he had not rehearsed enough and made many mistakes. The orchestra refused to stand up when Domingo urged them to do so at the curtain call.

The next day, the labor union to which the orchestra members belonged submitted a letter to the festival’s management asking them to reconsider their plan to hold a gala concert by Domingo in 2023, the 100th anniversary of the festival.

According to Italian media, in response to these events, Domingo sent a letter of apology to the mayor of Verona and the artistic director of the Festival late last week. Apologizing for his inadequacies as a singer and conductor, he said, “Next year will be the 100th anniversary of the festival. My only wish is to realize a show that will honor your extraordinary history,” he said, requesting to perform next year.

Photo：Arena di Verona