Chance encounter, tenacious reporting reveal harassment allegations against Placido Domingo
By Jocelyn Gecker
Jocelyn Gecker’s bombshell investigation of sexual harassment allegations against opera superstar Placido Domingo started with a song.
San Francisco-based Gecker was at a party about 18 months ago when she noticed the beautiful voice of the woman next to her singing “Happy Birthday,” and complimented her. The woman was a former opera singer who, without knowing Gecker was a reporter, confided that the industry had a dark underbelly, offering her assessment that “Placido Domingo is the Bill Cosby of the opera world.”
The discussion sparked months of work by Gecker to publicly reveal what many said had been an open secret in the opera world: allegations from dozens of people that Domingo regularly behaved inappropriately with young women and acted with impunity. In all, Gecker would find nine women who accused Domingo of sexual harassment and a half-dozen more who said suggestive overtures from the star made them uncomfortable.
Retired opera singer Patricia Wulf poses for a portrait at her home in rural northern Virginia, July 12, 2019. Wulf is one of nine women who have told the AP that they were sexually harassed by opera superstar Placido Domingo in encounters that took place over three decades. When Wulf was hired to do solo roles at the Washington Opera, where Domingo was artistic director and later general director, it seemed like the experience of a lifetime, she said, but it quickly became a nightmare. – AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin
At her home in rural northern Virginia, July 12, 2019, retired opera singer Patricia Wulf holds a 1998 photo of herself, left, with opera star Placido Domingo holding her 4-year old daughter after a performance of “Fedora” at the Washington Opera. In interviews, Wulf said Domingo repeatedly propositioned her as she walked off stage, and often knocked on her dressing room door asking to come in. She said she repeatedly told Domingo, who was artistic director at the opera, that she wasn’t interested and each time would wonder, “Did I just ruin my career?” – AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin
Placido Domingo, who inaugurated the season at La Scala, walks in the Piazza Scala with the Milan opera house in the background, Dec. 12, 1972. Eight opera singers and a dancer have told the AP that they were sexually harassed by Domingo, one of the most celebrated and powerful men in opera. Domingo has denied the accusations, but noted: “Still, it is painful to hear that I may have upset anyone or made them feel uncomfortable.” – AP Photo / Raoul Fornezza
Placido Domingo performs in the San Francisco Opera’s production of “Herodiade” in San Francisco, Nov. 5, 1994. The San Francisco Opera said it is canceling an October concert featuring Domingo after an AP story that quoted numerous women as saying they were sexually harassed or subjected to inappropriate behavior by the superstar. – AP Photo / Dwayne Newton
Placido Domingo directs the Washington Opera Orchestra and Chorus during a rehearsal of Verdi’s Requiem at Washington’s Constitution Hall, Jan. 27, 2001. Nine women in the opera world have told the AP that they were sexually harassed by Domingo in encounters that took place over three decades, at venues that included the Washington Opera, the Los Angeles Opera and other opera companies. – AP Photo / Richard Drew
Placido Domingo performs during the final of the soccer World Cup between Italy and France at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, July 9, 2006. – AP Photo / Luca Bruno
Placido Domingo, center, performs the opera “Simon Boccanegra” by Giuseppe Verdi at the Staatsoper in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 19, 2009. – AP Photo / Markus Schreiber
Placido Domingo speaks at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, Aug, 26, 2014. The LA Opera, where Domingo serves as general director, says it will hire outside counsel to investigate allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior by the opera legend. – AP Photo / Damian Dovarganes
Placido Domingo speaks during a news conference about his upcoming show “Giovanna d’Arco” in Madrid, Spain, July 12, 2019. – AP Photo / Bernat Armangue
Placido Domingo speaks during a news conference about his upcoming show “Giovanna d’Arco” in Madrid, Spain, July 12, 2019. – AP Photo / Bernat Armangue
Former opera singer Patricia Wulf poses at her home in Virginia, July 12, 2019. Wulf, one of nine women who have told the AP that they were sexually harassed by Placido Domingo, says she is “relieved to finally come out” and step forward so she can help other women “be strong enough to say no” to men in positions of power. – AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin
Vocal scores from Washington Opera productions, including a 1998 performance of “The Magic Flute,” signed to Patricia Wulf from Placido Domingo, are displayed at Wulf’s home in rural northern Virginia, July 12, 2019. Wulf, one of nine women who have told the AP that they were sexually harassed by Domingo, says she wants to “debunk the idea that it was a long time ago and it doesn’t matter, because it does matter.” – AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin
Former opera singer Patricia Wulf poses for a portrait outside her home in Virginia, July 12, 2019. Wulf is one of nine women who have told the AP that they were sexually harassed by Placido Domingo in encounters that took place over three decades. – AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin
Gecker faced numerous challenges on the story, not the least of which were reluctant sources. Many of the stories were corroborated by others, but getting people to go on the record proved challenging. Some agreed to speak on the record, only to later reconsider, as many of Domingo’s accusers feared that telling their stories publicly would harm their music careers or bring them public humiliation. Domingo, the most successful opera singer in history, was likened by one woman to a god.
Gecker faced numerous challenges on the story, not the least of which were reluctant sources. Domingo, the most successful opera singer in history, was likened by one woman to a god.
A breakthrough came weeks before Gecker’s story ran when one of Domingo’s accusers agreed to go on the record, telling her story on camera.
The resulting 5,200-word story instantly commanded attention,with The New York Times,Buzzfeed and Huffington Post sending push alerts touting AP’s reporting. Gecker’s story ran on The Washington Post’s homepage with her byline,and numerous outlets,including the BBC and El Pais in Domingo’s native Spain,ran stories based almost solely on AP’s reporting. Television stations devoted significant time to the story,including “CBS This Morning,” which ran clips of AP’s interview with Patricia Wulf,a retired opera singer who said she was speaking out in the hopes it would “help other women come forward,or be strong enough to say no.”
The package had than 460,000 page views on APNews,with many visitors spending notably high amounts of time reading about the accusations and Domingo’s response, in which the long-married singer described some of the allegations as inaccurate but acknowledged his conduct may have made some women uncomfortable despite his “best intentions.”
There was immediate fallout to the story as well,with two music companies canceling performances by the singer and the LA Opera saying it would hire outside counsel to launch an investigation into Domingo, who serves as its general director.
Work on the Domingo story also led to a story about sexual abuse allegations against famed opera conductor Charles Dutoit,all of this unfolding while Gecker juggled multiple major breaking news assignments,including the massive,deadly California wildfires,riots at UC Berkeley and mass shootings.
Through it all,she continued to chip away at the Domingo allegations. For finding a major international story in an unlikely setting,and her care in dealing with sources while reporting tenaciously on a sensitive topic, Gecker earns AP’s Best of the Week honors.
