NEW YORK (1010 WINS/AP) -- Placido Domingo, who is facing accusations of sexual harassment, has withdrawn from the Metropolitan Opera's production of "Macbeth" at the 11th hour -- opening night is Wednesday -- and "indicated" he would not return to the Met, The New York Times reported.
The Met said in a statement, "The Metropolitan Opera confirms that Plácido Domingo has agreed to withdraw from all future performances at the Met, effective immediately," the statement said. "The Met and Mr. Domingo are in agreement that he needed to step down."
In a statement to the Times, Domingo said "I made my debut at the Metropolitan Opera at the age of 27 and have sung at this magnificent theater for 51 consecutive, glorious years. While I strongly dispute recent allegations made about me, and I am concerned about a climate in which people are condemned without due process, upon reflection I believe that my appearance in this production of 'Macbeth' would distract from the hard work of my colleagues both onstage and behind the scenes. As a result, I have asked to withdraw and I thank the leadership of the Met for graciously granting my request."
He added, ""I am happy that, at the age of 78, I was able to sing the wonderful title role in the dress rehearsal of 'Macbeth,' which I consider my last performance on the Met stage," he said. "I am grateful to God and the public for what they have allowed me to accomplish here at the Metropolitan Opera."
His withdrawal from the Met comes after "backstage tensions" about his involvement, the Times reported.
"The backstage tensions at the Met boiled over in recent days, including at a heated, sometimes emotional meeting that Peter Gelb, the company's general manager, held with members of the orchestra and chorus after the "Macbeth" dress rehearsal on Saturday afternoon," the Times reported. "Some of those at the meeting questioned what Mr. Domingo's return said about the Met's commitment to protecting women and rooting out sexual harassment.
In AP's initial Aug. 13 story , numerous women accused the long-married, Spanish-born superstar of sexual harassment or inappropriate, sexually charged behavior and of sometimes damaging their careers if they rejected him.
In a follow-up story published Thursday, singer Angela Turner Wilson told the AP that Domingo reached into her robe and forcefully grabbed her breast in a makeup room during a 1999 production at the Washington Opera, as the company was then called.
Washington National Opera issued a statement saying it was "disturbed and disheartened" by the new allegations, but did not say whether it planned to investigate them.
Other women came forward to share new stories about encounters with Domingo that they said included unwanted touching, persistent requests for private get-togethers and sudden attempts to kiss them on the lips.
Several backstage employees described for the AP how they strove to shield young women from the star as administrators looked the other way.
