Placido Domingo denies abusing power at opera houses: ‘I have spent my whole life encouraging and driving people’

Opera star Placido Domingo has denied abusing his power while in management positions at two US opera houses.

The Spanish tenor and baritone apologised in February after being accused of inappropriate conduct, which allegedly took place over several years.

More than two dozen people came forward to allege that they were either sexually harassed by Domingo or witnessed him abusing his power.

The accusations included unsolicited physical touching that ranged from kisses on the mouth to groping and late-night phone calls in which Domingo allegedly asked women to come to his residence.

It was also alleged that he invited women to go out with him socially with such persistence that some felt they were being stalked.

“I accept full responsibility for my actions, and I have grown from this experience,” Domingo said in a statement in February.

However, in a new interview with Associated Press, Domingo – who received a lifetime achievement award in Austria at the beginning of August – denied abusing his management positions at the Los Angeles Opera and Washington National Opera houses.

''I never promised a part to a singer, or never take a part from a singer,” he said. ”I have spent my whole life helping, and you know, encouraging and driving people.“

''People that deserved to sing were singing,” he added.

When asked again if he had misused his power as a manager, Domingo replied: “Never, never, never.”

After the misconduct and abuse of power claims were made public, several opera houses around the world cancelled scheduled performances by the singer.

He also resigned as general director of Los Angeles Opera and withdrew from scheduled performances at the New York Met.