The Royal Opera House has announced its decision to fire 42-year-old tenor Vittorio Grigolo after an independent enquiry about his conduct in Japan – which resulted in a ‘brawl' – when he was with the Royal Opera on tour (read here, here and here):
Following an independent investigation into an incident involving Vittorio Grigolo in Tokyo in September, the ROH has concluded that his inappropriate and aggressive behaviour at a curtain call and afterwards fell below the standards we expect of our staff and performers.
We have therefore concluded that he will not return to perform in Lucia Di Lammermoor at the Royal Opera House in 2020. We will announce new casting for this role in due course.
The Metropolitan Opera in New York followed suit:
Following the Royal Opera House investigation into misconduct concerning Vittorio Grigolo and his subsequent suspension from performances there this season, the Metropolitan Opera confirms that he will not be singing at the Met this season.
In Instagram, Grigolo wrote:
My friends, in the past few months, I have had a lot of time to reflect on what happened in Tokyo on the 18th of September. While I was worrying about recounting my version of the facts, I neglected to express how sorry I am that this episode clouded the effort, passion and love of art that every single one of my colleagues invested in this production.
I'm aware that, even though it was never my intention to offend anyone, the situation deteriorated unexpectedly due to a brawl between colleagues.
I'm truly saddened that my behaviour towards everyone in the cast, people whom I have always respected and continue to respect from the bottom of my heart, was perceived to be below Royal Opera House standards.
I recognise that my personality can be very exuberant at times, and I am willing to make sure that what happened will not happen again in the future.
However, I'm relieved to learn that the accusations made against me by several journalists and tabloids in the past weeks have been contradicted by the results of this investigation.
This affair has deeply affected me and all of my loved ones and has allowed me to learn a precious life lessons [sic]. I'm truly sorry for all of this, and I can't wait to continue to share my art with all of you.
Many (female) colleagues have been supportive – the men wouldn't dare.
Sonya Yoncheva said,
More exuberant sincerity is needed to this world! 💋
The ever outspoken Angela Gheorghiu wrote (in Italian),
I love you Vittorio 👍🎶😍😘❤️👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Followed by,
Vittorio my dear, your exuberance and your fiery character have been truly misjudged. You're a great artist and nothing else matters! Your debut was with me and until this year we sang together all over the world with resounding success. Our relationship has always demonstrated friendship and great respect. Artists joke and play all the time, and maybe sometimes it isn't understood. A shame. Worse for them, and I'm sorry your career is damaged because of your exuberance. I hope they regret the episode and leave you in peace to continue in this wonderful and difficult job that is opera singing! You are a great and true artist and I love you so much!
Many appreciated his ‘sincerity' and complained about the ‘puritanical' attitudes of the opera houses. One wrote,
Everything needs a reasonable measure. Sometimes I see your stories on Instagram. You're funny and always good-natured. You seem like a big kid. But you're certainly not a villain or a brute. Be yourself, because without it you will cease to be Vittorio Grigolo. But just in case, keep your hands in your pockets when you sing on the same stage with hypocritical puritans.
Which is not bad advice!
Today's online version of The Times quoted a performer in the production of Faust in Toyko, where the incident occured, (on the condition of anonymity) who said that Grigolo had “groped” a dancer in a nightmarish ballet sequence. Then he grabbed her fake belly during the curtain call. The article says,
“Her immediate physical response was to push him away”, she says. She says a (male) chorus member then intervened to reprimand Grigolo. “But instead of just turning around and carrying on bowing, he grabbed her again and shook the belly, saying, ‘I can touch her like this if I want to.' ” She claims Grigolo then tried to square up to the chorus member off stage and said: “I'll meet you outside.” “It was all very confrontational.”
She says that she wants to remain anonymous because she's worried about job security and future bookings:
Particularly within opera, there's just a few roles for supporting artists — and thousands of willing participants.
But she felt she had to speak up:
It was the audacity of it, to not let it go, to not drop it and move on. Everyone on stage experienced that, and that was the shocking part of it.
Though in the same article a female member of the Royal Opera chorus says,
He's a bit of a dick, but I've never felt uncomfortable. Principals come in and some of them are dicks.
Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.
His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.
Unless details of the alleged incident are published, it is impossible to make an informed comment. However, following this story, and later allegations against Placido Domingo, it would appear that it is getting to the stage when males ought to submit themselves for castration in order to ensure that they do not end up being publicly shamed by allegations that mostly they are unable to defend or ignore. The reading public such as myself – are not in a position to know the facts or the truth – or otherwise – as all of these alleged incidents are not substantiated for the general public to know whether the allegations are “truth or fiction”.
Details of the incident HAVE been published in today’s Times, as below.
“Her immediate physical response was to push him away”, she says. She says a (male) chorus member then intervened to reprimand Grigolo. “But instead of just turning around and carrying on bowing, he grabbed her again and shook the belly, saying, ‘I can touch her like this if I want to.’ ” She claims Grigolo then tried to square up to the chorus member off stage and said: “I’ll meet you outside.” “It was all very confrontational.”
Your criteria for substantiation of such incidents are very tough. There are two people describing what happened, and Grigolo’s own account doesn’t factually deny what they said, it simply has a different focus. The allegations about Domingo are loud and clear and multiple. Your talk of castration is ridiculous and not funny. The reading public can make their own decisions but please do not trivialize or deny that such incidents occur and should be reported.
So you are able to act as judge and jury on a matter which, from the brief facts published – can only be described as “derisory” ? I have a very strong sense of propriety as well as a legal background! Allegations are being directed at public figures in all walks of life, and the persons against whom the allegations are made, have little chance of vindication as they are “publicly hanged without trial”. I deplore the activities of this “snowflake “ brigade as much as I deplore the alleged inappropriate activities if proved to be true !
I think it better to leave out the “snowflake” description. He does sound a bit of a prat but I can’t see his behaviour as an assault. Exuberance can result in behaviour that irritates others. It is down to Management to be aware of an individual’s strengths and weaknesses and thus to pre-empt faux pas. Frankly, if I had made a complaint at work about the several thousand instances of someone being an irritating twerp, I would have spent all my time making the complaints. Actually, I mostly recognised there are idiots in the word. If they go beyond idiocy, then whack them.
Supporters of Vittorio should #BoycottROHLucia
I agree with your comments in total . I find it worrying ( am now in my late 70’s) that a guy is unable to pay a compliment to a lady without his intentions being questioned to the “third degree” on the assumption that the comments are “sexual advances” Chivalry seems to have been “cancelled “ these days , e.g. a Male offering his seat to a pregnant or elderly person – now seems to have questionable motives ! I suggest that if financial rewards were not available, most of the allegations would not see light of day ! I deplore unwarranted advances or ill manners, but the “me-too” thing is in the main “pathetic”
@John Dakin
What does “chivalry” have to do with unwanted touching or groping in the case of Grigolo?! Who is talking about compliments or a man offering a seat to a pregnant woman? You don’t seem to understand what is being debated.
Your suggestion that most allegations are about potential financial rewards is very shabby.
This is becoming an absurd witch-hunt. The potential of financial rewards must surely motivate a complainant for an event that happened 20-30-40 years ago ? why else would they do it ? All very pointless ! I have known women, who were not particularly blessed with good looks – who spent their lives being ignored by males – who would be absolutely over the moon were a man to touch or make a pass at them ! It would appear that the majority of complainants are of American origin, – which given the state of the world today – says quite a lot.
The very fact that you mention “women, who were not particularly blessed with good looks” shows your utter lack of understanding of the subject under discussion. I’m finished with this interchange.
Good ! You sound a frustrated old bag !
And you, John Dakin, sound like a complete @sshole.
The chorus is full of drama queens living in their own particular fantasy world. One would imagine the resentment of actual opera stars would be palpable at times – kind of an upstairs downstairs thing. But in this particular case – the unprecedented, heinous, and vile act of touching a fake foam rubber belly (at least we assume it was fake) should be a warning to us all of the depths of depravity that a man can sink to in a fit of unbridled exuberance. We can only hope that in the future this beast will be relegated to sing only in the confines of his shower, alone and out of reach of any attached body prosthetics!
Please please ROH bring back Vittorio Grigolo he is just wonderful and exciting please
Grigolo? Heard him on stage, a few times, and appreciated him as excellent tenor. From what I read, the suspension/firing is well deserved. While on stage, his star standing does not allow this kind of excess, mainly toward lower level performer. Would have Grigolo done the same to Callas, de los Angeles, Cossotto or other famous one ? His excuse of exuberance is BS. Most of, famous or not, tenors always have/had a sulfurous reputation for ladies (and vice versa). Let’s keep it private.
Michael Savignol (An 88 years old opera lover and son of a very well-known French opera basso).
There is much to complain about regarding the judgement without trial aspects of the me-too movement. How sad, however, that when they get articulated, it is by sexist dicks who seem to have zero understanding – or desire to understand – sexual harassement (see comment above about women over the moon for unwanted touch, or frustrated old bag).
Typical macho narcissistic behaviour. I’m not surprised.