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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 5 december 2019

In this Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019 photo, the faces of the three
Finneytown students killed in a stampede at The Who's Dec.
3, 1979 concert, are displayed as part of a memorial at the
Finneytown High School secondary campus in Finneytown,
Ohio.
Associated Press In this July 12, 2019, file photo, former opera singer Patricia Wulf, poses for a portrait in her
home in Virginia.
The Who plans 1st Associated Press

Cincy area concert Domingo's accusers: Nothing

since '79 tragedy 'chivalrous' about groping women

By JOCELYN GECKER torney, Debra Katz. The ways, simply incorrect"
By DAN SEWELL
Associated Press Associated Press Grammy Award-winning without elaborating.
week,
Domingo
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — singer is one of the most Last
CINCINNATI (AP) — The rock band The Who announced
Tuesday night it will play its first Cincinnati area concert Two opera singers who celebrated men in the gave an interview to
opera world and regard-
Placido
Spanish online newspa-
accused
Do-
since 11 fans died 40 years ago in a pre-show stampede.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band will play April 23 at mingo of sexual miscon- ed as one of the great- per El Confidencial in
duct said Tuesday that est opera singers of all which he again stopped
Northern Kentucky University's BB&T Arena, across the
Ohio River 7 miles south of the Dec. 3, 1979, concert site, it was disappointing and time. The long-married, short of flatly denying
disturbing that the opera Spanish-born star also is the women's allegations
where another two dozen people were injured Dec. 3,
1979, amid confusion and lack of preparation for thou- legend recently claimed a prolific conductor and but insisted he had never
administrator, behaved improperly. He
he has always behaved longtime
sands of fans lined up for hours for first-come seats.
The announcement came after WCPO-TV in Cincinnati like a gentleman and having served as the added that Spaniards
never acted improperly general director of both are by nature "warm, af-
aired a Tuesday night documentary featuring interviews
with lead singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townsh- toward women. the Los Angeles Opera fectionate and loving.
"I have been gallant but
Angela Turner Wilson and and Washington Opera.
end, the remaining original members of the British band
that emerged in the 1960s featuring songs of youthful Patricia Wulf were among In the AP stories, several always within the limits of
more than 20 women singers, a dancer and gentlemanliness, respect
rebellion such as "My Generation" and its "Summertime
Blues" cover. who accused Domingo backstage staff at opera and sensitivity," he said.
of sexual harassment or companies accused Do-
Domingo also spoke to
Both have said they've been haunted by the tragedy.
Townshend recently told The Associated Press he was inappropriate sexually mingo of sexual harass- Italian newspaper Cor-
riere della Sera, denying
charged behavior in two ment and other inappro-
looking forward to discussing it in Cincinnati.
"Now we can have a conversation about it when we go Associated Press reports priate, sexually charged he abused his power and
this summer.
behavior that included saying casting decisions
back," Townshend said.
"We will meet people and we'll be there. We'll be there. Their new statement unwelcomed kisses, were not made by him
came in response to touching and late-night but by "a team of four
That's what's important," he said. "I'm so glad that we've
or five people." He said
got this opportunity to go back." comments Domingo phone calls. Domingo that "very offensive things
made in two recent in-
Many
said
The band is adding the concert to its "Moving On!" tour
2020 dates. terviews with European tried to pressure them were said about me as a
publications, in which he into sexual relationships human being."
The Who said it will donate a portion of proceeds from the
Cincinnati area concert to a memorial scholarship fund disputed the allegations and sometimes punished "He did not behave like a
against him and said he them professionally if they gentleman when he re-
benefiting students in the Cincinnati suburb of Finney-
town. Daltrey visited a Finneytown High School memo- never abused his power. rejected him. The accus- peatedly propositioned
ers and dozens of oth-
women for sex in the
He said he always be-
rial site in 2018 and the band has for years supported the
scholarship effort there. Three of the 11 killed, including haved like a gentleman ers interviewed said Do- workplace ... and when
but that "gallant gestures mingo's behavior was an he groped them and
two 15-year-old girls who were the youngest victims, had
attended Finneytown High. are viewed differently open secret in the opera kissed them over their ob-
nowadays."
world. Until recently, the jections," the statement
The band didn't know about the tragedy until the concert
was ending. Longtime manager Bill Curbishley had made "There is nothing 'chival- 78-year-old had not spo- said. "He did not behave
respectfully when he of-
rous' or 'gallant' about ken publicly about the al-
the decision to have the show go on, warning Cincin-
nati authorities that they wouldn't be able to control the groping a woman in the legations and had limited fered to assist with the
his reaction to statements careers of aspiring fe-
workplace, in any coun-
crowd if the concert was called off.
"Despite everything, I still feel inadequate," he told WCPO. try or era," Wilson and from his lawyer and pub- male opera singers if they
Wulf said in the statement licist. He had called the came to his apartment
"I don't know about the guys, but for me, I left a little bit of issued through their at- accusations "in
my soul in Cincinnati."q many and had sex with him."q