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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 3 OcTOber 2019

University of Southern California Dean Erica Muhl, from left, An-
dre "Dr. Dre" Young, Jimmy Iovine and USC President Carol Folt
participate in the unveiling of a high-tech building named after
Young and Iovine on the University of Southern California cam-
pus in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019.
Associated Press
Dr. Dre, Iovine In this Aug. 25, 2019, file photo, Placido Domingo talks to fans at the "Festspielhaus" opera house

unveil high-tech after he performed "Luisa Miller" by Giuseppe Verdi in Salzburg, Austria. Associated Press

new building at USC Placido Domingo resigns as

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. The building was named af- general director of LA Opera
AP Entertainment Writer ter Iovine and Dr. Dre who
LOS ANGELES (AP) — An- donated a combined $70
dre “Dr. Dre” Young and million in 2013 to create the SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — to serve this company that ment or other inappropri-
Jimmy Iovine want a new Jimmy Iovine and Andre Opera star Placido Domin- I so love has been com- ate, sexually charged con-
high-tech building bearing Young Academy for Inno- go resigned Wednesday as promised,” Domingo said, duct. Many said Domingo
their names at the Univer- vation. The academy pro- general director of the Los adding that he would con- tried to pressure them into
sity of Southern California vides a special four-year Angeles Opera and with- tinue to work to clear his sexual relationships and
to become a place where program for undergradu- drew from all future perfor- name but decided “it is in sometimes punished them
young creatives can un- ates whose interests are mances, following multiple the best interests of LA Op- professionally if they reject-
derstand marrying the con- spanned in several fields allegations from women era for me to resign as gen- ed him. All said they feared
cepts of art, technology from marketing, computer who say the legendary ten- eral director and withdraw reporting him because of
and business. science, visual design and or sexually harassed them from my future scheduled his power to make or break
The music business part- other arts. there and at opera com- performances at this time.” their careers, and that his
ners along with USC’s head Iovine believes all of those panies around the country Domingo had been sched- behavior was an open se-
school officials unveiled fields can coincide with over a period of decades. uled to headline six per- cret in the opera world.
the Iovine and Young Hall each other in their build- Domingo’s departure from formances of "Roberto Domingo has denied any
on the campus during a ing, which USC President LA Opera raises questions Devereux" in February and wrongdoing. He has called
dedication ceremony on Carol L. Folt called “futur- about his future career in March. the claims “in many ways,
Wednesday afternoon. The istic.” The hall will provide the United States, where The resignation comes a simply incorrect,” but has
school’s marching band a learning space featur- he has been removed or week after the Metropoli- not elaborated or ad-
commemorated the mo- ing 3-D printers, electronic has stepped down from all tan Opera’s bombshell an- dressed any of the accusa-
ment by playing its fight labs, a podcast studio, an scheduled appearances nouncement that Domin- tions directly.
song “Fight On” while con- alumni incubator space, since the allegations were go would not be taking the For years, Domingo has
fetti exploded into the air and a motion capture and first published last month by stage in the season pre- been the opera world's
after the ribbon cutting. audio studio. The Associated Press. miere of “Macbeth” and most bankable star, with
“What this school does is “When a design artist Domingo said in a state- possibly ever again. Three the celebrity power to fill
as much as what it doesn’t meets a computer science ment that his ability to other companies _ the Phil- seats in an era of dwindling
do,” said Iovine, a music in- major, they don’t under- continue at LA Opera was adelphia Orchestra, San ticket sales. Over time, he
dustry entrepreneur who is stand each other,” Iovine “compromised” by the ac- Francisco Opera and Dal- has also widened his port-
known as the co-founder said. “The language gets cusations against him. las Opera _ had already folio, becoming a prolific
of Interscope Records. muddled. They don’t un- “I hold Los Angeles Opera removed Domingo from conductor and powerful
Dr. Dre is best known as a derstand the why of what very dearly to my heart upcoming performances in administrator as the gen-
producer, rapper and co- each other does. This and count my work to cre- the wake of AP stories that eral director of two major
owner of Death Row Re- school keeps that pump- ate and build it as among detailed multiple allega- American companies, first
cords. He later started his ing. When you graduate my most important lega- tions of harassment and a at Washington Opera and
own record label, After- from this academy, you cies,” said Domingo, 78, variety of misconduct al- later at LA Opera, where
math Entertainment. retain and enhance what who helped found the leged by singers, a dancer he became the artistic di-
“What it doesn’t do is cut you had as a kid. That’s the company in the 1980s and and backstage opera em- rector in 2000 and then
off that potential in your joy of understanding both is credited with raising its in- ployees over a period that general director in 2003.
freshman year and silos disciplines.” Erica Muhl, the ternational profile. spanned decades. He noted that an indepen-
you into something,” Iovine dean of the USC Iovine and “However, recent accusa- In two reports published dent investigation that LA
continued. “To silo an un- Young Academy, said the tions that have been made Aug. 13 and Sept. 5 , the Opera launched into Do-
dergraduate is a mistake university is evolving with against me in the press AP spoke to more than mingo’s alleged miscon-
as far as I’m concerned.” the times.q have created an atmo- 20 women who accused duct would “continue until
sphere in which my ability Domingo of sexual harass- its resolution.”q