Placido Domingo scandal: Allegations against Spanish Opera singer explained

Spanish opera singer Placido Domingo recently faced allegations of being involved in an alleged trafficking ring in Buenos Aires. Local prosecutors claimed that the musician was part of a criminal group using the Buenos Aires Yoga School as a front for trafficking.

According to NPR, Latin American media have been airing several audio excerpts related to the trafficking ring. Authorities have claimed that one of the audios obtained via wiretap reportedly featured the voice of a man who sounded like Domingo.

The man was allegedly heard making plans with other members of the gang about their criminal operations. In another audio, a man can be heard making a dating arrangement with a woman named “Mendy,” who allegedly referred to the man as “Placido.”

The speculation about Domingo’s involvement in the trafficking ring comes after the police conducted nearly 50 raids against the Buenos Aires group and arrested 19 people in the process. Officials are yet to announce the dates of the wiretap recordings.

Prior to the latest scandal, more than 20 women publicly accused Placido Domingo of alleged misconduct in 2019. Shortly after, the singer ended his association with New York's Metropolitan Opera and resigned from his role as general director of Los Angeles Opera.

In 2020, the Washington National Opera removed Domingo's name from the young artist's early career program. He previously served as the artistic director and eventually as the general director of the organization between 1996 and 2011.

However, Placido Domingo continued to perform outside the US and even organized a benefit event to raise funds for victims of the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

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A look into Placido Domingo’s life and career in brief

Placido Domingo is considered to be one of the most celebrated Opera singers in the world (Image via Getty Images)

Placido Domingo is considered to be one of the most renowned Spanish opera singers, administrators and conductors. He was born on January 21, 1941, in Madrid, and made his professional debut at a concert in Merida at the age of sixteen.

According to his official bio, Domingo is known as “one of the finest and most influential singing actors in the history of opera.” He has contributed to nearly 150 roles and delivered more than 4000 career performances across the globe.

The performer has also recorded more than 100 complete operas and has been performing in Spanish, English, French, Italian, German, and Russian throughout his life. He has been recognized by some of the most prestigious opera houses in the world, including the Operas of New York, Vienna, Verona, Milan and Buenos Aires.

Although known for performing as a lirico-spinto tenor for the majority of his career, he also ventured into other genres and became one of the most celebrated Otellos of his generation. He also transitioned to baritone in the early 2010s.

In addition to his contributions to the world of opera, Domingo also earned recognition as a crossover artist. He was greatly involved in making Latin and pop music and catapulted to wider fame after releasing his pop album Perhaps Love in 1981.

The singer has also appeared in numerous opera movies and is remembered for his collaboration with director Franco Zeffirelli. He is also known for being a part of The Three Tenors alongside Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras.

Placido Domingo is the recipient of numerous honors and accolades. Several of his records have earned multi-platinum, platinum, gold and silver accreditations. He has earned a total of nine Grammy Awards and five Latin Grammy Awards, including the award for Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year.

He was declared a Kammersanger of the Vienna State Opera and earned the honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2002. He received the Commander of the French Legion d’honneur, Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle and Spanish Prince of Asturias Award for Arts in 1991.

Placido Domingo was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class in 1992 and received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2006. He was also given the Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver for Services to the Republic of Austria in 2007.

The 81-year-old even earned the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom and a Medal of Honour from Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman in 2011. He was also the first person to receive the first Birgit Nilsson Prize in 2009.

The musician was even voted into Gramophone's first Hall of Fame in 2012 and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music degree by Berklee College of Music in 2014.

Despite his historical achievements in the field of music, Placido Domingo’s life was plagued with controversy following multiple allegations of misconduct against women in 2019. More recently, he came under further for accusations of being involved in a Buenos Aires trafficking ring.

Domingo’s team has not publicly addressed the latest controversy and trafficking allegations at the time of writing.