London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on Friday became the latest symphony orchestra to distance itself from Charles Dutoit after four classical musicians accused the eminent conductor of sexual assault earlier this week. In a statement, the RPO announced it will relieve Dutoit, 81, of upcoming concert obligations as artistic director and principal conductor.
The move followed reports by The Associated Press that the Switzerland-born conductor had assaulted three opera singers and a former member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. The women said the assaults occurred on the sidelines of rehearsals and performances in Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Saratoga Springs, N.Y., between 1985 and 2010.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, which Dutoit has regularly guest-conducted since his debut with the orchestra at Ravinia in 1982, announced late Thursday that he has withdrawn from concerts he was to have directed at Symphony Center in March and April.
Scheduled engagements with other orchestras in New York, Cleveland, Boston, San Francisco and Sydney also have been canceled, either by the conductor or by the orchestras themselves. The reaction has been swift in the classical music world following the graphic sexual assault accusations made to The Associated Press.
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John von Rhein is a Tribune critic.
Twitter @jvonrhein