“The Cleveland Orchestra fired William Preucil, its concertmaster of 23 years, and Massimo La Rosa, its principal trombonist, after a three-month investigation concluded that both men engaged in sexual misconduct,” write Peggy McGlone and Anne Midgette in Wednesday’s (10/24) Washington Post. “The investigation, conducted by the New York law firm Debevoise and Plimpton, was launched in August in the wake of a Washington Post article that reported allegations about Preucil and two other classical musicians. Preucil had been suspended from the orchestra since the article appeared; La Rosa was suspended in September, due to information uncovered during the investigation. Investigators spoke to more than 70 people…. The investigators’ report, which the orchestra released Wednesday, stated that 11 women had told credible stories of sexual misconduct by Preucil, 60, that took place between 1996 and 2007…. ‘The investigators found that Mr. Preucil and Mr. La Rosa engaged in sexual misconduct and sexually harassing behavior,’ … the orchestra said in a statement. ‘Moreover, the abusive conduct by both performers was made possible by their positions of power within the Orchestra and in the broader world of classical music…. Women who were victims were … afraid to take action after they were subjected to the unwelcome behavior.’ ”
Posted October 25, 2018
In photo: Severance Hall, home to the Cleveland Orchestra
