Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva has spoken out in defence of tenor Plácido Domingo, following allegations of sexual harassment detailed in an investigation by the Associated Press. Domingo has described the allegations, made by nine women, as “deeply troubling, and as presented, inaccurate.”

Plácido Domingo. Photo © Ralf Roletschek / roletschek.at

Yoncheva posted a photo of herself with the Domingo on Instagram, describing him as “a real gentleman, philanthropist, artist, charming and peaceful human being, who is devoted to the new generation of singers in the most humble and respectful way.”

“I know Plácido for nearly 10 years and it was, it is always a great pleasure to work with him,” she wrote. “You can rarely find today a person who respects more his job, his colleagues, the team of each theatre and his fans. An irreplaceable figure in our industry, he, more than anybody else, proved that a successful career depends only on your work and your talent, nothing else can help it or destroy it!”