She was singing the role of Despina; he was singing Don Alfonso. The soprano recalls: “He’d hold a ‘hello’ hug a little bit too long, and he’d kiss me on the cheek way too close to my lips. He’d ‘accidentally’ touch me lower than my waist, and he’d linger around and ask to go out to grab some drinks after rehearsal, which could have been totally OK and normal, but at the same time it didn’t feel right.”
How did the soprano cope with the situation? “I told another singer, and we started to hang out more between rehearsals so that I wasn’t alone with Don Alfonso. It wasn’t that bad, and I didn’t want to cause a ruckus or make things awkward, as we were in a production and we had to work together on stage. I just always made excuses as to why I couldn’t talk to him or go out with him.”
Defining Sexual Harassment
Perhaps you think the behavior of this Don Alfonso sounds inappropriate. Does it qualify as sexual harassment in the workplace? In this case, it does not because, as it turns out, the situation took place in a pay-to-sing program. Even if the singers were paid, however, it still might not be considered sexual harassment.
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), harassment can include “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.” The EEOC also states: “Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted).”
Such a definition leaves room for interpretation. The problem is compounded by the nature of opera, which is far removed from the typical corporate workplace. A stage director who has worked at many opera houses in the U.S. points out that performing artists are a “very touchy-feely group.” He notes: “Some directors, conductors, teachers, etc., have techniques that include touching, and sometimes things that can feel like harassment really aren’t.”
Additionally, opera staging often requires close physical contact among characters, which can create further confusion. There is also the matter of perception. Consider the popular saying that “one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.” We could apply a similar concept to the opera world, where one singer’s sexual harassment is another singer’s sense of humor. “Maybe opera singers call it a ‘good joke’ instead of ‘sexual harassment,’” as one soprano mulls.
Beyond Joking
Some cases go well beyond good-natured joking, even under a generous definition. Of his experiences as an apprentice at a well-regarded, non-AGMA regional company, a tenor says: “There were definitely situations that would not fly in an American office setting. There was joking around that I’m sure was meant in good spirits but that made me feel objectified.” For example, a dresser once said to him, “OK, now bend over and grab your ankles.”
The tenor also recalls several uncomfortable incidents with a singer whom he was covering. In one instance, this singer squeezed the tenor’s thigh underneath the table during a company dinner and told him he was cute.
“What I experienced at this company was that there was a general atmosphere in which many management, staff, and singers commented and joked a lot in a manner that, in this day and age, would be strictly forbidden in the office for fear of a sexual harassment suit,” he says. “There is no such fear in the opera world.”
The tenor’s experiences come as no surprise to another soprano I spoke with. “I have had coaches on multiple occasions ask to go to bed with me in exchange for helping me with my career,” she says. “It’s upsetting that the hierarchy of conductors and the old-school mentality still exists.”
The soprano’s solution to these incidents was straightforward. She started working more exclusively with women and gay men. The tenor, in contrast, believed that there was nothing he could do without harming his career. “As a mere apprentice, I did not feel empowered to make an issue of lewd jesting and possibly become seen by management as someone who creates problems,” he explains. “I think many of us feel that there is a real need to go along with whatever is asked of us and not be perceived as someone who is going to be trouble-making, or the word-of-mouth in this very small world of opera will turn against us and leave the opening for someone who will ‘go along to get along.’”
The Good News
Fortunately, the problem of sexual harassment in the U.S. opera world appears to be lessening, at least at the higher levels. Alan Gordon, national executive director of AGMA, has noticed a major shift in attitudes over the past five years and cannot recall a single complaint of sexual harassment from an opera singer during that time. “People’s consciousness has been raised,” he says. “Companies know that if they do something stupid, it will cost money. . . . They are too afraid of litigation and liability.”
As for AGMA signatory companies, contracts prohibit hostile work environments, which could include sexual harassment. “AGMA companies have an obligation to make sure sexual harassment doesn’t happen,” says Gordon, “and, if there is a complaint, to investigate it. Liability arises from not investigating.
“If there is a complaint and a company finds that the complaint is groundless,” he continues, “the company nonetheless has to ensure that there is no retaliation against the singer who brought the complaint.”
Advice for Singers
Gordon recommends that singers who experience sexual harassment or any other sort of illegal treatment contact AGMA. He reminds the singing community that AGMA helps not only members but also nonmembers. “We’ll listen to your experience and advise you accordingly,” he says. “If what you’ve experienced violates a contract, we’ll pursue it through the grievance process.”
The stage director advises singers who experience sexual harassment to “quietly report it to the ‘authorities’ of the company immediately and keep a dialogue open with these authorities if the harassment continues.” He notes, however, that harassment from authorities creates a much dicier situation. “I guess in those cases I would advise the singer to leave the show/company, if possible,” he says. “If that’s not possible financially or professionally, then try to find someone else in the hierarchy that can be told what’s going on. In no way is this easy or simple.”
[NB: This article covers only sexual harassment in the U.S. opera world. Other countries have different laws and different norms, which might require different approaches.]
Advice for Administrators
What is the responsibility of administrators who are approached about sexual harassment in their companies? Gordon and the stage director agree that it is essential to respond. “For employers, the temptation to ignore a complaint is great, but ignoring complaints violates the law,” says Gordon.
The stage director offers several tips to those in authority. “First, don’t harass,” he emphasizes. “Second, make it clear up front that any discomfort should be reported. It’s very important to set and maintain boundaries, both for your own behavior and for the behavior of others.” His views are closely aligned with those of the EEOC, which suggests: “Prevention is the best tool to eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace. . . . [Employers] should clearly communicate to employees that sexual harassment will not be tolerated.”
“We should be patient when something’s reported to us,” adds the stage director. “Don’t move in right away. People do sometimes misunderstand words or intentions. However, if the situation is clearly harassment, move quickly. Get rid of the harasser.”
He took his own advice during an opera production not so long ago, when female singers reported behavior from a male singer that seemed like harassment. The stage director gathered more information, concluded that the behavior was indeed sexual harassment, and fired the singer. The sense of relief among company members that followed was palpable. “Once this guy was gone, everyone became much more comfortable,” one of the female singers recalls.
Conclusion
Sexual harassment is a sensitive issue, whether it takes place in a corporate setting or on a U.S. opera stage. Does it exist more frequently in the opera world because opera singers are afraid of being blacklisted if they complain? Opinions are mixed. Even though singers and insiders might disagree on its frequency or even its definition, they do agree that clear-cut incidents should not be tolerated. As the stage director told me, “The main thing is that in order to make art, you need to feel comfortable and confident and safe, and sexual harassment makes you feel the opposite.”
