8 Major Orchestras Cut Ties With Conductor Charles Dutoit Following Sexual Assault Allegations

8 major international orchestras have today cancelled all engagements with conductor Charles Dutoit - following allegations of sexual misconduct

The Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Symphony, New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Sydney Symphony and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra have today issued statements cancelling all upcoming engagements with veteran conductor Charles Dutoit - following allegations of sexual misconduct.

Earlier this week, the Associated Press broke a news article regarding four accusers’ accounts of alleged sexual assaults by the 81 year old conductor - spanning incidents from 1985 to 2010.

"The San Francisco Symphony has severed all ties with Charles Dutoit in response to allegations of sexual misconduct that have been brought against the conductor," a spokesperson for the ensemble has said.

"This decision is the result of the serious nature of the allegations, internal and external discussions, and the San Francisco Symphony's strong commitment to a zero tolerance policy for sexual harassment in the workplace."

Dutoit has served as principal conductor and artistic director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra since 2009 - and is currently employed as music director emeritus of the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo.

He had previously served as artistic director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for 25 years - and as music director of the Orchestre National de France.

The allegations come just weeks after conductor James Levine was suspended from New York's Metropolitan Opera - pending an investigation into multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, including the sexual assault of a 15 year old boy.

IMAGE CREDIT: Columbia Artists Management Inc