European orchestra fires conductor over alleged misconduct

AMSTERDAM – A top European orchestra has fired its chief conductor following accusations of sexual misconduct.

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in the Netherlands said on Thursday it had ended its affiliation with Daniele Gatti in the wake of a Washington Post story last week in which the conductor “was accused of inappropriate behaviour.”

The Amsterdam-based Royal Concertgebouw said in a statement that the Post article and reports from women who have come forward since its publication “irreparably damaged the relationship of trust between the orchestra and the chief conductor.”

The orchestra says both the allegations and Gatti’s reaction to them “have caused a lot of commotion among both musicians and staff, as well as stakeholders both at home and abroad.”