Women say fired opera maestro ‘grabbed their buttocks’

A popular opera conductor grabbed women’s buttocks, routinely commented on their bodies, and made lewd sexual remarks, seven women alleged on Friday – weeks after his removal from the job.

Richard Buckley was fired on February 1 as the artistic director of the Austin Opera after 14 years on the job.

Management at the Austin Opera terminated Buckley after women came forward and accused him of sexual harassment.

Now seven women have reportedly come forward with specific allegations against Buckley, according to the American-Statesman.

The women say that Buckley’s behavior, which also included giving unwanted massages, was known to higher-ups at the opera but tolerated because of his stature as a star maestro.

Austin Opera said on February 1 it had removed Buckley due to ‘inappropriate behavior in violation of the company’s policy on harassment.’

Buckley told the American-Statesman that his intent was never to harass or make women uncomfortable in the workplace.

Two former colleagues of Buckley at Austin Opera, Ellen Mason (left) and Susan Threadgill (right), alleged that the conductor made unwanted advances that included inappropriate touching

‘These accusations are very serious and upsetting,’ he told the newspaper.

‘I ask for excellence from myself and everyone I work with, and at times use humor to release pressure and defuse tension.

‘If I have ever said or done anything that has offended anyone or made them feel uncomfortable, I deeply apologize.’

Buckley is one of the latest in a long line of public figures in the arts and entertainment world who have faced professional consequences over alleged sexual misbehavior.

Last October, film mogul Harvey Weinstein was revealed to have paid numerous women financial settlements after claims of sexual harassment.

Those revelations by The New York Times led to a deluge of allegations of more serious sex crimes, including rape.

Buckley’s lawyer, Blayre Peña, said her client still doesn’t know the specific details of the allegations.

Peña said Buckley doesn’t know who made the complaint. He also was not given a chance to respond to them, the attorney said.

Peña said the real reason behind Buckley’s firing was a personal dispute between the maestro and the new CEO, Annie Burridge.

In 2015, Margaret Coltman, a substitute cellist, once complained to management after she heard Buckley joke at a rehearsal that women should wear garters to an upcoming performance

‘Richard’s termination was not about harassment, but instead an ax to grind by the opera’s new CEO,’ Peña said.

‘During the new CEO’s tenure, Richard raised legitimate concerns about opera events and rather than using those comments constructively, the new CEO viewed it as undermining her authority and repeatedly stifled Richard’s input.’

Peña’s statement was denied by the Austin Opera.

‘Austin Opera leadership properly and appropriately terminated Richard Buckley’s contract – consistent with its terms – based on his inappropriate behavior in violation of the opera’s harassment policy,’ said the opera’s lawyer, Julie Springer.

‘The notion that the termination of his contract was the result of any sort of power struggle is pure fiction.’

Buckley’s alleged behavior began just after he was hired in 2003.

Susan Threadgill, a former employee at the opera, alleged that while she was in the office one day, Buckley walked past her and grabbed her butt.

‘I said, “Excuse me! Sexual harassment!”’ she said.

Buckley’s alleged behavior began just after he was hired by Austin Opera in 2003

‘These accusations are very serious and upsetting,’ Buckley said. ‘I ask for excellence from myself and everyone I work with, and at times use humor to release pressure and defuse tension’

Ellen Mason alleged Buckley once slapped her on the butt while she was talking to her friends

Buckley was also alleged to have given women unwanted massages, but his attorney says that he gave both men and women massages to relieve tension and that he would stop if asked

‘And he turned around like he was stunned. He said, “You know I didn’t mean anything by that,” and I said, “That makes it worse”.’

Threadgill said that Buckley never touched her again, but he did behave in the same way with other women, she alleged.

She said singers would come to her regularly with complaints about Buckley’s comments and behavior.

The singers would then beg Threadgill not to report their complaints for fear that they would not be hired again by the opera, she said.

One woman who complained to others at the company said she was told she was being too sensitive.

‘They’d say, “Oh, that’s just his sense of humor. If you’re going to work in this profession, you’re going to need to toughen up”,’ the woman said.

Ellen Mason, who worked as the manager of marketing and communications at Austin Opera from July 2012 to May 2013, said Buckley made a number of inappropriate passes at her.

She alleged Buckley once slapped her on the butt while she was talking to her friends.

An attorney for Buckley said the real reason for his dismissal was a personal vendetta between him and Austin Opera’s new CEO, Annie Burridge

Buckley also gave her a number of unwanted massages over a period of months, she alleged.

During those massages, Buckley would touch Mason under her arms and slightly grazed her breasts, Mason alleged.

Mason said she blamed herself and made changes to her appearance to make her seem less attractive so that Buckley would leave her alone.

‘I stopped wearing my makeup,’ Mason said.

‘I started wearing messy buns. I started wearing sneakers. I tried everything in the women’s arsenal, and none of it worked.’

Peña, Buckley’s lawyer, said her client would often give shoulder rubs and massages to both men and women at the opera.

‘During long grueling hours of rehearsals, people’s shoulders and neck tense up,’ she said.

‘If someone didn’t want a shoulder rub, they could tell Richard, and he would stop.’

Despite Buckley’s alleged behavior, Mason said she didn’t quit because she feared for career repercussions.

She said she was eventually forced to leave Austin Opera for health reasons brought on partly by stress.

‘After I resigned, I stopped by to pick up a couple of things that I accidentally left behind,’ Mason said.

‘Richard walked in and upon seeing me exclaimed: “You no longer work here so it is no longer sexual harassment!” then proceeded to hug me so tightly that my breasts were smashed against his chest and I could (feel) certain parts of his anatomy, and then he started twisting his body right to left and rubbing himself all over me.

Meredith Morrow, a former grant writer and corporate fundraiser at Austin Opera, said she witnessed Buckley hug a woman ‘so tightly that [her] breasts were smashed against his chest’ and ‘[she] could feel certain parts of his anatomy’

‘My arms were trapped by my sides and I could not break free. This happened out in the open, in front of other staff.’

Meredith Morrow, a former grant writer and corporate fundraiser at Austin Opera, said she witnessed that incident.

She said there was no point in complaining to management because Buckley often made lewd comments even in the presence of higher-ups.

Buckley was thought to be untouchable at the opera because of his reputations as gifted conductor as well as his efforts in improving the institution’s financial situation.

‘He was the darling,’ Mason said. ‘At that time they were running scared for money and Richard Buckley was a major reason why people kept coming back. He was untouchable.’

In 2015, Margaret Coltman, a substitute cellist, once complained to management after she heard Buckley joke at a rehearsal that women should wear garters to an upcoming performance.

The manager to whom she complained told the Statesman: ‘We’re all used to Richard’s joking and most give it right back.’

Coltman said the manager promised to have Buckley apologize to her, but that never happened.

Austin Opera has still not said what specific allegation led to Buckley’s dismissal.

The opera was said to have conducted an ‘outside investigation’ into Buckley, but the maestro’s lawyer is unconvinced.

‘The information we have been provided seriously calls into question the “outside investigation” that was allegedly conducted,’ Peña said.

‘Our sources have revealed that the ‘investigation’ was conducted by none other than the new CEO, who had been trying to oust Richard for some time, and a staff person she supervised.’