Conductor John Eliot Gardner Withdraws From Performances After Striking Singer

Conductor John Eliot Gardiner will take time away from performances after being accused of physically assaulting a singer following a performance at the Festival Berlioz in La Côte-Saint-André.

According to The New York Times, the incident, first reported by classical music website Slippedisc, took place following a concert performance of the Berlioz opera Les Troyens.

An unnamed source told The Times that Gardiner struck the singer, an English bass named William Thomas, in the face for leaving the podium the wrong way at the end of the performance.

A representative for the conductor's agency has confirmed that Gardiner has since withdrawn from the festival and returned to London to meet with his doctor. Gardiner was replaced by Dinis Sousa, an associate conductor of the Monteverdi Choir, for the final Festival Berlioz performance of Les Troyens. 

In a statement, Gardiner told the NY Times today “I am taking a step back in order to get the specialist help I recognize that I have needed for some time... I want to apologize to colleagues who have felt badly treated and anyone who may feel let down by my decision to take time out to address my issues. I am heartbroken to have caused so much distress and I am determined to learn from my mistakes.”

A statement from Intermusica, an agency that represents Gardiner notes "“Over the next few months he will be undergoing an extensive, tailored course of treatment and he asks for space and privacy while the program is ongoing."