A concert pic celebrating the career of Placido Domingo hit a sour note at the weekend box office amid allegations of sexual misconduct by the legendary opera singer.
The Placido Domingo Gala earned an estimated $80,295 from 284 theaters across the U.S. for a location average of just $282.70, according to those with access to grosses.
That’s far less than similar offerings from distributor Fathom Events, such as live broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera, and marks one of the lowest showings of the 73 screenings hosted by Fathom so far this year. The figure, along with theater count, could come in higher once final grosses are calculated on Monday.
Fathom announced the Placido Domingo Gala in early August, just days before a report by the Associated Press detailed how Domingo allegedly tried to pressure women into sexual relationships by promising job opportunities and then sometimes punishing the women professionally when they refused his advances.
Fathom decided to proceed with Saturday’s event even after more women came forward last week. The distributor didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the grosses.
Originally, Fathom said the pic, showcasing Domingo’s 50th anniversary concert at Italy’s Arena di Verona this summer, would play in more than 500 theaters.
In early June, Fathom teamed with CBS Films to sneak the documentary Pavarotti, chronicling the life and career of the late opera singer Luciano Pavarotti, prior to the film’s official launch in theaters.
Pavarotti grossed $144,032 when CBS Films subsequently opened it in 19 theaters over the June 7-9 weekend, putting its screen average at $7,582. The film was one of the biggest specialty success stories of the summer, earning north of $4.6 million to date.
In addition to his singing career, Domingo is the general director of the LA Opera, which has hired outside counsel to investigate the accusations.
In terms of comparable one-day Fathom events, Bolshoi Ballet: Carmen/Petrushka grossed $207,523 in July, preceded by Bolshoi Ballet: The Golden Age, which took in $171,196 in April.
The Metropolitan Opera broadcasts can bring in huge grosses for Fathom; a Saturday screening of Tosca last year generated $2 million.
