#MeToo shakes the world of classical music: The taboo around sexual violence falls
The #MeToo movement, which has already affected many sectors, is now targeting classical music, a world long protected from public scandals. Recent cases of sexist and sexual violence (SSA) involving major figures in the field reveal a world where hierarchy, admiration for conductors and precariousness make silence omnipresent. Institutions are finally reacting, with measures that attempt to curb this behavior.
The revelations, relayed by AFP, have notably highlighted accusations against conductor François-Xavier Roth, accused of sending messages of a sexual nature, and Gaël Darchen, director of the Maîtrise des Hauts-de-Seine, implicated by five women. Added to this are the cases concerning influential professors, such as Jacques Rouvier and Jérôme Pernoo, both accused of moral and sexual harassment. These revelations have provoked reactions and temporary withdrawals from certain functions.
A survey conducted by sociologists Marie Buscatto and Ionela Roharik, and opera singer Soline Helbert, reveals that 75% of respondents to a questionnaire say they have been victims of or witnessed inappropriate behavior, ranging from inappropriate jokes to sexual assault. Conductors, often perceived as "demi-gods," and the hypersexualization of staging, create a climate conducive to such abuse.
In the face of this crisis, institutions are mobilizing. Paola Scotton, coordinator at the Réunion des opéras de France, and Claire Roserot de Melin, president of the Forces musicales, affirm that concrete actions have been taken: reporting cells, training in VSS, and creation of charters to supervise behavior. Since 2021, the Ministry of Culture has made its subsidies conditional on compliance with a prevention protocol, while organizations such as Audiens offer psychological support to victims. However, Soline Helbert remains cautious, believing that while progress has been made, the omerta still persists in certain cases.