Sir John Eliot Gardiner: Famed conductor pulls out of the Proms after alleged assault

Sir John Eliot Gardiner, 1 of the world's astir salient conductors, has pulled retired of the BBC Proms aft being accused of assaulting a singer.

He allegedly punched William Thomas, a bass, due to the fact that helium near the podium successful the incorrect absorption astatine a performance successful France.

A spokesperson for Mr Thomas confirmed the incidental to the BBC.

They added: "All musicians merit the close to practise their creation successful an situation escaped from maltreatment oregon carnal harm."

Sir John withdrew from a further show astatine the Festival Berlioz successful La Côte-Saint-André, southbound eastbound France, connected Wednesday night.

In a statement, the BBC said Sir John had besides "decided to retreat from the show of [Berlioz's] The Trojans astatine this year's BBC Proms."

Sir John's assistant, Dinis Sousa, volition instrumentality his spot for that concert.

A root with cognition of the substance told BBC News that Sir John is apt to measurement down from different dates scheduled successful Europe this summer.

News of the alleged altercation archetypal emerged connected Slipped Disc, which said it had received aggregate reports of an incidental successful France connected Tuesday night.

A typical for Sir John told the website that the conductor had been suffering from utmost heat.

Mr Thomas did not look to beryllium earnestly injured, and took to the signifier connected Wednesday evening successful France.

Bruno Messina, the festival's creator manager of the Festival Berlioz, said successful a connection that helium was "devastated by the incident", but felt it was important that Wednesday's amusement took place.

The BBC had antecedently said it was investigating the matter.

"We instrumentality allegations astir inappropriate behaviour earnestly and are presently establishing the facts astir the incident," said Proms organisers successful a statement.

Sir John is simply a starring fig successful the period-instrument movement, who is celebrated for his interpretations of Baroque music, specialising successful composers specified arsenic Monteverdi, Bach, Mozart and Beethoven.

He established prestigious ensembles including the Monteverdi Choir, the English Baroque Soloists and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, and has conducted galore of the world's starring orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra and Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Many of his recordings are considered classics - including his implicit Beethoven Symphonies, and a unrecorded signaling of Bach's St John's Passion - and his 2013 publication Bach: Music successful the Castle of Heaven, was good received by critics.

Earlier this year, Sir John featured astatine King Charles's Coronation, wherever helium led the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists successful a pre-service performance astatine Westminster Abbey.

BBC News has contacted the conductor's manager and publicists for comment, but has yet to person a response.