Placido Domingo Jr. of Miami Battles Scientology

Our sister paper, the Village Voice, yesterday published an explosive exposé about the conflict between Placido Domingo Jr., son of the famous opera tenor, and the Church of Scientology. The younger Domingo, a composer, is in Miami working on a recording.A 20-year member of the Florida-based religion, Domingo says he is...

By Chuck Strouse

July 10, 2011

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Our sister paper, the Village Voice, yesterday published an explosive exposé about the conflict between Placido Domingo Jr., son of the famous opera tenor, and the Church of Scientology. The younger Domingo, a composer, is in Miami working on a recording.

A 20-year member of the Florida-based religion, Domingo says he is now "done with the church," according to Voice editor in chief Tony Ortega. The composer adds that the organization, centered in Clearwater, which has been subject to myriad criticism and journalistic scrutiny for brutality and cult-like behavior, tried to separate him from his ex-wife, Samantha.

The church has put out a mass call for the public to "unfriend" Domingo on Facebook. It has also published, on a blog, intimate details of his life that he does not wish publicized, he says.

Domingo Jr. calls the church's actions "pathetic."

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Chuck Strouse is the former editor in chief of Miami New Times. He has shared two Pulitzer Prizes and won dozens of other awards. He is an honors graduate of Brown University and has worked at newspapers including the Miami Herald and Los Angeles Times.

Contact: Chuck Strouse

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Twitter: @chuckstrouse