Opera legend Placido Domingo on Sunday received a standing ovation at the Salzburg Festival, his first performance since he was accused of sexually harassing women.

"Triumph in Salzburg, standing ovation for Domingo despite the 'MeToo' affair," a headline in the regional daily Kleine Zeitung said, following his performance in the Giuseppe Verdi opera "Luisa Miller" at the annual music and drama festival in Austria.

Eight singers and a dancer told the Associated Press earlier this month they were sexually harassed by the former member of the much lauded "Three Tenors," in incidents going back to the 1980s.

In a report by the AP, several women, one of whom was identified, accused Domingo of using his position as one of opera's most celebrated singers to pressure them into sexual relationships.

The Los Angeles Opera has opened an investigation into the "concerning allegations."

Following the claims, the Philadelphia Orchestra Association withdrew its invitation for Domingo to appear in its opening night concert on September 18.

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However, the head of the Salzburg Festival in Austria said Domingo would perform there as planned.

In a statement to the AP, Domingo called the allegations "deeply troubling and, as presented inaccurate" and said he believed his interactions with the women to be consensual. He hasn't spoken publicly about the allegations since the article was published.

As he greeted fans, Domingo declined to discuss the accusations saying, "No, I cannot."

Culture writer Hedwig Kainberger wrote in the Salzburger Nachrichten this week that there was no reason for Domingo not to sing at the festival. 

She noted that he has never had the sort of political power at the Salzburg Festival that he has in some U.S. opera houses.

"However, Placido Domingo has benefited a lot from public fame," Kainberger added. "Therefore, in addition to the jubilation, he should also bear the criticism, listen to the protests, participate in the clarification and muster the courage to make any confessions."

Domingo's super fans were hearing none of that, persuaded that the U.S. reaction was an exaggeration. They shouted "Bravissimo" and "Victory" as Domingo crossed the street with his wife Marta and son Alvaro, who had accepted flowers before the show from fans waiting outside. Marta took a cellphone video of the adoring crowd.

Anne-Marie Lindauer, who says she has seen more than 200 Domingo performances over three decades, said she will never again go to the U.S. opera houses that have canceled him. 

"That's prejudice," she said. "Such anonymous allegations would not work like that in Europe."

American Kathleen Carlson said the "Luisa Miller" concert featuring Domingo was part of a five-opera European tour she is on, but that she never considered skipping after hearing of the allegations.

"It didn't bother me," Carlson said. "The #MeToo movement in the United States, is kind of getting on my nerves as a female. People are coming out of the woodwork, and I mean, I understand it, but why did we wait so long. Is it just because it is the thing to do now?"

Madrid-born Domingo was one of the most recognized tenors of the 20th century, starring in alongside famous tenors Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras.

In recent years the long-time married opera star has transformed himself into a baritone and still performs to packed audiences at the age of 78.

He has made more than 100 albums and picked up 14 Grammy awards. Earlier this year, he celebrated his 4,000th performance in a career that stretches back 60 years.