NEW YORK - A violinist who claims the New York Philharmonic fired him because he is a man says some of the women who were promoted ahead of him gave flowers and other gifts to their bosses.
Anton Polezhayev, 29, says in a lawsuit that he was asked to leave after the 2003-2004 season, in the last month of his 17-month probation, despite being told by orchestra officials that he was doing "a fine job" and that his playing was "perfect."
Polezhayev's lawyer, Lenard Leeds, said Friday that the Philharmonic's personnel manager, Carl R. Schiebler, even wrote a letter to a landlord on the violinist's behalf, saying he expected Polezhayez would be "a long-term member of the orchestra."
Of the Philharmonic's 33 violinists, 20 are women, the orchestra's Web site says. Eric Latzky, the Philharmonic's spokesman, said he had no comment on the lawsuit.
