An acclaimed British conductor has dropped all of his scheduled concerts until next year, his management announced, amid allegations that he physically assaulted a soloist after becoming annoyed that he had left the stage on the wrong side. Last week, reports emerged claiming that 80-year-old Sir John Eliot Gardiner had punched and slapped English bass singer William Thomas, 29, backstage after an opera performance in France. Confirming that he would “withdraw from all engagements until next year,” Gardiner’s management said in a statement that the conductor would focus on his mental health. “I am taking a step back in order to get the specialist help I [recognize] that I have needed for some time,” Gardiner said. He added that he is “heartbroken to have caused so much distress and I am determined to learn from my mistakes.”