A conductor has been sacked by the UK’s top opera festival after it found “clear evidence of inappropriate behaviour”.

Gareth Hancock, 53, was slated to work on Glyndebourne festival’s production of Dialogues des Carmélites next year but his contract for 2020 was withdrawn following an internal investigation after a complaint was brought to its HR department.

Slipped Disc, a classical music blog which first reported the conductor’s dismissal, said the complaint concerned a text message to a singer and that “no physical act was involved”.

Hancock, who is also head of opera at the Royal Academy of Music and coaches young singers at the Royal Opera House, is a married father of two.

In a statement, a spokeswoman said: “In October 2019, an employee brought a complaint of inappropriate behaviour by Gareth Hancock to Glyndebourne’s HR department, who immediately alerted senior management and launched an internal investigation.

“During the investigation, clear evidence of inappropriate behaviour from Gareth Hancock came to light, and Glyndebourne took the decision to withdraw his 2020 contract.”

The statement said no further evidence of similar behaviour towards other employees had come to light.

The statement continued: “Glyndebourne regards as our highest priority the safety and right to dignity of all our staff and does not tolerate or condone any behaviour that contravenes our policies and standards.

“Glyndebourne is a member of the Guardians programme set up by the Old Vic, has a written dignity at work policy that is shared with all employees, and a safeguarding policy outlining 10 Principles to Encourage Safer and More Supportive Working Practices in Theatre. Glyndebourne has also undertaken a project in 2019 looking at all aspects of working culture.”

A spokesperson for the Royal Academy of Music said it was unable to comment at this time. The Royal Opera House has also been approached for a comment.

The Guardian has been unable to contact Hancock.

• The headline of this article was amended on 25 November 2019 because an earlier version misdescribed Hancock as a Glyndebourne opera director when the article made clear his role there for 2020 was to be as a conductor.