Plácido Domingo has rowed back on an apology he made over sexual harassment allegations just two days earlier, after his mea culpa triggered a backlash and cancellations in Spain.

The Spanish opera singer, who faces multiple allegations of sexual harassment, apologised on Tuesday for “the hurt” caused to his accusers, saying he accepted “full responsibility” for his actions. But on Thursday, the 79-year-old insisted his words had been misunderstood.

“I feel I have to issue another statement to correct the false impression generated by my apology,” said the tenor-turned-baritone, whose earlier statement had said he was “truly sorry” without specifically confirming any of the allegations.

At least 20 women have accused Domingo of forcibly kissing, grabbing or fondling them in incidents dating to the 80s. On Tuesday, the AGMA union said an internal inquiry found the singer had engaged in a pattern of “inappropriate activity”.

Domingo said he was withdrawing from La Traviata at Madrid’s Teatro Real and would do the same with any venue “that might have difficulties” with his presence. “I know what I haven’t done and I will deny it again. I never behaved aggressively with anyone and I have never done anything to obstruct or impede anyone’s career,” he said.

“My apology was sincere and from the bottom of my heart to any colleagues whom I could have hurt in any way by something I said or did. As I have demonstrated on many occasions, it was never my intention to hurt or offend anyone.”

While the scandal had in effect ended Domingo’s US career, he had been less affected in Europe until this week.

However, after Tuesday’s report and apology, Spain’s culture ministry cancelled his appearance in two May performances at the Zarzuela theatre in Madrid “in solidarity with the affected women”.

“Until now, the situation was different, there was a presumption of innocence,” said the culture minister, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes. “But at the point when he said it actually happened – and we’re talking about serious incidents involving many women – we decided we couldn’t go ahead with him present and we told him.”

The Teatro Real confirmed that Domingo would not be participating in any of its performances of Verdi’s La Traviata.

The prestigious Úbeda festival of international music and dance in southern Spain cancelled Domingo’s appearance on 3 May in light of Tuesday’s “informative events”.

The Palau de Les Arts opera house and cultural centre in the coastal city of Valencia also said it was dropping his name from its opera studio, the Plácido Domingo Centre for Advanced Training, and would no longer be working with him.

The accusations surfaced in August. Two months later, Domingo stepped down from the Los Angeles Opera and from all future performances at New York’s Metropolitan Opera.

Domingo’s statement came a day after former the Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was convicted of rape and sexual assault in a case that triggered a global reckoning over men who abuse positions of power.