Says the Met press office: “Alfred Kim will make his Met debut as Manrico in three fall performances of Il Trovatore, replacing Marcelo Álvarez, who has withdrawn from the November 11, 15, and 19 performances for personal reasons.”

Said personal reasons presumably have nothing to do with the blogphobic tenor’s next pressing engagement, Tosca at the Teatro Politeama Città di Catanzaro, so La Cieca is going to go out on a limb and guess that he’s been invited be guest judge at a chimichurri cookoff. Gotham fans of the tubby troubador won’t miss out on Álvarez action as he waddles back into town for Tosca and more Trovatore in the spring. [Image based on a photo by Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera]