“Drama at the dress rehearsal of Tosca at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino!  This is an open rehearsal because it is a Telethon benefit performance. Ruggero Raimondi, indisposed, is replaced by Giovanni Meoni. Adina Nitescu, the second cast Tosca, is voiceless. The first cast Tosca, Violeta Urmana, cannot go on stage because she doesn’t want to get tired for the premiere performance, which will be televised. What’s the solution?  Soprano Martina Serafin (who happens to be in the audience because her husband, Alessandro Guerzoni, is singing Angelotti) volunteers to sing the performance. The only problem is… she is eight months pregnant.  So she sings from the pit while Nitescu mimes the role.” [Maggio Musicale Fiorentino]