Cavalier treatment
“Roberto Aronica will sing Cavaradossi in the first five performances of Puccini’s Tosca at the Met this season—October 16, 21, 24 matinee, 29, and November 2—replacing Massimo Giordano, who is ill.”
cast change
Prison break
“Taylor Stayton will sing the role of Percy in this evening’s performance of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena, replacing Stephen Costello, who is ill,” says the Met press office.
Phases of the moon
Dmitri Hvorostovsky has withdrawn from three performances of Verdi’s Il Trovatore at the Met this season, on October 7, 10, and 17.
Hunch confirmed
George Gagnidze and Zeljko Lucic will share the title role of Verdi’s Rigoletto at the Met this fall, replacing Simon Keenlyside…
Natural born Miller
Cast changes (already) for San Francisco Opera.
Voilà la belle grisette!
Andriana Chuchman will sing the role of Valencienne in this season’s April and May performances of Lehár’s The Merry Widow.
Name that Rodolfo
“Francesco Demuro and Michael Fabiano will sing the role of Rodolfo in the remaining 2014 performances of La Bohème.
Demuro felice
“Italian tenor Francesco Demuro will make his Met debut in the role of Rodolfo in this evening’s performance of La Bohème, replacing Charles Castronovo who is ill.”
Einspring awakening
“In a last-minute substitution, American tenor Bryan Hymel will sing the role of Rodolfo in this evening’s performance of La Bohème, replacing Ramón Vargas, who is ill.”
Change of pace
La Cieca has just heard that Joseph Kaiser, due to unforeseen circumstances, will not be able to participate in Sunday’s Voce recital.
Contessa, stop the music!
“American soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen, who last week won First Prize at the prestigious Operalia competition, will make her Met debut as Countess Almaviva in this December’s performances of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro.”
Breaking apart
I guess we can assume the season is going to happen, because the cast changes are already starting, and the Met’s press office is on it, you guys.
Sink or swim
Says the Met press office, “Erin Morley will sing the role of Sophie in all performances of Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier this season…”
Courage… du courage!
La Cieca hears that soprano Alex Penda is en route to London on a rescue mission, for which her friends (young or otherwise) are doubtless giving thanks.
Everybody rise! Rise! Rise!
Two rising young sopranos will make their Met debuts earlier than originally scheduled when they share the role of Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto later this fall, replacing Aleksandra Kurzak, who has withdrawn due to pregnancy.
Double-barrelled
Elizabeth Bishop will make her Met role debut as Fricka in Saturday evening’s performance of Wagner’s Das Rheingold, replacing Stephanie Blythe, who is ill.
Ed io quest’Angela osava maledir!
Angela Meade will sing the role of Leonora in tomorrow afternoon’s performance of Verdi’s Il Trovatore, replacing Patricia Racette, who is ill.
Quand viendra l’instant des suprêmes adieux
American tenor Bryan Hymel will make his Met debut, singing the role on December 26, December 29 matinee, January 1, and January 5 matinee (the date of the global HD transmission).
En proie à la maladie
Pretty Yende will make her Met debut as Countess Adèle in this season’s performances of Rossini’s Le Comte Ory.
Two pairs of pants
“French mezzo-soprano Géraldine Chauvet will make her Met debut as Sesto in this evening’s performance of Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito, replacing Elina Garanca, who is ill.”
Yu’s on first
So what’s the news from the Met press office this late Friday afternoon?
On with his head
Matthew Polenzani will sing the role of Leicester in all performances of the Met’s new production of Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda this season.
The girls of summer
The Met press department wisely isn’t waiting until the last minute to start announcing cast changes for autumn 2012.
Comeback kid
After an absence of seven seasons, tenor Richard Leech will return to the stage of the Met on April 27 as Albert Gregor in The Makropulos Case.
I’ll take the fall
The days are getting shorter, but you can keep the prattle going this fall’s Talk of the Town! You will, you can, you must join in the discussion about: Great mezzo soprano performances (October),
Gained in translation (November), Teleport me back to… (December).