EU visa delay costs Paris its Leonora

EU visa delay costs Paris its Leonora

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norman lebrecht

May 31, 2018

We reported yesterday that Elena Stikhina had pulled out of Trovatore in Paris.

The Opéra said she had ‘withdrawn from all future productions.’

That’s not what we hear. Peeps in her entourage say that a 24 hour delay in the receipt of her European visa meant she would have arrived one day late in Paris for rehearsals. So the Opéra dropped her. Just like that.

Soon after, Elena Stikhina was asked to sing five Toscas at the Berlin Staatsoper, starting this Saturday.

So who’s the loser?

 

Comments

  • Eric H. says:

    One day late is one day late. Bravo Paris Opera.
    Singers should take more serious and professinally their engaments.

    • Singer says:

      Except when it’s DHJ, KAN or some other star. Having shared runs with one of the aforementioned in the same opera houses, the “DHJ only arrives 2 weeks before opening” schtick is quite tiring, but it never stopped the Paris Opera from accepting a VERY late arrival. Last time this happened was in Paris, at Bastille in 2016/17 season.

    • Chris Clift says:

      Having one’s visa delayed is hardly the fault of the applicant, (unless of course they had left it far too late in applying – but that may have been due to being approached late to perform)

  • Marcus Clayton says:

    There is something fishy about this story. I can’t believe the Paris Opera would fire Stikhina for being one day late to rehearsals. The Trovatore is a revival anyway, not a new production, and it has a double cast in place already for the run.
    No, I think there is more to this story, as there usually is when a singer cancels.

  • lavy hollender says:

    i agree with marcus

  • Hanna Nahan says:

    Her replacement was confirmed extraordinarily fast. This smells like one of Monsieur Lissner’s little games…

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