Under-tenor saves Met Otello in t-shirt and jeans

Under-tenor saves Met Otello in t-shirt and jeans

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norman lebrecht

April 25, 2016

The Latvian tenor Aleks­andrs Antonenko has been singing a terrific run of Otellos at the Met but something went awry on Saturday night and by the final act he was running out of voice.

Panic calls to the understudy.

Francesco Anile, 54, was in his dressing room, texting, never expecting to make a Met debut. He was cover. Not much longer before he could go home.

Then the call came. He had five minutes to get on stage. Throwing a cape over his t-shirt and blue jeans, he vocally strangled Desdemona and sang through to the end, earning a rapturous personal ovation.

francesco anile

AP report here.

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