Breaking: Jonas Kaufmann cancels La Scala opening

Breaking: Jonas Kaufmann cancels La Scala opening

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norman lebrecht

December 05, 2020

He’s indisposed, it says.

Piotr Beczala will jump in for Nessun Dorma.

Il tenore Jonas Kaufmann ci ha comunicato che, con suo grande rammarico, a causa di indisposizione non potrà prendere parte alla Serata del 7 dicembre “… a riveder le stelle”.

L’aria “Nessun dorma” da Turandot sarà cantata da Piotr Beczała.

Kaufmann has been singing this week at the Teatre San Carlo in Naples and is scheduled to continue there.

Comments

  • Didi Schneider says:

    Wise decision at this point. Why should he bother being in the same group with just a handful of great singers and all the rest (most of them) just very average, normal singers (e.g. Salsi, Meli, Kurzack, to name just a few) and the eternal, everlasting no-real-baritone Placido, ironically singing Nemico della patria in the programme.
    Scala announced it will be a prerecorded broadcast (no live concert), I guess this coul make even more news than Kaufmann cancelling it.

    • Mark Atwood says:

      Wise decision at this point, to not bother reading a comment, in a sea of average words, without any thought or point to them. I guess the above comment was pre-typed out in advance, but it would be more exciting of it weren’t typed at all.

      • Diane Valerie says:

        Indeed. One might wonder “at this point” why the tiresome tenor’s fans (or Slipped Disc for that matter) would bother to comment on a non-event at all – except for the fact that, as far as the fans are concerned, it affords them the opportunity to excuse his bad manners and slag off other singers simultaneously.

    • CMemmott says:

      He wont be missed when great stars like Juan Diego Florez – who always to the opera houses that gave him start- are performing.

    • Deborah says:

      Wise decision ! Is he above everyone else ? Is Florez a worse singer, or Yoncheva, or Abradakov just to name a few? Domingo may be old, but a great professional if ever was one.

  • Maria says:

    Is he really so sick and weak person? He is sick almost evry week and cancels his very second performace.

    He is quite young. Why is he sick so often?

  • IP says:

    Anna Pirozzi rulez!

  • Just a person says:

    I tried to see him on stage 9 times, but every time he canceled.
    I don’t try anymore, it is impossible

    • BruceB says:

      He should borrow a line from Oscar Levant, the pianist and humorist, who announced back in the day when Horowitz was famous for cancelling: “Messrs Horowitz and Levant would like to announce that they still have a few cancellations available for next season.” 😀

    • ebba anders says:

      Unlucky person! My statistics: about 19 operas and a lot of Liederabende and only twice he canceled (Hoffman in Paris, Meistersinger).

  • Rike says:

    Soll, auch bei einem Sänger, vorkommen, dass man um diese Jahreszeit unpässlich ist. Auch ohne den aktuellen Virus.

  • BrianB says:

    So what else is new?

  • LisaL. says:

    I paid to join Medici tv just to see him. I watched for 3 hrs. trying to guess what he was going to sing. Finally realized it was nothing! I also missed out on two N.Y. concerts due to covid. (of course, not his fault) Guess it’s just not gonna happen!

  • Susan says:

    Fortunately,there so many other singers who are great profesionals,and they hardly ever cancel . To try and see Kaufmann is like tossing a coin. Head ( handsome as it may have been) or tails ? You never know.

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