Exclusive: Deep trouble at the Met’s Tosca
NewsWe hear that that Scarpia was a no-show at yesterday’s rehearsal for Thursday’s opening of Tosca.
Evgeny Nikitin was cast in the role, but he missed rehearsal and was replaced by George Gagnidze, who is now expected to take over the first night.
The Met is saying nothing.
Insiders tell us that Nikitin, who has a colourful past, was sacked and is on a plane back home to Russia.
We’ll keep you posted.
Flashback: Nikitin’s Bayreuth incident
I heard Nikitin lost a posedown to Yannick and had to leave town in disgrace.
What’s does ‘a lost posedown’ mean to us Brits?
It’s not a typical American thing, either. Apparently it has to do with wresting.
Oops, BruceB (below) is right..a .bodybuilding thing. I guess when I thought of YN-S, I was thinking of midget wresting…
It’s likely the last time we’ll ever see Nikitin at the Met.
Unlike Nikitin, Gagnidze is reliable and he’s a better singer than Nikitin anyway.
They are both overemployed there as are many other East European mediocrities in Italian roles.
They work cheap in comparison to Western singers. Ioan Holender when he ran the Vienna Staatsoper would hire as many Eastern European and Russian singers to fill anything other than the star roles to keep the costs down. Of course there is always the breakthrough star. the only reason we know the name Nikitin is because of his swastika tattoo.
He was a pretty good Klingsor at least back in 2013, not particularly impressed by him in anything else.
It’s where the bodybuilders in a contest all stand onstage together posing, to see who can look the most muscular.
http://fitnessexpose.com/everyone-loves-the-posedown/
Very apt and (IMHO) hilarious for this situation.
From you link: spot the one not using anabolic steroids ….
No, I couldn’t either.
I think singing is healthier.
Maybe he got a Trump tattoo?
Perhaps the audience will need packets of “No-Doze”, direct from the Presidential oval office.
Keep the day job. Intentional humor is not your forte, though many posts are unintentionally hilarious.
He’s got a Swastika tattoo. That does not reflect on his vocal capabilities, but certainly on his mental and emotional capabilities.
It was tattooed over and no longer discernable as a swastika today. Is no one allowed anymore to have made mistakes in the past?
Only because he got caught. And no – morally at least – you are NOT “allowed” to be a Nazi or supporter of any other type of genocide, which is far more evil than a mere “mistake”.
It was the Buddhist Swastika of Peace!
Which means he is most likely a fervent Putin (and Trump) supporter as well.
Your Trump fetish is admirable considering he will run again in 2024.
Commenters can’t extoll Biden and Harris for anything yet Trump remains their savior.
With half of Europe‘s opera houses shut down, it should not be hard to locate an all star replacement….
Quinn Kelsey is currently in rehearsal at the Met for rigoletto. An obvious replacement.
It’s all so yesterday, though, isn’t it.
Michael Chioldi is the cover, well rehearsed and ready. Why not use him?
The MET will almost always use someone with a name to replace singers. Chioldi would be fantastic, in fact he IS fantastic, but he doesn’t have the reputation like Gaganidze.
Which is exactly why the Met (these days) will never “discover” new talent, as say, Frankfurt Opera.
For all the money the Met spends on “scouts”, it remains parochial in its taste and daring. Oftentimes, by the time these artists reach the New York, their best days are behind them.
If he cleaned himself up a little, he might pass for the drummer of Motley Crue.
https://www.metopera.org/season/2021-22-season/tosca/
they made the change already, Gagdnize will be Scarpia
Too bad it wasn’t Yannick and Gelb leaving permanently….
Too much Nikitin is bad for your health.
Thank God the Met stands up to no shows. Good riddens. Besides why would we want to patronize anyone who has a Swatstika tattoo.
He also hasn’t sounded good in years. Another in a line long of vocal casualties of the Mariinsky meat grinder.