Juan Diego Flórez and 'that' encore at Covent Garden

If an untruth is repeated enough times, does it become a fact? Do events occur only if there's a journalist there to observe them?

Today the Guardian repeats (no doubt in good faith) what I've read many times before - that Juan Diego Flórez did not perform an encore in the 2007 La Fille du Régiment at Covent Garden. And maybe that's true of the press night.

But I was there for the mid-run 20 January performance - where the delightful and generous JDF graced an ecstatic audience with a repeat of the Ah! mes amis cabaletta. OK, it was at the curtain call, not straight after his first delivery, so it wasn't a true aria bis. But it was a repeat all the same. Isn't that an encore? Just wanted to clear that up.

Comments

[Dogbrook]

HI! I was at one of the not-first-night performances and he didn't do a curtain call encore that night. I was surpreised to read he had the night you were there cause I don't think I've ever experienced this at CG.

[intermezzo]

it's the one and only time I've ever experienced it (or heard of it), so I was surprised too. But it did happen!

[NHB]

I missed this too. Lucky you!!!

N.

[JSU]

So, this tidbit to be coming to a Grauniad corrections column near you?

I guess the conductor stayed in the pit for that curtain call... How unexpected.