Stop Press!!! Netrebko and Hvorostovsky cancel tomorrow's Royal Festival Hall gig

I knew it was too good to be true.

This is the sicknote email I just received:

Dear patron,
We are sorry to announce that Anna Netrebko is suffering from influenza and has today withdrawn from the concert at the Royal Festival Hall on Tuesday 19 May 2009. At such short notice, it has not been possible to offer an alternative programme with Dmitri Hvorostovsky, the Philharmonia Orchestra and Ion Marin, and so regretfully, the performance tomorrow will not take place. We are working to identify an alternative date for the concert in the future months.

Aaaaargh!!!

Comments

[Manou]

Seriously? I am going tomorrow and have received no email as yet...Curses!!

[Manou]

Yes indeed - just checked inbox! And Opera Chic has such a funny clip of their May 16th concert, too!

[Guy Cavendish]

Un-blooming-believable!

That's the third cancellation out of seven performances I've booked -- either I'm very unlucky or La Natrebko has a seriously delicate constitution :(

[HairMan]

At least the email arrived before I set out on my travels. (He says poutingly)

On a P.R angle, could I suggest to Festival Hall that for the next no-show notice they send out they use someone whose surname doesn't begin with Git...? It just seems like salt rubbing to me...

[inter mezzo]

very short notice, isn't it? I feel particularly sorry for the overseas fans making the journey - I'm sure the news arrived too late for them to cancel. And anyone who's booked a train ticket. These last minute cancellations of Anna's run very expensive for some.

[HairMan]

Have to agree with the travel angle - until yesterday my Anna cancellations have cost me around £300 in travel costs (I've still got an unused Eurostar ticket to Paris somewhere).

But I've learned my lesson and book for the bus when Anna is in town...and I've also become slightly more mature and enjoy the performances no matter who is, or isn't, singing.

On the short notice side of things I get the feeling that they may have been trying to get another singer in from the tone of the notice so perhaps they knew before yesterday? Or maybe I'm being generous like most fans with blind spots?

[inter mezzo]

no, I think a little cynicism is justified. Second prosecution item - I was surprised to hear that Dmitri was stepping in for Rolando at the ROH recital in June. Not that he isn't a great choice, but it's unusual for a singer to do two recitals in one town in a month. Unless of course he knows one of them will be cancelled........

[Manou]

I was also disappointed - but people do fall ill (or pregnant?) without prior notice and because this was a two-header it would be very hard indeed to find a replacement at the last minute. We could all fall under a bus today (or catch the mumps).

Stuff happens - and there is some indication that they may re-schedule (I also received a phone call yesterday from the RFH and they seemed to say this might happen...or not)

Of course, those flying or Eurostarring in just for that evening will be harder to console.

[Ed]

I wonder: will she start being compared with Gheorghiu soon?

[Manou]

Still sharing the contents of my inbox - this today from the ROH :

"I am writing to you as someone who has booked for The Royal Opera's performance of Il barbiere di Siviglia on Monday 13 July. I am very sorry to have to inform you that Juan Diego Flórez has withdrawn from the role of Count Almaviva for this performance. As is sometimes the case, when artists are contracted several years in advance, other factors may arise closer to the dates of their performances which may affect previously agreed scheduling. The Royal Opera House is relaying the performance of Il barbiere di Siviglia to Big Screens around the country on 15 July; as a result, Juan Diego Flórez has re-examined his schedule and decided that the day between the performances on 13 and 15 July does not allow him sufficient time to rest his voice. It is with regret that he has therefore decided to withdraw from the performance on 13 July.

We are delighted to announce that the young South African tenor Colin Lee, who is already scheduled to sing the role of Count Almaviva on 18 July, will now also sing the role on 13 July. Colin Lee has previously sung the role of Count Almaviva for Vienna State Opera, Opéra de Paris, Welsh National Opera, English National Opera and Garsington Opera. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House in 2005 as Marzio (Mitridate, re di Ponto) and returned in 2007 to sing the role of Tonio (La Fille du régiment). Recent performances have included Arturo (Lucia di Lammermoor) for his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, Elvino (La sonnambula) for De Vlaamse Opera, Marzio (Mitridate, re di Ponto) in Vienna and Oreste (Ermione) at the South Bank Centre.

The rest of the cast remains unchanged with Simon Keenlyside as Figaro, Joyce DiDonato as Rosina, Alessandro Corbelli as Doctor Bartolo, Ferruccio Furlanetto as Don Basilio, Changhan Lim as Fiorello and Jennifer Rhys-Davies as Berta. Antonio Pappano conducts. "

It seems the other members of the cast can manage with one day's rest...

[HairMan]

Am I too naive in hoping that there will be some announcement today about another date? Or no date?

[HairMan]

If I only I was as good as predicting the 3:45 at Epsom...