The Bayerische Staatsoper announced that during Act five of its premiere performance of Verdi’s “Les Vêpres Siciliennes” tenor Bryan Terfel was substituted by tenor Leonardo Caimi.

According to the company, while Hymel acted the role, Caimi sang backstage. According to reports, Hymel suffered a bad cough that impeded him from being able to finish singing the performance.

Caimi recently performed “Les Vêpres” at the Oper Frankfurt and is currently starring in a new production of “Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci” at La Monnaie. He is also scheduled to perform “Tosca” at the Polish National Opera and “Turandot” at the Teatro Municipal de Chile.

Hymel is still scheduled to perform the final three performances of “Les Vêpres” alongside Rachel Willis-Sørensen and Erwin Schrott. The opera is also scheduled to return for the Munich Opera Festival in July for two performances with the same cast. Omer Meir Wellber conducts the full run.