Paolo Fanale has cancelled “Don Pasquale” at the Bilbao Opera.

The company announced that due to medical reasons Fanale would not be able to sing the role of Ernesto.

As a result, Argentine tenor Santiago Ballerini will take over the role and make his company debut. The debut follows his performances with the Atlanta Opera, Rio de Janeiro, Opéra National de Bordeaux and Dallas Opera. Ballerini has also performed at the Teatro Colón Buenos Aires. He has also covered at the Metropolitan Opera and has performed numerous times at the Caramoor festival.

His repertoire includes works by Donizetti, Mozart, Verdi, Bellini, Rossini, and Vives, as well as Gounod and Strauss.

Fanale returns to the stage in February for “Don Giovanni” at the Berlin State Opera, followed by “La Clemenza di Tito” at Lausanne.

“Don Pasquale” is set to star Carlos Chausson in the title role, Jessica Pratt as the flirtatious Norina, and Javier Franco as the scheming Malatesta.  Roberto Abbado makes his Bilbao debut in the pit in a production by Jonathan Miller. The production opens on Nov. 18 and runs through Nov. 27.