(Credit: © Felix Grünschloss)

The Oper Frankfurt has announced that tenor Jean-François Borras will not be appearing in the role of Don José in Bizet’s “Carmen” for the performance on Dec. 31, 2021 due to illness.

The tenor previously tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the premiere of Charles Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette” at the Opéra Comique on Dec. 13, when he was replaced by tenor Pene Pati.

As a result, tenor Rodrigo Porras Garulo will take over the role. Garulo joins a cast that includes Adriana Gonzalez in the role of Micaëla, Kihwan Sim as Escamillo, and Zanda Švēde in the title role. The cast also includes Iurii Samoilov, Brian Michael Moore, Karolina Bengtsson, Karolina Makuła, and Božidar Smiljanić. Giedrė Šlekytė conducts a production by Barrie Kosky with set and costume design by Katrin Lea Tag.

Rodrigo Porras Garulo is a young tenor who has appeared at the Teatro alla Scala, Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Staatstheater Kassel, Staatstheater Karlsruhe, and Staatsoper Hannover, among others.

OperaWire sends its best to Jean-François Borras.