(Credit: © Dario Acosta)

The Metropolitan Opera has announced that Evgeny Nikitin will not be appearing in the role of Scarpia in Puccini’s “Tosca” for the performances between Dec. 2 – 18, 2021 due to illness.

As a result, George Gagnidze will take over the role. Gagnidze joins a cast that includes Brian Jagde as Mario Cavaradossi and Sondra Radvanovsky in the title role. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts a production by Sir David McVicar.

Gagnidze had already been slated to perform Scarpia in the January run of “Tosca” alongside Elena Stikhina and Joseph Calleja. The Georgian baritone will also perform Amonasro in Verdi’s “Aida” at the Los Angeles Opera in May and June 2022.

Nikitin is scheduled to appear in the role of Shaklovitiy in Mussorgsky’s “Khovanschina” at Opéra national de Paris in January and February 2022.