The Royal Opera House has announced that tenor Jonas Kaufmann will not perform in the opening showcase of its upcoming “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci” production starting on July 5, 2022.

Per an official press statement, the tenor has withdrawn due to COVID-19 and the impact this has had on his voice. He has withdrawn from all performances of “Pagliacci” but is still scheduled to sing the reminder of the performances of “Cavalleria Rusticana” following the opening night showcase.

He will be replaced by SeokJong Baek who will take on the role of Turridu on July 5, 2022. He recently took on the title role of “Samson et Dalila” at the Royal Opera Hosue and joins a cast starring Aleksandra Kurzak, Dimitri Platanias, and Aigul Akhmetshina. Meanwhile, Fabio Sartori will take over all of the performances of “Canio.” Sartori debuted at the ROH in 2017-18 in the role of Canio. He joins a cast that includes Ermonela Jaho, Dimitri Platanias, and Mattia Olivero.

Antonio Pappano conducts all the performances.

Per his official website, Kaufmann’s next performance is a recital at the Bayerische Staatsoper on July 23. His next opera production, “Peter Grimes” at the Bayerische Staatsoper, is scheduled for September 2022.