Karine Babajanyan stepped in for Nina Stemme at the Wiener Staatsoper’s performance of “Tosca,” making her house debut.

The Armenian soprano was called last minute to step in for an ailing Stemme. As a result, the soprano traveled from Hannover with minimal rehearsal prep to sing the demanding title role.

The soprano joined Piotr Beczala and Carlos Alvarez in the opera, which was conducted by Marco Armiliato.

The evening was broadcast via Orf and was historical as Piotr Beczala was receiving a Kammersängern award from the house.

Babajanyan is an acclaimed soprano who has performed at Oper Leipzig, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Hannover Opera, Stuttgart Staatsoper, Semperoper Dresden, and Bayerische Staatsoper. Up next she sings “Ariadne auf Naxos” in Dusseldorf, and “Madama Butterfly” at the Puccini Opera Festival.