(Credit: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera.)

On March 24, Marcelo Alvarez abandoned the production of “Manon Lescaut” on opening night at the Teatro Carlo Felice.

After the tenor performed his first aria, “Donna non vidi mai,” he said, “Non posso cantare così, sorry!”

As a result, Superintendent Claudio Orazi said in a statement, “Unlike what was claimed in the ANSA taken up by some newspapers, the evident failure of the tenor Marcelo Alvarez during the first performance of ‘Manon Lescaut’ directed by Donato Renzetti, directed by Davide Livermore intervened at the beginning of the show well before the limited effects scenes, made at the back of the stage, on the occasion of the entry of a locomotive. Moreover, the same effects had been widely tested during all stages of production.”

He added, “The behavior of a tenor of international experience is astonishing who could have simply and easily understood the direction of the Theater. To respect the whole audience, he should have declared with sincerity that he did not feel well and taken his leave from the stage with dignity.”

The superintendent thanked Riccardo Massi who was originally scheduled to perform the production warmed up his voice and entered and the opera was restarted.

“Manon Lescaut,” which is set to run through April 2, is still set to star Riccardo Massi and Francesco Pio Galasso. Alvarez is set to perform the April 1 performance.

Update:

Marcelo Alvarez has broken his silence over leaving the production of “Manon Lescaut.” The tenor shared a post from Avvenire.it that stated that he “suffers from bronchopathy and is allergic to stage smoke and he has a certificate that he always carries with him, signed by the famous phoniatric Maria Elena Berioli. ” According to the post, the tenor left “the Carlo Felice di Genoa scene due to the smoke of a locomotive in the first act.”