(Credit: Teatro Real official website)

The Teatro Real in Madrid was forced to change a big part of the cast for the Dec. 29 presentation of Puccini’s “La bohème.”

Per Platea Magazine, only two singers from the formerly announced cast have appeared onstage – Krzysztof Baczyk in the role of Colline, and Joan Martín-Royo as Schaunard. The company announced that Joshua Guerrero replaced Michael Fabiano as Rodolfo, Eleonora Buratto appeared as Mimì instead of Ermonela Jaho, Raquel Lojendio replaced Ruth Iniesta as Musetta, and Andrzej Filonczyk portrayed Marcello instead of Lucas Meachem. Nicola Luisotti conducted a production by Richard Jones.

Per Platea Magazine, the big reshuffle was brought about by the multiple coronavirus cases.

Spain is undergoing a COVID-19 wave driven by both the Delta and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants. The country logged almost 100,000 new coronavirus cases on Dec. 28, setting a pandemic record.