Germany’s Theater Magdeburg announced on its social media that it had to cancel its premiere of Verdi’s “Otello” on Feb. 16, 2019, due to the illness of both leading performers, Aldo Di Toro (Otello) and Raffaela Lintl (Desdemona).

The theatre performed Puccini’s “La Bohème,” directed by Karen Stone, in its place. Baritone Gocha Abuladze, who was set to perform as Iago in “Otello” that evening, appeared as Marcello.

“Otello” returns to the stage on Feb. 24 and is directed by Olivia Fuchs and led by conductors Kimbo Ishii and Pawel Poplawski. The cast is set to feature Jonathan Winell as Cassio, Benjamin Lee as Roderigo, Johannes Stermann as Lodovico, Paul Sketris as Montano, Thomas Matz as Ein Herold, Isabel Stuber Malagamba as Emilia, and Gabrielle Mouhlen sharing the role of Desdemona with Lintl.