(Credit: Lombardo Associates official website)

The Wiener Staatsoper has announced that tenor Brian Jagde was forced to cancel his performance in the role of Maurizio in Cilea’s “Adriana Lecouvreur” on Nov. 2, 2021, due to illness.

Jagde released a personal statement, saying “I am incredibly sad to have to cancel tonight’s performance of Adriana Lecouvreur at the Wiener Staatsoper. I’ve been battling a virus (not COVID, thankfully!) over the past week and sadly it’s just not moving quickly enough. I always do my best to sing even when I’m sick but this is beyond my control and I’m sorry to let down my friends and fans who planned to see me tonight, as well as my wonderful colleagues on and off the stage. I’m sending all the toi’s and gratitude to my colleague Luciano Ganci who is stepping in to perform. There’s a lot of sickness going around right now, and we are likely a bit more susceptible than usual given how isolated we were these past couple of years. Please be vigilant, continue to wear your mask, get vaccinated if you’re eligible, and take care!”

Ganci joins a cast that includes Elīna Garanča in the role of La Principessa di Bouillon, Evgeny Solodovnikov as Il Principe di Bouillon, Nicola Alaimo as Michonnet, and Ermonela Jaho in the title role. The cast also includes Andrea Giovannini, Ilja Kazakov, Angelo Pollak, Ileana Tonca, and Patricia Nolz. Asher Fisch conducts a production by Sir David McVicar.

Ganci is a well-known tenor who has appeared at the Teatro Verdi of Salerno, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Teatro Verdi in Trieste, Mariinsky Theatre, Teatro Comunale of Bologna, and Teatro di San Carlo, among others.

Jagde is still slated to sing the performance scheduled for Nov. 5, 2021.