In terms of drama at the opera, it will be difficult to surpass Tuesday’s performance of Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot after a tenor became unwell leading to a surprise substitution.
A Royal Opera House chief, dressed in a jumper, chinos and trainers, deputised in the lead role after French tenor Roberto Alagna, playing Prince Calàf, became ill after the second act.
In keeping with the adage the show must go on, Richard Hetherington, the theatre’s head of music, stepped in during the performance in central London.
The third act resumed after the character’s showstopper aria Nessun Dorma was omitted, with Hetherington singing from the wings while the show’s choreologist, Tatiana Novaes Coelho, covered his steps in costume.
However, the improvisation led to some audience members booing, upset about missing out on Nessun Dorma, the Times reported.
The Royal Ballet and Opera (RBO) emailed audience members on Wednesday, explaining the “exceptionally rare situation” and offered them 50% of their ticket price in credit.
A spokesperson for the RBO told the Times: “Roberto Alagna was taken unwell during yesterday evening’s [Tuesday’s] performance of Turandot, which prevented him from completing Act III. We wish Roberto a swift and full recovery.”
The writer Kenan Malik wrote on X: “Drama at the opera tonight. During Turandot at Covent Garden, Roberto Alagna, playing Calaf, took ill and couldn’t come out for act III. So, Richard Hetherington, ROH’s head of music, but not a trained opera singer, gamely stepped in, to sing from the side.
“But he couldn’t sing the main arias or duets. So, they began act III after Nessun Dorma. And ended before the final scenes, finishing at the point where Liu takes her life rather than reveal Calaf’s name.
“So, disappointing, dramatic and a strangely appropriate ending all at the same time. And hugely brave and impressive of Hetherington to step in.”
Hetherington, who is listed as the conductor for the schools’ matinee performance of Turandot on 4 February, has performed the title role in the British premiere of Henze’s Pollicino, Yniold in Pelléas et Mélisande and First Boy in Die Zauberflöte, before making his conducting debut with La sonnambula in 2011.
This is the 19th revival of Turandot which tackles the themes of love, fear, devotion, power, loyalty, life and death in a fantastical, fairytale version of imperial China.
As the role of Calàf is specialised, major opera houses will not typically have a cover standing by for every performance.
In the current revival, the role of Turandot has been shared between Anna Netrebko, Maida Hundeling and Anna Pirozzi while Calàf, the unknown prince is sung by Yusif Eyvazov, Arsen Soghomonyan and Alagna.
Turandot was Puccini’s 12th and final opera. The composer died aged 65 in 1924, leaving Turandot unfinished.
He had written much of the third act, up to the death of Liù, but there were only sketches as to his thoughts on how the work should end.
His student, Franco Alfano, wrote a completion that reprised the famous Nessun Dorma aria.
