Fishbone fells 'Barber' tenor

Posted January 31, 2008 10:00 pm

Juan Diego Flórez is canceling his run in the Lyric Opera of Chicago's upcoming revival of "The Barber of Seville." Apparently, Flórez swallowed a fishbone that brought on a throat infection. Doctors advised Flórez to cancel all engagements through March.

American tenor John Osborn replaces Flórez in the role of Count Almaviva in Rossini's comic opera. Osborn has sung the role with the San Francisco Opera and the Metropolitan Opera.

Flórez is the latest casualty on the Lyric Opera of Chicago's roster-go-round for the 2007-08 season. Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu was fired after missing too many rehearsals for "La Bohème," while Italian soprano Barbara Frittoli canceled her upcoming engagement of "Eugene Onegin" because she had difficulty learning Russian.

Baritones Peter Mattei and Ambrogio Maestri pulled out of the current production of "Falstaff" due to family emergencies, while veteran contralto Bernadette Manca di Nissa retired early.

--Scott C. Morgan

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