Email this Article Printer-friendly RELATED ARTICLES: 09 Oct 2007 -- Revolving Romeos: Marcello Giordani Makes Last-Minute Substitution in Gounod Opera at Met 23 Aug 2007 -- Transcontinental Tenor: Joseph Kaiser Withdraws from L.A. Jenufa to Fill In for Villazón at Met 14 Aug 2007 -- Roberto Alagna to Replace Rolando Villazón in Early Performances of Met's Roméo et Juliette

By Matthew Westphal
19 Oct 2007

The tenor-go-round in the Metropolitan Opera's current revival of Gounod's Roméo et Juliette finally has all its painted horses in place (to extend a metaphor). The four December performances of the opera for which the role of Romeo had not been cast will be shared by Roberto Alagna and Joseph Kaiser, both of whom have sung the part at the Met this fall.

The casting issues for this production began in August, when Rolando Villazón, who was to have played Romeo throughout the run, withdrew first from the autumn performances and then from the December dates due to illness.

Alagna was the first to be cast as a replacement; since he was not available for all of the fall dates (being already booked to sing Pinkerton in the Met's Madama Butterfly), Kaiser was released from a contract with Los Angeles Opera in order to make his Met debut as Romeo. (And when Kaiser fell ill before one of those performances, Marcello Giordani was a last-minute substitute.)

The Met announced yesterday that Kaiser will sing the role on Dec. 8 and 20 and that Alagna will play Romeo on Dec. 12 and 15. That last performance will be the first of this season's eight matinees to be simulcast in movie theaters.

As previously announced, Matthew Polenzani will take over the role of Romeo for the run's final two performances, Dec. 27 and 31. So, by year's end, Netrebko's Juliet will have fallen in love with four different men.

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