Jonas Kaufmann cancels appearance on opening night of season at Milan's La Scala
Tenor Jonas Kaufmann canceled his appearance in the new production of Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino” opening the season at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala on Dec. 7
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Tenor Jonas Kaufmann canceled his appearance in the new production of Verdi's “La Forza del Destino” opening the season at Milan's Teatro alla Scala on Dec. 7.
The 55-year-old will be replaced by Brian Jagde as Alvaro in a cast that includes Anna Netrebko as Leonora and Ludovic Tézier as Carlo.
“For family reasons, I am forced to cancel my participation," Kaufmann said in a statement Tuesday. “I have already had the privilege of attending this extraordinary Italian cultural event several times, so I am all the more sorry to miss this special event, and to disappoint the audience and my colleagues this time. Nevertheless, I hope for your understanding — especially in a country where family is still very important.”
Dec. 7 is a holiday in Milan marking the birthday of St. Ambrose, the city's patron saint, and the opening at La Scala is a highlight of the social season.
Kaufmann remained scheduled to sing with Netrebko at La Scala on Nov. 29 in a pre-opening performance titled “Homage to Puccini,” marking the 100th anniversary of the death of composer Giacomo Puccini.