Paging Alagna: Decca would like to have a word with you...

Aside from Zeffirelli, Lissner, and Chailly, has Alagna also screwed-over Decca? This remains the final, and most delicious question at the end of the day in Milan.

Decca was filming at Teatro alla Scala's opening performance of Aida on Thursday, December 7, 2006, but was nowhere near completion of the DVD that is slated to be released to commemorate the premiere. The Decca film-crews were relying on Alagna's subsequent appearances of Radames on December 10th, 14th, 17th, and 22nd to complete the footage, and blend a pastiche of the best cuts from each performance into the final DVD.

It was rumored last night that as Alagna exited the stage after “Celeste Aida”, Stéphane Lissner left his palco immediately (he was sitting in the President Box next to the Vice President of Teatro alla Scala, Mr. Bruno Ermolli), and rushed backstage to find Alagna. Lissner pleaded with Alagna to stay, but Alagna stubbornly refused. The buzz here is that conductor Chailly will try to broker some sort of compromise, and act as arbitrator between Alagna and the powers at Teatro alla Scala, to save the commercial benefit ($$$) of the potential DVD profit. Lissner is reported as very angry (and was overheard swearing quite loudly in his native-tongue), but publicly is staying cool and calm. Lissner, an ambassador, refuses to slam the tenor, in a careful bid that Alagna will at least return to complete the filming of the Decca DVD. 

Anyway, I am off to Teatro alla Scala in two hours tonight for the Temirkanov benefit, and promise to return with some juicy leads...Opera Chic never fails a mission, so stay tuned for big news!