Gheorghiu OUT! (Super) Kate Aldrich to the Carmen Rescue!

 

The Metropolitan Opera reports that Angela Gheorghiu has withdrawn from singing the lead in Carmen on April 28 and May 1 and she's issued the following statement: 

“To make so important a debut as Carmen, I want to be as prepared dramatically as I am musically.  Therefore, I will postpone my role debut until a later date when I can work intensely with the Richard Eyre production.”

American mezzo Kate Aldrich will pick up her slack and belt it out of the ballpark. Also, there's Jonas Kaufmann as Don José. 

Comments

[maria m.]

I guess the Met can't get her microphone wired up in time for the opening night?

[Claudia]

This is absurd. Will she just retire already? She can continue to enthrall the senior citizens and fans that show up to her recitals. But for the opera stage, her career was dead in the water years ago. Can the opera theaters of the world PLEASE TAKE NOTICE and STOP HIRING this fraud to sing in their productions? Enough!

[Desmonda]

Better Kate for this than Angela who could actually be her grandmother.

[Furst]

We're going and OC isn't.

[Casual]

Is there anyone, anywhere, who actually believed that Angela Gheorghiu was going to sing these remaining two performances of Carmen at the Met?

She gets a few opera gigs a year so she can still be an opera singer but expends most of her energy on concerts and TV interviews.

I gave up on her a long time ago!!

[arepo]

Oh, I LOVE it!!
After seeing the stupendous performance of Garanca, I knew from the git-go that Gheorghiu had no intention of following THAT act! No siree, No way!
She saw that performance and gulped a huge gulp.
Uh huh!!

[Captain Jack Sparrow]

Angela had the gall to blame her first cancellation of these Carmen performances on her husband... suggesting she would be more artistically fulfilled singing with Jonas at the end of April. What a crock! I'm very disappointed in how she handled this entire Carmen situation. I would be surprised if the Met management hires her in future seasons. Anyway, Kate Aldrich will be much better in the role... Kate ROCKS!

[Lou Ann D.]

Kate looks so chic! Much better than as C3PO (though I loved her singing in that production).

[David Dollinger]

I am thrilled that Kate Aldrich will be singing Carmen and based on this perhaps they will finally release the Werther that she taped with Alagna; it is only available in Europe with apparently no planned release for US. Foolish

[Linda Smith]

Well, I did hope for awhile there...anybody want two tickets for Saturday night May 1?

[walter]

Brava Angela! Such a serious artist! Wants to make sure every detail is just perfect before immersing herself in the ... uh, mud.

[walter]

Oh dear, why couldn't I bring myself to type out the word "music" at the end of my above statement?

[Maggy]

This is fantastic for this young, beautiful and talented singer I saw her in Marseilles in Octavian and Salambô!(That is a jewel).
She was great ,her French is amazing!
http://www.arts-spectacles.com/Samedi-27-septembre-Marseille,-Opera-de-Marseille-Salammbo,-d-Ernest-Reyer-Critique-de-Christian-Colombeau_a1191.html

[arepo]

Don't sell those tickets, Linda. I think you just found a winner of a performance because Gheorghiu is not a Carmen.
A Micaela, yes.
Your tickets have just gained in value.
Aldrich and Kaufmann should be red hot!

[cd]

After seeing Garanca in Carmen I had serious concerns about what Angela had to offer in this production. I am relieved. It is a wonderful decision on all parts. No one will miss Angela, and everyone will rejoice in our own Kate ALdrich!

[Donna Anna]

As Bette Midler would say, quelle surprise. I hope Ms. Aldrich kicks a** and I look forward to listening on sirius. A friend who plans to go expressed some doubts about Jonas showing up, because he's one of AG's favorite tenors but I think that's ridiculous. Besides, Gelb was in the audience for one of JK's Werthers at the Bastille and won't let him get away. So rock on, Kate!! And Jonas.

[Claire]

Thanks God she's gone !! the new lady has to be better than her!!

[Chris]

Hard to believe but there are people who adore Angela.I am one of them,so hit me!!!
In spite of this thing I can observe her flaws very well.
The biggest reproach is that she didn't cancel the whole run from the very beginning.In fact, not being able to perform with Roberto in those circumstances demonstrates she is immensely fragile.
I also think that if she WANTS to do something wonderfully,she'll succeed because she has amazing inate sense of music.If she is a superb Violeta in March at the Met,I'll be satisfied.She should be!!!
On the other hand ,just because Kate Aldrich is Gheorghiu's replacement that person will be great seems a very vain reason.If Angela hasn't performed anything yet and is already bashed shows she made the right decision.

[Wes]

Did a Carmen with Kate in Detroit...SHE'S THE BEST!!!!!

[Ritter]

Kate is seriously the best Carmen out there. She's got the looks, the sex appeal and the charisma. Another favorite Carmen of mine these days is Shaham. Angela is just too tired and old for that role.

But more troubling than Angela's lack of integrity and work ethic is Peter Gelb's attitude toward this whole mess. He keeps hiring her despite the fact that she's never able to follow through with her performances. He's the one with egg on his face. Not Angela. Because at this point we expect her to cancel. Gelb needs to wisen up and put his money on another star already.

[Linda Smith]

I am always sorry to hear about these cancellations not only because I had a ticket but also because it gives the Angela bashers another opportunity to bash. I have two more opportunities to see her perform, in Traviata, a role that she probably feels more secure in and will more likely show up for (though for which dates one can never be sure:)! The fans get frustrated, too, but we don't give up hope. She is, quite simply, a great singer and performer.

[Les Mitchell]

I wonder if she'll show up for those Met Traviata performances?

[Kate]

Can Gelb please fire this ***** already? >.< This is beyond unprofessional. If she were singing Isolde or something, I'd understand (barely), but for chrissakes it's Carmen.

I'm dangerously close to quoting 'Top Gun' in regards to her ego, so I'll leave it with that she needs to get her sh§t together.

Cheers to Ms. Aldrich. Rock that role!

[Sofía Broca]

OMG i had one first row ticket on april 21 Traviata at the MET with her I'm travelling to other country to see the opera with Georghiu I was almost ready to buy the ticket to april 28 for Carmen but something tell me that i should wait! now she cancel this 2 performances of CArmen, i don't wanna see Aldrich I would like to see Garanca for example at least.

I hope she doesn't cancel the traviata performances! or she will go to hell!

[booksori]

I saw Kate Aldrich singing Adalgisa in Norma,
with Richard Bonynge conducting, at Vancouver Opera last December. She was awesome!
I want to see her more often on stage.

[Edward Wilensky]

Well this CARMEN just got a whole lot more interesting. Suprised Kate isn't a household name yet. She's an excellent singers and has the smarts and looks to go very far.

[mad for mezzos]

Kate Aldrige is ready for super-stardom and this is a good step for her. I am always amazed that people are so enraged by a singer who cancels a gig. The bigger the star, the more resentment there is and I think it is worse for women than for men. Do we really secretly hate success that much? Remember, the singers are their own instruments. and all parts of the instrument have to be in top working order for the performance to go off well. If all the eyes of the world were on anyone, they would be extra careful to make sure that they were the best they could be. Angela has much to lose, Kate has much to gain. Go gentle on the singers please, it is a difficult job.

[Linda Smith]

MFM is right. I think I'll go.

[Christopher]

Oh so glad to see Kate in this role! Just saw her in Vancouver in NORMA with Hasmik Papian and Richard Margison under the baton of Richard Bonynge. HEAVEN.

PS to "Ritter": yes, Rinat Shaham would be fabulous too.

[Mike]

Good or bad.. she tripled the number of comments... It seems like a there is a lot of love-hate going on here. And in the end there is no such thing as bad publicity!

[Tom Aldrich]

Linda - what did you decide on the 5/1 tickets. If you still want to sell them let me know and I'll follow-up with particulars.

[David]

I too saw Kate in Vancouver and I thought she stole the show as Adalgisa. She'll do great I'm sure. I'd love to see her Carmen.

[Linda Smith]

Tom Aldrich,

Sorry to reply so late. If you'd still like the tickets, let me know at
lmsmith1955@hotmail.com

Linda

[betsey de Groff]

Please HELP!!!
Kate Aldrich was my private voice student in Maine in High School, and I'm looking desperately for two tickets for the Met performance of Carmen on Wed. April 28. If ANYONE can help me, I would be greatly appreciative. I just found out about the change in Carmens. I'm a single teacher in Fairfield County Ct and can't afford the terribly high prices that may be available at this juncture, if they are even still there
bdegroff25@optonline.net
Thanks,
Betsey

[Eleanor and Peter Sneyd]

Hi Kate
Eleanor and I enjoyed your and your cast, performance of Carmen this evening on XM radio.
Maybe we will get to see you live one of these days. Professionally (on stage), or in person with relatives and friends.
Loved meeting with you last summer at Knowlton, Quebec, Canada. (Norma)
Congratulations.
Peter and Eleanor Sneyd