BREAKING NEWS: LA SCALA AND DECCA ARE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING SUING ALAGNA!
Teatro alla Scala is deciding whether or not to join with Decca in a lawsuit against Alagna for damages incurred when he decided to withdraw from the current production of Aida. Teatro alla Scala legal offices are currently evaluating the possibility of suing Alagna for damages, because his name was on the marquee when tickets were sold, and every performance has been already sold-out. There are still nine performances to take place, five in December, four in January. For tomorrow night's Aida, tenor Walter Fraccaro will be singing Radames.
Translated from Italian are statements from the key figures in this breaking scandal:
Stéphane Lissner’s statement:
"Last night's episode was very painful because there was a clear lack of respect for the public, as well as the theater. An opera theater is the place where we celebrate live performances. It has been since many centuries ago that artists have been defending, and have been making possible the expression of a show that takes life in front of us. I have always argued that artists must be at the center of a theater project. We are here to support the artists, and to guarantee them the best conditions in accomplishing their work."
"Molto increscioso perchè vi è stata una evidente mancanza di rispetto nei confronti del pubblico e del teatro. Un teatro d'opera è il luogo in cui si celebra lo spettacolo dal vivo. Da secoli gli artisti difendono e rendono possibile l'espressione dello spettacolo che prende vita davanti a noi. Ho sempre sostenuto che gli artisti devono essere al centro del progetto teatrale e siamo qui per sostenerli, per garantire loro le migliori condizioni nel compiere il loro lavoro."
Alagna's statement:
“I didn’t sing badly. The reason I don't think so is because everybody on La Scala’s staff, or La Scala’s orchestra, that when they told me I sang like a God, they were all lying to me. For the last ten years, I have been banned by La Scala. Now that I came back, I just couldn’t have a triumph.”
"Non ho cantato male, perché non penso che tutta la gente, i dirigenti della Scala, l'orchestra quando mi hanno detto che ho cantato da Dio siano dei bugiardi. Non ho avuto il diritto di venire alla Scala per 10 anni. Adesso torno e no, non poteva essere un trionfo."
Replacement Antonello Palombi's statement:
“I’m happy because I proved myself that I have a lot of 'cold blood'. And for the first time in my life, I understood the meaning of acting like a man. I don’t forget that I found myself in that situation because of a colleague’s incident. It is more important that the opera has not been suspended. We didn’t loose one note. The orchestra kept playing. This is the most satisfying thing for me.”
"Sono contento perché ho dato a me stesso la prova di avere un grande 'sangue freddo' e per la prima volta ho capito cosa vuol dire comportarsi da uomo ma non dimentico che mi sono trovato in quella situazione per un incidente a un collega. L'importante è che l'opera non sia stata sospesa. Non si è persa neppure un'ottava, l'orchestra ha continuato a suonare, e questa è la mia soddisfazione più grande."
(UPDATE:) Okay opera-fans...I'm off to Teatro alla Scala for the next couple of hours to hear a lovely program of The St. Petersburg Philharmonic and Yuri Temirkanov interpret a Tchaikovsky-heavy program of The Swan Lake Suite, Concerto 1 in B-flat minor, and the Pathétique Symphony 6 in B minor.
I promise to return with delectable tidbits and developing rumors from the latest Alagna scandal, because there is currently an INSANE rumor going-around, but I need to confirm it before I post later!
In the meantime, please enjoy this excellent link from SKY television, which is a three-minute film (in Italian language; also AUDIO alert for those at work) on Alagna's walk-out, but also captures the dance of Roberto Bolle in his golden thong [and a shout-out to the lovely La Cieca]!