Now that the fiasco at La Scala has left us in the chaotic aftermath of Alagna's hasty decisions, what remains is the mess of scheduling that he will undoubtedly have to cleanse. One of the many diplomatic mistakes that Alagna committed, even before shunning his crew and colleagues at the traditional aperitivo with the media the Saturday afternoon before La Prima (as Opera Chic had previously reported here), is his frankly baffling decision to go to the horribly low-brow pop music festival Sanremo (as Opera Chic previously reported here).
What's even more baffling is that even though Pippo Baudo (the super-lame Director/MC of the festival and the ex-husband of Katia Ricciarelli) wanted Alagna to perform in the hottest slot of the festival (which falls on Saturday, March 3, 2007), Alagna's schedule betrays him, and states that he is disposed. Disappointing for the Sanremo staff, seeing that for the occasion of Alagna agreeing to sing at the festival, two lamer songwriters Guido Morra and Maurizio Fabrizio had agreed to write him an original song, which Alagna promises to sing on the show: "Schiavo d'Amore", (Slave to Love). ewww, lame.
Well, that special slot that Alagna has overbooked, happens to be the *same* night that he has committed himself to a slightly more important appointment: Interpreting Chevalier Des Grieux for opening night of at Massenet’s Manon (with Anna Netrebko) at the Wiener Staatsoper.
No doubt, Alagna will have to appease both his ego and the Sanremo staff, and graciously decline the huge bonus super-star spotlight on Saturday, March 3, 2007, and instead, defer to an earlier, less-glamorous appearance Thursday or Friday.
Regardless, I can’t imagine that the Vienna State Opera management will be pleased with the tenor’s decision to be in transit the night before he is to be singing at opening night: flying back and forth from Vienna to Italy and then having to be driven to the small, airport-lacking Italian-town close to the French border? To you, Opera Chic readers, the answer.
And now please allow Opera Chic to get a few precious hours of sleep before waking-up tomorrow morning; she needs to be awake early to confirm a wild rumor she has received by SMS message around midnight...see you laters, Alagna-haters! v(º_o)v