As spoketh from The Metropolitan Opera:
Rolando Villazón has withdrawn from the title role in the Met’s new production of Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann, scheduled for December 3, 2009 through January 2, 2010. He announced today that he is undergoing throat surgery and expects to return to the stage in 2010. The Metropolitan Opera looks forward to his return in future seasons.
A replacement for the role of Hoffmann will be announced at a later date.
Rolando's management early hopes -- that he could be back around the end of the year -- do not seem to be realistic.