American bass-baritone Eric Owens has officially withdrawn from the New York premiere of John Adams' A Flowering Tree -- running on August 13 & 14 & 16 for the Lincoln Center Mostly Mozart Festival -- due to illness. Owens was to sing the Storyteller, and won rave reviews for the role for the U.S. premiere in March 2007 at San Francisco's Davies Symphony Hall.
We are disappointed (as we're sure Eric is, Adams' muse & BFF), but we're glad Eric's stepping down to protect that gorgeous voice of his.