Jonas Kaufmann steps in at La Scala as tenor Francesco Meli tests positive for coronavirus
Tenor Francesco Meli has tested positive for coronavirus, though he is asymptomatic.
Tonight’s last concert performance of Aida at La Scala should have seen Meli as Radamès, instead the role will be sung by Jonas Kaufmann who is in town for a recital at the opera house on Thursday. Riccardo Chailly will conduct the performance which also features Saioa Hernández as Aida and Anita Rachvelishvili as Amneris.
Meli wrote on Instagram:
Dear friends,
I wanted to let you know that I’ve tested positive for Covid and so tomorrow I won’t be singing in the final concert performance of Aida at La Scala.
I want to reassure you all that I have no symptoms and I’m feeling well. I’ll be spending my time in quarantine at my home in Genoa, keeping strictly to all the health regulations.
I’ll keep you up to date and I’m sure I’ll be back singing very soon.
Photo: Francesco Meli with Giulio Zappa © Marco Brescia, Teatro alla Scala 2020
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Italian ballerina Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
