Metropolitan Opera Announces Cast Change for Tonight's OTELLO

Francesco Anile will sing the title role in this evening's performance of Verdi's Otello, replacing Aleksandrs Antonenko, who is ill.

Italian tenor Anile made a surprise Met debut during Saturday afternoon's internationally broadcast performance of Otello, when Antonenko's illness forced him to withdraw just before the final scene of the opera. The performance continued uninterrupted, with Anile singing the role from the wings while Antonenko acted it onstage. Tonight will be Anile's first complete Met performance of the role.

Anile's recent performances include the title role in Otello at the Teatro Regio di Torino; Opera Român? in Craiova, Romania; and Teatro Lirico in Cagliari, Italy. He sings frequently with the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, where his other recent roles have included Don José in Bizet's Carmen, Radamès in Verdi's Aida, Calàf in Puccini's Turandot, and Pollione in Bellini's Norma.

Tonight's performance of Otello is conducted by Adam Fischer and also stars Hibla Gerzmava as Desdemona, Alexey Dolgov as Cassio, Željko Lu?i? as Iago, and James Morris as Lodovico.