Barry Banks Replaces Jose Manuel Zapata for Tonight's Performance of ARMIDA

 

In this evening's performance (April 27) of Rossini's ARMIDA at The Metropolitan Opera, Barry Banks will sing the role of Gernando, replacing José Manuel Zapata, who is ill. Banks will also sing the role of Carlo, which he was already scheduled to perform. The character of Gernando only appears in Act I, and Carlo only appears in Act III, which makes it possible for the roles to be performed by one singer.

Banks sang Count Almaviva earlier this season at the Met. He made his debut as Flute in the 1996 Met premiere of A Midsummer Night's Dream and also appeared as the Fisherman in Le Rossignol and the Shepherd in Oedipus Rex. He is best known for bel canto roles such as the two he sang last season at the Met: Elvino in La Sonnambula and Nemorino in L'Elisir d'Amore. He has also appeared here as Ernesto in Don Pasquale, Tonio in La Fille du Régiment, Pedrillo in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Lindoro in L'Italiana in Algeri, and Prince Ramiro in La Cenerentola.

ARMIDA will be transmitted live to movie theaters around the world this Saturday, May 1 at 1 p.m.(ET) as part of "The Met: Live in HD series".

ARMIDA is conducted by Riccardo Frizza and features Renée Fleming in the title role, with Lawrence Brownlee as Rinaldo, John Osborn as Goffredo, Kobie van Rensburg as Ubaldo, Yegishe Manucharyan as Eustazio, Peter Volpe as Idraote, and Keith Miller as Astarotte. The production is by Mary Zimmerman.

 

 

 

 

 

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