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More bumps for Metropolitan Opera's 'Tosca'

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-09-25 18:49

Conductor James Levine, right, speaks to an unidentified man before the start of the final dress rehearsal Giacomo Puccini's Tosca, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.[Agencies]

NEW YORK – The Metropolitan Opera's new staging of Puccini's "Tosca" has run into more bumps.

Spokesman Peter Clark says baritone George Gagnidze sang Scarpia in the first act Thursday night but was feeling congested and acted the second while Carlo Guelfi sang from the side of the stage. Gagnidze sang Monday's opener of Luc Bondy's production after the Met said Juha Uusitalo withdrew because of illness.

Clark says music director James Levine missed Thursday's performance because of a back ailment and Joseph Colaneri replaced him.

The production debuted Monday on opening night of the Met season and the production team was booed when it appeared for curtain calls. The dark staging replaced an opulent Franco Zeffirelli production that had played at the Met since 1985.