CARMEN Cast Change

We have a cast change for Carmen. Our good friend Richard Leech will be returning to San Diego Opera to sing the role of Don Jose. Salvatore Licitra has withdrawn from these performances due to injury...

Cast Change Announcement – San Diego Opera

American tenor and San Diego Opera favorite, Richard Leech, returns to sing Don José in San Diego Opera’s upcoming Carmen.

San Diego, CA – American tenor Richard Leech, a longtime San Diego Opera favorite, has cleared his schedule and will sing the role of Don José in Carmen which opens on May 14, 2011 for four performances. Richard replaces Salvatore Licitra who has withdrawn from these performances due to the recurrence of a serious back injury. He has also canceled a scheduled concert with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra. Salvatore will now make his Company debut as Radames in Aida in the 2013 season.

Richard Leech made his San Diego Opera debut in 1988 as Faust, returning in Lucia di Lammermoor, Werther, La bohème, Romeo and Juliet, A Masked Ball, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, Cavalleria rusticana and Verdi Requiem. His first Don José in Carmen was with San Diego Opera in 1997 and he has since sung the role at Vienna State Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago and The Metropolitan Opera, among others. Since his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1989 as Rodolfo in La bohème, he has given more than 170 performances there in Faust, Rigoletto, A Masked Ball, Lucia di Lammermoor, Romeo and Juliet, Madama Butterfly, The Elixir of Love, The Tales of Hoffmann, Tosca, and Mefistofele.

“When Richard heard of our need for a Don José, he quickly adjusted his schedule to return to San Diego. He will be the perfect balance for his colleagues including Georgian mezzo soprano Nino Surguladze as Carmen, soprano Talise Trevigne as Micaëla and baritone Wayne Tigges as Escamillo. I am delighted to add him to this strong cast, conducted by Edoardo Müller and directed by Sonja Frisell. He told me how much he looks forward to meeting many long-time friends among the audiences for Carmen,” adds San Diego Opera General and Artistic Director Ian Campbell.

Carmen opens Saturday, May 14, 2011 for four performances and was last performed by San Diego Opera in 2006.

Comments

Shannon said…
I saw him as Turiddu in "Cavalleria Rusticana." Looking forward to seeing him as Don Jose.

Hope Salvatore's back is okay.
Anonymous said…
Why is Richard no longer on the Met Roster? I have seen him there several times and every time it was a total performance.

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