Breaking News - Rolando Villazón cancels all the performances for 2009

Rolando Villazón has to undergo larynx surgery because he has a cyst on his vocal chords. For this reason the tenor has to cancel all of his performances scheduled for 2009.

Among those performances, Villazón has to cancel the performances of L'Elisir d'Amore with Anna Netrebko at the Opera Bastille, Paris in October 2009 and the performances of Les Contes d'Hoffmann with Anna Netrebko, Elina Garanca and René Pape at the Met, New York in December 2009 and beginning of January 2010. According to his physician a full recovery could be expected at the end of the year. At this moment, we do not know if he will be able to sing in Idomeneo with Anna Netrebko at Palais Garnier, Paris in the performances running from the beginning of January till mid February 2010. Villazón's manager expects that he will be able to sing in Carmen with Anna Netrebko, Elina Garanca and Ildebrando d'Arcangelo at the Wiener Staatsoper in May 2010.

Rolando has left the following message on his official website:

“Due to a cyst that has just been detected on one of my vocal chords I will very shortly have to undergo surgery. After the operation, there is a phase of rehabilitation and in order to make sufficient time for this, I have unfortunately had to withdraw from all of my performances until the end of the year. I would like to apologise to you, my wonderful audience, for any inconvenience these cancellations will cause you and want to express my gratitude for the loyalty and support of my audience, colleagues and friends. I am greatly looking forward to be performing again in the coming year. I will share any further information as and when it becomes available, so please do check this space.”
Rolando Villazón

The Met has released the following news flash:

Villazón Withdraws from Hoffmann
April 29, 2009
Rolando Villazón has withdrawn from the title role in the Met’s new production of Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann, scheduled for December 3, 2009 through January 2, 2010. He announced today that he is undergoing throat surgery and expects to return to the stage in 2010. The Metropolitan Opera looks forward to his return in future seasons. A replacement for the role of Hoffmann will be announced at a later date

Rolando Villazon muss bis Jahresende pausieren, DiePresse.com 29. April 2009 [German]
Pause bis zum Jahresende, derNewsticker.de 29. April 2009 [German]
Längere Zwangspause für Rolando Villazon, derStandard.at 29. April 2009 [German]
Karrierepause für Rolando Villazón, Vienna.at 29. April 2009 [German]
Villazon muss bis Jahresende pausieren, Oe24.at 29. April 2009 [German]
Rolando Villazón será operado de la garganta y suspende sus conciertos, Telecinco.es 29. April 2009 [Spanish]