The drama isn't over for
's current production of
and baritone
, the singer who was injured in rehearsals for the production, and performed two shows over the weekend in a wheelchair.
According to Julia Sheridan, the public relations manager for the company, Hurt's doctors have insisted that he have immediate surgery for a torn quadricep in one leg and sprained an ankle in the other. Hurt was flown to Houston Monday morning so that the surgery could happen as soon as possible, forcing the opera to find a fill-in for the two remaining performances of "Falstaff."
On Thursday and Saturday, Resident Artist
will take over the role of Ford, a jealous husband in the opera. During rehearsals for the production, Chiang was Hurt's understudy, so he knows the opera's music and staging, Sheridan says. Because some of the original staging was altered at the last minute to accommodate Hurt's wheelchair, artistic director Christopher Mattaliano will be able to restore some of his original direction, including sequences involving staircases that became impossible after Hurt's injury.
at the Portland Opera studios the week before the show opened. He was taken to the hospital for x-rays, and doctors initially considered surgery before opting to release him so that the injuries could heal on their own. Sheridan says that the possibility of surgery was brought up again later, but that Hurt has opted to delay any procedures so he could complete the production. His performances over the weekend drew overwhelming responses from audiences. In reviewing the production, critic James McQuillen called "Falstaff"
Jumping into "Falstaff" has turned this into a very busy final week for Chiang as part of the two-year resident artist program. On Tuesday evening,
to conclude his residency.
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