Irina Lungu and Sonya Yoncheva to Replace Aleksandra Kurzak as 'Gilda' in The Met's RIGOLETTO, Nov-Dec 2013

Two rising young sopranos will make their Met debuts earlier than originally scheduled when they share the role of Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto later this fall, replacing Aleksandra Kurzak, who has withdrawn due to pregnancy. Russian soprano Irina Lungu will sing the role on November 11, 15, and 18, and Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva will sing the role on November 21, 27, 30, December 4, and at the December 7 matinee. Kurzak is expecting a baby this winter with her partner, tenor Roberto Alagna.

Both Lungu and Yoncheva had already been scheduled for make Met debuts: Lungu as Musetta in Puccini's La Bohème this January, and Yoncheva as Musetta in a revival of La Bohème next season.

Lungu most recently sang Gilda in a new production at the Aix-en-Provence festival earlier this year. She has also sung the role at the Teatro Regio in Turin. Her other performances this season include Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata in Turin, Norina in Donizetti's Don Pasquale at the Teatro Filarmonico in Verona, and Musetta at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden.

Yoncheva sang Gilda earlier this summer at the Arena di Verona. Her other performances this season include the title role in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor at the Paris Opera; Aci in Handel's Aci, Galatea e Polifemo at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris; Violetta in La Traviata at the Palau de les Artes Reina Sofia in Valencia; and Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Rigoletto, conducted by Pablo Heras-Casado in his Met debut and directed by Michael Mayer, also stars Oksana Volkova as Maddalena, Matthew Polenzani as the Duke, Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Rigoletto, and Štefan Kocán as Sparafucile.