Serban Vasile Steps in for Franco Vassallo in Tonight's Performance of FALSTAFF at Metropolitan Opera

Serban Vasile will make his Met debut in this evening's performance of Verdi's Falstaff, replacing Franco Vassallo, who is ill.

Romanian baritone Vasile's recent appearances with other opera companies have included Teseu in Enescu's Oedipe at the Bucharest Festival; Enrico in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor in Circuito Lirico Lombardo's tour of six Italian cities; and Nireno in Handel's Giulio Cesare with Deutsche Oper am Rhein.

The Met's new production of Verdi's Falstaff, conducted by Music Director James Levine and directed by Robert Carsen, opened Friday evening and continues through January 11. This evening's performance also stars Ambrogio Maestri as Falstaff, Angela Meade as Alice Ford, Lisette Oropesa as Nannetta, Stephanie Blythe as Mistress Quickly, Jennifer Johnson Cano as Meg Page, and Paolo Fanale as Fenton.