Pietro Spagnoli steps in, Keenlyside definitely out.

As lovely Mei let us know, and as the baritone himself announces at his very website,

Pietro Spagnoli

is gonna be the one replacing Simon Keenlyside (whose withdrawal you already knew about via parsifal's), as Figaro, at the upcoming performances of Il Barbiere di Siviglia, at the Royal Opera House, next to Juan Diego Florez, Joyce DiDonato, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Alessandro Corbelli etc.

(And while the baritone announces his participation at his own website, the website of the ROH, still announces Keenlyside as Figaro).

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An update from the ROH

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I am writing to you as someone who has booked for The Royal Opera's performances of Il barbiere di Siviglia this Summer. I am very sorry to have to inform you that Simon Keenlyside has received strict orders from his doctor to give his voice complete rest and it is with great regret that he has had to withdraw from the role of Figaro. We are, of course, very disappointed for Simon and wish him a speedy and successful recovery.

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In the meantime I am pleased to announce that Italian baritone Pietro Spagnoli will now sing the role of Figaro in all performances. This promises to be a thrilling debut at the Royal Opera House. Pietro has previously sung the role of Figaro in Paris, Madrid, Florence, Trieste, and most recently in Oviedo in December 2008. Other recent roles include Marcello (La bohème) at La Scala, Milan, Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte) and Count Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro) in Paris, Rodomonte (Orlando Paladino) in Berlin and Dandini (La Cenerentola) for Glyndebourne Festival Opera.

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The rest of the cast remains the same with Juan Diego Flórez as Count Almaviva, Joyce DiDonato as Rosina, Alessandro Corbelli as Doctor Bartolo, Ferruccio Furlanetto as Don Basilio, Changhan Lim as Fiorello and Jennifer Rhys-Davies as Berta. Antonio Pappano conducts. I apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused and wish you an enjoyable evening with a great cast.

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Yours sincerely,

Elaine Padmore