Posted July 21, 2012

July 21, 2012

Now you see him, now you don’t!

Apparently it was unwise of Yvgeny Nikitin to flash his old heavy metal body ink for Die Welt some days ago. Nikitin got the tattoos long ago, “in my youth”.

Outrage over some of the tattoos, which were swastikas partially covered by other images, caused a furor and so Nikitin has withdrawn from the role of the Dutchman – with 3 days until the premiere is scheduled. Bayreuth runs notoriously low on covers for its roles so let’s hope someone can be found to sing the role.

The AP report stated: “The festival said the director, Jan Philipp Gloger, believes that the “artistic damage to the production is immense” and it may not be possible to repair it entirely before next week’s premiere”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/russian-baritone-evgeny-nikitin-pulls-out-of-bayreuth-wagner-festival-over-old-nazi-tattoo/2012/07/21/gJQA9aYN0W_story.html

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hkYKGV_S2jr1cFftgUlNkqV-8c6w?docId=1acb2bbb65bb4706afb0581ae1b9cf41