Surgery nixes Mexican tenor Villazon's 2009 schedule

We all feel for the wonderful and fantastic tenor Rolando Villazon and his need to have a cyst removed from his larynx. Let us be clear that the larnyx is not the vocal cords...they are two different parts of the throat. The larynx is more like the voice box which holds the vocal cords so nevertheless, they are all pretty close together. The cyst is most likely a node probably from singing incorrectly.

CBC News
After a number of high-profile cancellations this spring by world-renowned tenor Rolando Villazon, representatives for the opera star have revealed that he has a cyst on his larynx.
The Mexican tenor requires surgery to remove the cyst, according to a statement released Wednesday by German concert organizer Deutsche Entertainment AG.
The statement also said that Villazon is cancelling his remaining 2009 performances but that he should be recovered and ready to return to the stage by the end of the year.

The 37-year-old singer "needs surgery as soon as possible," his management company, Universal Music Classical Management and Productions, also said on Wednesday, Agence France-Presse reported. Villazon had been slated to perform a concert in Berlin on Thursday.

Spotty record for past few years

Questions about the state of the popular tenor's voice arose after a host of cancellations in 2007 and 2008, including a period of several consecutive months away from the stage.
Though he received favourable reviews upon his return at the Vienna State Opera in January 2008, he cancelled more concerts last year. In 2009, he bowed out of Lucia di Lammermoor at New York's Metropolitan Opera and subsequently withdrew from the Met's L'Elisir d'Amore, citing acute laryngitis. "It has been a long and hard winter and just like many of you, I am sure, I have also been affected by that. I need to give myself the time to fully recover from this bout of laryngitis," the tenor wrote in an apology message on his website. "I am very sorry to disappoint those that had planned to see me perform in New York; as you can imagine I am extremely disappointed myself. I would like to thank all of you for your good wishes, they mean a lot to me." Villazon rose the ranks of the opera world in recent years, often for his celebrated matchups with Russian soprano Anna Netrebko. The attractive, dark-haired singers had partnered with great success, palpable chemistry and onstage passion for several years.

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Breaking News
Rolando Villazón to Undergo Surgery to Remove Laryngeal Cyst, Cancels All Performances Through 2009 April 29, 2009

Tenor Rolando Villazón will undergo surgery to remove a cyst on his vocal cord, and has been forced to cancel all of his remaining performances in 2009, the tenor's concert organizer said in a statement released today. The surgery will require Villazón to cancel two May concerts that had been slated for Berlin and Hamburg; May performances of Werther at the Vienna State Opera and in Munich; a concert performance of Handel arias at the Salzburg Festival; a Madrid concert with Plácido Domingo; a June concert with Antonio Pappano at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; and an August concert in Copenhagen. The Metropolitan Opera also announced today that Villazón has withdrawn from the title role in the company's new production of Offenbach's Les Contes d’Hoffmann, which is scheduled to play from December 3, 2009 through January 2, 2010. The Met plans to announce a replacement for the role of Hoffmann at a later date. Likewise, Los Angeles Opera has announced that Giuseppe Filianoti will now sing the role of Nemorino in the company's season-opening performances of L'Elisir d'Amore in September 2009. In a statement posted to his website, Villazón wrote: "Due to a cyst that has just been detected on one of my vocal cords I will very shortly have to undergo surgery. After the operation, there is a phase of rehabilitation and in order to make sufficient time for this, I have unfortunately had to withdraw from all of my performances until the end of the year. I would like to apologize to you, my wonderful audience, for any inconvenience these cancellations will cause you and want to express my gratitude for the loyalty and support of my audience, colleagues and friends. I am greatly looking forward to be performing again in the coming year. I will share any further information as and when it becomes available, so please do check this space."

More information can be found at RolandoVillazon.com,

Vienna - Mexican star tenor Rolando Villazon has again cancelled performances for a period of several months, as his management said Wednesday he will have to undergo vocal chord surgery. The opera singer is not expected to perform until 2010, according to the press release.
The Vienna State Opera said it would have to replace Villazon for his title role in Jules Massenet's Werther in May. The tenor has been troubled by health problems since 2006, which have forced him to pause in past years. He currently suffers from a cyst on his vocal chords.
In 2010, Villazon is scheduled to appear at the Vienna State Opera alongside Russian soprano Anna Netrebko in much-anticipated performances of Bizet's Carmen. "I am looking forward to performing and to seeing you again next year," Villazon said in a message to his fans.