Delirium at La Scala

I don't often post about opera, though I enjoy a great tenor as much as the next fan. So imagine my surprise when I discovered that opera fans can bring the house down. And they did just that last Tuesday after a performance by Tenor sensation Juan Diego Florez, heir apparent to the throne of Caruso and Pavorotti, according to reports in The London Times. The delirious La Scala audience forced the conductor to break a long-standing house rule and play the first encore offered a performer on that hallowed stage in 74 years. Not even Pavorotti himself was ever afforded such an opportunity and honor. Florez, a Peruvian, earned the spontaneous demonstration and acclaim following his performance of Ah! Mes Ami, from Donizetti's La Fille du Regiment. Italian critics were predictably scandalized by the breach in La Scala etiquette, though all allowed the performance was exceptional and the star's stage presence commanding. Not bad for a guy trained in Philadelphia. Time to update my holiday favorites playlist.