Opera star Roberto Alagna took to the stage for a performance of ‘Aida’ at the La Scala Opera House in Milan, Italy this past Sunday and promptly walked right off again after he was booed by the audience during the show.
The comic turn of events continued when his understudy, Antonello Palombi, came on stage wearing jeans and a scruffy shirt to continue singing the role of ‘Radames’, a military commander in ancient Egypt, a group not know for their casual wear!
First of all, here in TheLab™, we didn’t know people actually ‘booed’ in real life. We have often thought that such things were the stuff of comic books and satirical writers. It’s right up their with shouting ‘bravo’ and ‘encore’ as far as we knew.
It shouldn’t be too surprising however to learn that the ‘booing’ was coming from the cheap seats, which at La Scala are not that cheap. These ‘working class’ ruffians just don’t know when they are onto a good thing apparently.
Said ‘disruptive’ behaviour was apparently being caused by the ‘loggionisti’ who are particularly passionate about Opera and because of their intimate knowledge of all things operatic are not shy about making their feelings known when they think a singer is not up to the challenge.
What is even more fantastic about this story is the BBC have video of the whole thing as it happened, click the link below for all of the fun.
We’re off to try some of this ‘booing’ lark at the a live dance performance or maybe we’ll do some ‘mooing’ because at least that would be funny!