Although there's still room for something to go wrong before official announcement, it does appear, as you may have heard, that tenor Joseph Calleja will be the new Met Hoffmann. It's definitely a bit of a gamble: he has a great voice that should do well in the part, but it's a fairly heavy sing in a less Italian mode of expression, and in the regular course of things would not have been on his radar for another five-plus years.
At any rate, let's hope for Calleja's success, and that the success, if it comes, doesn't suck him into the whirlpool of Netrebko-related glitz that seems to have downed his predecessor.
A review of his lone Met Elisir should be posted here in the next day or so.
At 31 he could have afforded not to jump in such a high profile production replacing a tenor more known for his acting than any real vocal excellence. I just heard him in Munich and his Rodolfo is at par with Bjorlings (heard on record) and Pavarotti's (heard many times live)Despite singing with Netrebko he actually got more applause than her in the final curtain calls. Incidentally the Gelida was in key. Please divine forces do not let this one burn up.....
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