# Tenor storms off stage at La Scala after being booed by audience **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2006, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884 "2006-12-12T22:42:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/21 "2006-12-13T07:02:23Z")
[QUOTE=Oakminster] That whole “modern, popular usage” thing? That’s the way I used it. [/quote] I know. That was part of what I was trying to point out. > [@](#): > > Though arguing proper usage of carny-speak in a thread about opera is highly amusing…😃 I agree. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/22 "2006-12-13T07:33:17Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] I’m no opera-goer, but here’s what I think anyway, which I’m sure no one will agree with: I feel members of the audience have a responsibility not to boo the performers. That’s just wrong. Especially in the middle of the performance? Especially when its not everyone booing, but just you and your friends? Especially when you’re booing, not because of the performance itself, but because of something the actor had said earlier in an interview? Nuts, I say. Nuts to that. I’d walk off too. 😉 -FrL- [/QUOTE] Me too. Those audience members sound childish. Sounds like a high-priced _Showtime at the Apollo_. I wouldn’t sue, though. He ought to consider it a favor that they cancelled his contract. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/23 "2006-12-13T08:02:00Z")
Wow. The whole thing is so surreal and outside my world. From the article: > [@](#): > > Alagna had already said in a newspaper interview after the opening night that he would finish the Aida but would cancel future shows at La Scala, where the audience - which forks out up to €2000 ($3360) for a ticket - can be notoriously difficult. I was going to say shame on the audience. I didn’t know booing was something people still did at these sorts of events. But dang, if I’m paying $3K/ticket and the performers know me and my opera buddies are prone to rowdiness then thems the breaks. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/24 "2006-12-13T08:37:04Z")
I deny all involvement. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/25 "2006-12-13T09:33:37Z")
To me, it’s a case of “if you can’t take the heat, don’t enter the kitchen”. Frenchie wants to have the fame of having sung at La Scala, but not the risk of being booed. U-hu. I’m no opera fanatic (my great-uncle is probably Verdi’s greatest living fan, though), but even I know that La Scala is like the Roman Circus minus lions… heck, La Scala (or El Liceo) fans could probably make them maned cats run for the hills 😛 ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/26 "2006-12-13T09:57:33Z")
If only Kevin Federline would get off stages when being booed. And wow, those are some expensive tickets…I guess if you are paying that much, you have the right to demand perfection…but talk about a tough crowd. Still, even pop-star divas learn the hard way that walking off the stage doesn’t endear you to the public, nor does it do much to advance your career. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/27 "2006-12-13T16:55:05Z")
[QUOTE=Oakminster] I think it fits. He deviated from the script, broke the fourth wall, destroyed any suspension of disbelief. That’s breaking kayfabe. The wiki acticle even mentions: [/QUOTE] Wait, you think his walkoff was a shoot? No way, it was worked. He lathers the audience into a frenzy, they’re all booing, then the heel walks off. Then the face understudy comes out, blows the audience away and gets a standing O. Then the Opera stable “fires” the heel. But watch for a mysterious masked opera star skulking around in the next month or so. And at the end of the season the masked heel goes up against the understudy…and takes off his mask at the start of the aria. And guess who’s under the mask? The crowd goes nuts! ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/28 "2006-12-13T17:02:16Z")
[QUOTE=Lemur866] Wait, you think his walkoff was a shoot? No way, it was worked. He lathers the audience into a frenzy, they’re all booing, then the heel walks off. Then the face understudy comes out, blows the audience away and gets a standing O. Then the Opera stable “fires” the heel. But watch for a mysterious masked opera star skulking around in the next month or so. And at the end of the season the masked heel goes up against the understudy…and takes off his mask at the start of the aria. And guess who’s under the mask? The crowd goes nuts! [/QUOTE] I like it. A touch of old school with the masked “Midnight Aria” angle. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/29 "2006-12-13T17:27:09Z")
I would love to see the performance and then his understudy’s performance. But not for 3k. ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/30 "2006-12-13T17:41:06Z")
[QUOTE=Shirley Ujest] I would love to see the performance and then his understudy’s performance. But not for 3k. [/QUOTE] I’d pay $0.99 to hear the B-flat that got the booing started! ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/31 "2006-12-13T18:06:06Z")
[QUOTE=Lemur866] Wait, you think his walkoff was a shoot? No way, it was worked. He lathers the audience into a frenzy, they’re all booing, then the heel walks off. Then the face understudy comes out, blows the audience away and gets a standing O. Then the Opera stable “fires” the heel. But watch for a mysterious masked opera star skulking around in the next month or so. And at the end of the season the masked heel goes up against the understudy…and takes off his mask at the start of the aria. And guess who’s under the mask? The crowd goes nuts! [/QUOTE] Just as long as there isn’t yet another nWo run-in beat-down. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/32 "2006-12-13T18:37:45Z")
Let’s keep in mind that he was booed within mere minutes of the opening of the opera. He had just finished the “Celeste Aida” aria, and was booed for it. So it isn’t like the audience was going on much. Frankly, if the opera house allows for an atmosphere that is not conducive to respect of performers to exist to such an extent that everyone knows about it, you might think they would do something about it. Like ejecting patrons who insist upon misbehaving. Not that I’m defending Alagna, but maybe it will make La Scala’s management finally do something. It’s not like they can be afraid they won’t sell out their performances if they begin to take a tough line. Think about what effect this behavior by the gallery had upon the listening enjoyment of the vast majority of the patrons. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/33 "2006-12-13T19:39:55Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] Frankly, if the opera house allows for an atmosphere that is not conducive to respect of performers to exist to such an extent that everyone knows about it, you might think they would do something about it. Like ejecting patrons who insist upon misbehaving. [/QUOTE] Ah, but it’s their shtick. I’d suggest Pavarotti’s response was along the right lines. But better might have been to make an amusing aside. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/34 "2006-12-13T19:51:03Z")
[QUOTE=bienville] 50 years ago we’d have had the heckler upside down with a tuning fork up his ass. [/QUOTE] Bravo! ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/35 "2006-12-13T20:50:49Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] To me, it’s a case of “if you can’t take the heat, don’t enter the kitchen”. Frenchie wants to have the fame of having sung at La Scala, but not the risk of being booed. U-hu. [/QUOTE] Yeah, but what bugs me is that he wasn’t booed for his singing. I get that if you’re choosing to perform in front of a hyper-critical audience, that you should expect them to be critical. But I don’t get booing someone for something he _said_ at a completely different time, especially since the audience, by their poor behavior, was only _confirming_ what he said about them. And think about the audience members who _weren’t_ heckling. Doesn’t seem fair for them to pay all that money only to have some clowns ruin the show for everyone. > [@DSYoung](#): > > Frankly, if the opera house allows for an atmosphere that is not conducive to respect of performers to exist to such an extent that everyone knows about it, you might think they would do something about it. Like ejecting patrons who insist upon misbehaving. Exactly. Most halls eschew disruptions to the point that they won’t even let you enter your seat if you’re late. So how is it that this place allows heckling to go on? It’s ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/36 "2006-12-13T21:19:40Z")
It’s a tough call when we’re talking about $3,000 tickets. What does the audience want? World class singing, or the possibility of an internationally newsworthy scandal between a spoiled diva and an audience who can afford to not, and has a reputation for not taking any crap from a spoiled diva who thinks he can diss the audience and miss a note at $3K a pop? ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/37 "2006-12-13T22:14:15Z")
Meh. A smug self-important pretentious diva up on stage in front of an audience of smug self-important pretentious divas. I’d suggest boarding up all the exits and leaving them to enjoy each other’s company. Then lowering Kevin Federline from the ceiling to serenade them through a bullhorn. ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/38 "2006-12-13T22:23:40Z")
levdrakon - Did he miss a note? The article says he was booed because of comments he made to the press. Do you have some info from another article? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/39 "2006-12-13T22:34:28Z")
Nah, I’m not sure. It sounds like there was something political going on between the singer and the audience but **shelbo** mentioned a B-flat so I went with it. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2006, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884/40 "2006-12-13T22:39:10Z")
I’m loving this story. It’s what it’s all about. But I’m on the side of the loggionisti, “famously demanding loggionisti, the subscribers **who occupy the cheapest seats** ”: this guy is a [pompous delusional egotist](http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1970876,00.html). > [@](#): > > “What if they had thrown stones at me, or some crazy person had attacked me? … After all, John Lennon ended up being killed.” Boooooo! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tenor-storms-off-stage-at-la-scala-after-being-booed-by-audience/383884.md?page=3)