It’s been less than a month since the Royal Opera, Covent Garden unveiled its latest season, crowned with the role debut of Anna Netrebko in Bellini’s Norma. But in showbiz, a lot can happen in a month, and despite the kudos this engagement promised, Netrebko has stunned many opera fans by pulling out of the auspicious casting.

Anna Netrebko. Photo © Clive Arrowsmith

The announcement of her withdrawal is a reflection on the lengthy lead times many of the world’s top artists have to observe. In a statement, Netrebko said that her voice had, “evolved in a different direction,” adding: “This is something I could not have anticipated when maestro Antonio Pappano and I planned this project four years ago. It pains me greatly to disappoint him, the ROH, and audiences in the UK.”

As one of the world’s most in-demand sopranos, Netrebko’s casting as Norma was due to be one of the biggest box office draws of the season, and so the loss of her on the billing is likely to impact the Royal Opera financially as well as artistically.

The company is now scrambling to find a suitable...