An English National Opera singer received huge applause after he stepped in for a sick colleague part-way through the opening night show.
Bass-baritone Paul Whelan rescued Saturday’s performance of Lucia di Lammermoor, based on a novel by Sir Walter Scott, after Clive Bayley, who was playing one of the main characters, lost his voice.
Mr Bayley, playing the pastor Raimondo, struggled through the 40-minute first scene of the production with a chest infection before realising he was unable to continue then mimed the rest of the performance at the London Coliseum, while Mr Whelan sang his part from the side of the stage.
