PLACIDO DOMINGO - DOMINGO PULLS OUT OF CYRANO DEBUT

Opera star PLACIDO DOMINGO cancelled his performance in the Metropolitan Opera's new show CYRANO DE BERGERAC in New York last night (26JAN06) after being struck down with a windpipe inflammation.

It isn't the first time the legendary tenor has been forced to pull out of a performance due to tracheitis - it caused him to cancel appearances in Los Angeles last month (DEC05).

Understudy ANTONIO BARASORDA replaced the 65-year-old in the debut of the revival of the FRANCO ALFANO opera.

Domingo hopes to perform again next week (beg30JAN06) and still plans to conduct RIGOLETTO at the Metropolitan Opera House tomorrow (28JAN06).