ROBERTO ALAGNA - OPERA STAR HECKLED OFF STAGE

OPERA STAR HECKLED OFF STAGE

French opera star ROBERTO ALAGNA stormed off stage during a performance of FRANCO ZEFIRELLI's AIDA after the audience booed his performance. Alagna is starring in the legendary movie producer's adaptation of the VERDI opera, but was whistled down by the public on the show's second ever production at La Scala in Milan, Italy on Saturday night (09DEC06). Tenor Alagna defended the walk out, saying, "I do not deserve this kind of reception. "What else could I do? Did I have to stay there ... until my voice broke?" STEPHANE LISSNER, general manager of the famous venue, released a statement criticising both the audience and the singer. Lissner, who apologised to the crowd before the opera's third act, said, "(Alagna's departure was) an obvious lack of respect to the public and the theatre. "But I have always maintained that artists are at the centre of a theatrical project and we are here to support them, to guarantee the best conditions for them so that they can do their jobs."