(not so) breaking news: bait and switch at the Met

Now that gazillion dollars worth of tickets have been sold by the Met's aggressive subscription campaign, we're getting some major revisions to the casting of some operas. Our intrepid investigator Leyla, who apparently spends lunch breaks trolling the Met website (love ya Leyla!), has uncovered a number of weird changes, including possibly the biggest insult cutie Matthew Polenzani will get in his lifetime:

Who better to portray the world’s most famous lovers than opera’s ultimate charismatic duo, Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón? Gounod’s ultra-sensual interpretation of Shakespeare is an ideal vehicle for their unique and incandescent appeal. Matthew Polenzani takes on the role of Roméo for two performances, including the Met's New Year's Eve gala. The irresistible Nathan Gunn is Mercutio and Plácido Domingo presides on the podium.

Ouch. [Yeah, sorry to those who were hoping to usher in the new year with those pricey Netrebazon tickets. Looks like Netrebzani shall have to do, unless she drops out too, and you're left with ... uhm ... Swenzani or O'Flynnzani.]

Other changes: Papian gets some of Guleghina's Normas; Griffey in, Shicoff out of Peter Grimes; Bayrakdarian cedes some Susannas to Siurina; Guleghina grabs some Lady Macbeths from Gruber; TBA now singing Lady Macbeth in the movieplex simulcast. More to follow, we're sure.

[P.S. Miraculously, the Alagna-Gheorghiu schedules remain intact. Good news to Sieglinde, bad news to many of you.]