It’s hard out there for a baritone. (Photo: Marty Sohl for the Metropolitan Opera)
Two weeks after suffering a herniated disc, Mariusz Kwiecien has returned heroically to the Metropolitan Opera to sing Don Giovanni.
It’s a story right out of the NFL, complete with a franchise superstar, “end of the world pain,” rushed rehab, and a handsome backup stepping in and scoring big. (So to speak.)
The only thing missing is sportswriters saying Kwiecien had a “stinger” and hinting that the trainer shot him up with horse tranquilizers. When, oh when, will some bitter old spear carrier from “Aida” finally write North Vienna Forty?
Still and all, NFL AstroTurf beats the well-polished stage of the Met when it comes to dangerous workplaces. Whatever his risks, Kwiecien doesn’t have to worry about being stepped on by 350-pound offensive tackles in the middle of a solo. Although some of those German sopranos… well, never mind.