DUTCH soprano Annemarie Kremer starts her new year with Opera North singing the title role in a new production of Norma.
She has stepped in to replace the American soprano Takesha Meshé Kizart who has withdrawn from the role.
Opera North says Ms Kizart has not fully recovered from abdominal surgery earlier in the autumn, and she does not feel that it would be right to take on the demands of this challenging role at this stage – a disappointment for her and for the company.
The opera company says it is delighted that Annemarie Kremer has been able to rearrange her schedule to join rehearsals with conductor Oliver von Dohnanyi and director Christopher Alden.
Norma opens on January 28 in the Leeds Grand Theatre before touring until March.
This exciting soprano has recently sung the role of Salome in Vienna, to critical acclaim.
