GAUCI TO REPLACE DESSI AS MIMI IN ‘LA BOHEME’

Miriam Gauci will replace Daniela Dessi as Mimi in the Music Center Opera production of “La Boheme,” according to a company official.

Dessi--who also withdrew from the Music Center’s “Otello” last year--canceled her performances two weeks ago and is under a physician’s care for an unspecified illness.

Gauci made her operatic debut as Mimi with the Teatro Communale in Treviso, Italy. A native of Malta and trained at the La Scala school, she made her American debut this summer as Madama Butterfly at Santa Fe Opera. She will sing the opening performance of the opera season Sept. 8, and performances Sept. 11 and 13.

Angelique Burzynski, a local singer who has been the understudy all along and was the winner of the 1986 Rosa Ponselle International Vocal Competition, will sing Mimi in the final performance Sept. 23. She has also took the role for preview performances this week.

Explaining why Burzynski was not assigned all of the performances, John Howlett, publicity director for MCO, cited the “tremendous pressure” of a gala opening and Gauci’s previous public experience in the role.

In another major cast change, Francois Loup will sing Magnifico in “La Cenerentola,” opening Sept. 18. The Swiss bass-baritone replaces Sesto Bruscantini, who was recently injured in a car accident.