Illness Forces German Bass Out of Concert

American bass John Macurdy will replace the ailing Artur Korn in San Diego Opera’s Richard Wagner Concert at Civic Theatre on Tuesday.

The German operatic bass informed the local company Wednesday that a case of bronchitis will prevent him from performing.

General director Ian Campbell announced that Macurdy, longtime Metropolitan Opera bass, will make his San Diego debut singing in the all-Wagner program. Macurdy will sing the role of Hunding in the first act of “Die Walkure,” as previously announced, and will perform the remainder of the program with only minor changes.

Later this season, the veteran bass will appear in Wagner’s “Ring” cycle at the Met and at San Francisco Opera.

In late January, San Diego Opera announced that soprano Sabine Hass, Korn’s wife, had withdrawn from the Wagner concert due to illness. She was replaced with American soprano Johanna Meier.

Two of the original participants, American tenor Gary Lakes and conductor Heinz Fricke, music director of East Berlin’s State Opera, are still scheduled to participate in the company’s mid-season concert.