Cheers, not jeers, for ‘Aida’ tenor

On a day’s notice, with no rehearsal, Roberto Alagna jumped in for an ailing tenor to sing “Aida” -- 10 months after he stormed off an Italian stage when he was booed in the same role.

The incident at Milan’s La Scala last December triggered a worldwide uproar. In the next episode, played out Tuesday night at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Alagna got a standing ovation.

The 44-year-old French-born son of a Sicilian bricklayer was filling in for tenor Marco Berti, who fell ill Monday. When the call came from Met General Manager Peter Gelb, Alagna said, “I took it as a sign from God.”

“Tonight, I have finally put away the ghosts of Milan that have haunted me,” he said during a midnight interview in his dressing room.

“It was a betrayal at La Scala! They closed the door on me, they abandoned me,” he said. “And my blood is all Sicilian.”