Two stars of New York’s Metropolitan Opera have bowed out of a tour of Japan, citing fears of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant.
Soprano Anna Netrebko and tenor Joseph Calleja announced at the last minute they would not join the tour, despite assurances they would be safe.
In a statement, the Met said it had been forced to “scramble” to find replacement stars.
The Japanese earthquake and tsunami of 11 March left around 25,000 dead.
It crippled the Fukushima plant north of Tokyo, leading to radiation leaks.
The Met said it had brought in an expert on radiation to reassure members of the company.
But Russian-born Netrebko remained unconvinced, the Met attributing her decision to “the emotional weight of having also lived through the tragedy of Chernobyl
