"Not only are Robert Wilson and I friends, but I have a great admiration for his work," Domingo said, pointing out that he recently appeared in the avant-garde director's production of Parisfal at the Los Angeles Opera. "Unfortunately, my timetable does not allow me to be devoted fully to this intensive work. Rather than performing only an approximation of his concept, it is my duty to...withdraw so that another singer, who will have more time to rehearse, can do justice to the production."

No replacement has been listed for Domingo on the Th_ê¢tre du Chê¢telet. The production, which debuted last fall with Peter Seiffert as Siegmund, also stars Jukka Rasilainen as Wotan, Petra-Maria Schnitzer as Sieglinde, and Olga Sergetava as Br‹nnhilde. Christoph Eschenbach is the conductor.