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An audience member took to the stage to save a performance of La Bohème at the Royal Opera House.

Opera singer Charles Castronovo stepped in to sing across from his wife Ekaterina Siurina, who starred in La Bohème.

Siurina was playing the lead role of Mimi with Atalla Ayan as Rodolfo, her lover. When Ayan developed vocal difficulties in Act II, Castronovo jumped up to sing his part from the wings, while Ayan continued acting the part. Castronovo has played the part of Rodolfo previously at the Royal Opera House.

Audience members, including Stephen Fry, took to Twitter after the Friday show to praise the performance.

Author Kathy Lette tweeted: “Thank god ⁦@stephenfry⁩ and I wore our waterproof mascara for La Boheme. We blubbed throughout, especially when the tenor’s voice cracked and the soprano’s hubby leapt up out of the audience to take over the role of her lover. Sensationally romantic.”

Fry replied to the tweet saying: “England desperately needs rain and we did our best to water London with our tears. Congratulations cast, crew orchestra and all @RoyalOperaHouse for a La BooHoo to remember.”

Castronovo said: “I’d only gone backstage to say hi to my wife in the intermission and then go back to my seat. But then the management asked if I could take over for acts three and four because the other singer wasn’t feeling well.

“I was also at the end of my season, and I was already in performance mode. So I said, ‘Yeah why not?’ I was wearing a denim jacket and khakis —they didn’t have any costumes that were my size — but it was OK. It was really fun.”

The Royal Opera House said: “We enjoy a longstanding relationship with Charles, who has performed with the Royal Opera on many occasions before (including as Rodolfo), and we were incredibly grateful that he quickly agreed to step in and sing the second half of the performance from the side of the stage, while Atalla ‘walked’ the role in costume.

“The audience received the news of this change graciously and greeted both Charles and Atalla with a wonderfully warm reception during the curtain call at the end of the performance.”

Castronovo joined the cast at the curtain call and received a standing ovation, wearing his denim jacket.