Performer steps into Vancouver Opera singing role at the last minute after lead falls ill

With little more than 24 hours until opening night, it looked like the revival of Sweeney Todd at the Vancouver Opera was in big trouble. The lead performer, Greer Grimsley, was having vocal problems, and while he was able to speak, he was struggling to sing.

Fortunately, the Vancouver Opera was able to reach George Masswohl. The Toronto-area performer last performed the lead role of the murderous barber Sweeney Todd in 2003, but felt confident enough that he could recall the role without rehearsal.

The idea was that Grimsley would perform on stage as Sweeney Todd and lip-sync to Masswohl's singing off-stage. 

"It's a really technical production, so to actually come in at that short notice and take the stage would've been very dangerous," Masswohl tells As It Happens host Carol Off.

However, once Masswohl arrived in Vancouver on Saturday morning, Grimsley's voice was apparently improving.

"The officials at the opera seemed to think that Greer would be okay for the opening night and that maybe the matinee on the next day would be when they would need to call on me," he says. "I was fine with that, so they handed me a ticket. I went to the show. I sat down in the audience. Then, about 15 minutes in, I could tell something was wrong."

He rushed down to the lobby and was quickly ushered to the wings of the stage.

"I could just hear him having some troubles with a certain register in his voice," Masswohl recalls. "He's an incredible Wagnerian bass baritone who performs all over the world, so this is really unusual for him. I'm sure he'll bounce back in a heartbeat — but when you're sick, you're sick."

The opening night continued without a hitch and only during the intermission was it made known to the audience that Masswohl was providing vocals.

Grimsley was grateful to Masswohl for stepping in, and brought him on stage to take a bow at the end of the show, surprising Masswohl.

"I didn't expect to bow, I thought, well, I'll just be faceless support backstage but he insisted. He's a real gentleman and he brought me out and it was really overwhelming. It's been overwhelming since."

Masswohl performed the entirety of the Sunday matinee and is on standby for the next run of shows from Thursday to Sunday.