An opera singer insisted that the show must go on despite being covered in his own blood after tearing open the side of his mouth during an on-stage fight scene.
Tenor vocalist Ilgam Valiev, 44, tore his mouth on stage during a fight scene in the city of Yekaterinburg in Russia’s west-central Sverdlovsk Oblast region.
Reports said that Valiev performed Don Jose in ‘Carmen’ when the incident occurred.
During a fight scene, his colleagues accidentally threw him on a stage decoration that tore the left side of his mouth.
The performance was put on pause while Valiev received medical assistance backstage.
Valiev’s female friend Zoryana Mostovschikova said: “The incident occurred in the middle of the performance. They tried to contact a stand-in to replace him but failed. Meanwhile, a doctor stitched Ilgam’s mouth backstage.”
After the organisers failed to find a stand-in actor, Valiev decided to carry on.
He appeared on stage and continued singing while his injured mouth was bleeding profusely in front of astonished theatre goers, according to local media.
Valiev managed to perform until the end, wiping the blood from his mouth with cotton wool. After the performance finished he was taken to a local hospital by one of his colleagues.
A surgeon stitched his mouth and stopped the bleeding. Valiev was told not to sing for two weeks.
The tenor said: “All the fights and tricks in the play were staged by a professional stuntman and hand-to-hand
combat specialist.
“I do not think about myself as a hero. I just love my job very much!
Social media user ‘Marina Korneeva’ said: “I am impressed with your decision and with your love for your profession. Get well soon!”
Story By: Roksana Panashchuk, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
