Roberto Alagna, the tenor who stormed off the La Scala stage mid-performance last weekend, says he plans to sue the famous Milanese opera house if he is not allowed back to perform.

The French-born opera singer, who has been called by some critics "the new Pavarotti," walked away from Sunday night's performance of Franco Zeffirelli's lavish new Aida when a section of audience members booed him.

Roberto Alagna, seen as Radames during rehearsals for Aida last week, has vowed to sue La Scala if he is not allowed to return to its stage and finish his run.
(AP/Marco Brescia/Teatro alla Scala)

The sudden departure forced Alagna's jeans-clad understudy to rush onstage to continue the performance.

La Scala apologized to the audience and later issued a statement criticizing both Alagna and those who heckled him. However, a spokesman also said the tenor was not returning to the role and that the opera company's legal team was investigating what they considered his breach of his contract.

Alagna said in interviews Tuesday that he himself intends to sue La Scala for not permitting him return to the show — something he says he was willing and ready to do.

La Scala declined to comment.

Zeffirelli also chimed in on the incident in an interview with newspaper Quotidiano Nazionale, saying that "a tenor ought not to lose his temper like a little boy."

The famous director also said the incident has caused him to consider dropping Alagna from his upcoming production of La Traviata in Rome.