Luigi Ravelli's Don Jose

Speranza

It was during a performance of Carmen in 1886 that the audience were treated to something unanticipated.

Tenor Luigi Ravelli singing the role of Don Jose was about to deliver a soaring top note when Minnie Hauk, in the role of Carmen, rushed forward to embrace him.

The enraged tenor resolved to toss Hauk in the orchestra pit and not wait to stab her to death at the end of the opera.

The resolute Hauk clutched firmly to his (red) waistcoat until all the buttons popped off, eventually managing to free herself and escape, rushing to another part of the stage.

Ravelli grasped his jacket and shouted out “look she’s ripped my jacket” with such rage that he brought thundering applause from the audience who thought Hauk had deliberately tried to throttle Ravelli when about to sing his high B flat!

The story soon made the rounds of the press building on the story of an opera company where the lead singer was deliberately trying to murder the prima donna.

So convincing that Hauk’s husband armed himself with a revolver and waited in the wings during subsequent performances, just in case.