Ruciński shared the sad news on social media: "Unfortunately, due to a severe cold, I am forced to withdraw from today’s performance of ‘I Puritani’ at the Met Opera and Live in HD. Wishing all my colleagues in bocca al lupo for today’s show, as well as Ricardo J. Rivera, who is replacing me!"
Ruciński earned strong critical reviews for the part of Riccardo in a new production of I Puritani, which premiered at the Met on New Year's Eve.
The New York Classical Review wrote: "Ruciński was superb as Riccardo. He had an almost conversational quality to his delivery and a vibrancy that gave force to each word and note.
"His extended Act I sequence from Or dove fuggo through Ah! Per sempre was engrossing. His earthiness transcends the artificiality of opera, and each declamatory phrase followed the last with an iron-clad expressive logic."
According to Bachtrack.com, Ruciński sang with "noble phrasing and technical flexibility" as Riccardo: "His bel canto line and legato were most impressive in his soulful Ah! Per sempre io ti perdei, in which, after learning that Elvira will marry Arturo, he pours out his sorrows to his officer, Bruno.
"Ruciński’s voice was especially well-paired with the resonant bass-baritone of Christian Van Horn as Giorgio, Elvira’s sympathetic uncle. Their patriotic and energetic duet, Suoni la tromba, preceded by a gorgeously atmospheric horn solo, was one of the evening’s many highlights."
The Met has scheduled two more performances of I Puritani - on January 15 and 18. It has not yet been announced whether Ruciński will be well enough to return to the stage for these performances.
Ruciński, 49, is one of several Polish opera singers who have gained international acclaim in recent years.
He made his debut at the Polish National Opera in 2002 in the title role of Eugene Onegin and has since performed at leading opera houses worldwide.
He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 2016 as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly.
(mk/aj)