MUSIC

Opera fans in Milan, Italy--apparently angered by the withdrawal of star tenor Luciano Pavarotti--disrupted La Scala’s season premiere of “Elisir d’Amore” Wednesday with whistles and shouts at some of the principals. Pavarotti’s substitute received tepid applause; most of the heckling was aimed at Welsh singer Marie McLaughlin and director Andree Ruth Shammah. One fan shouted “You are an amateur!” at McLaughlin, and a deluge of whistles and shouts of “Buffoon!” greeted Shammah when she appeared on stage at the end of the performance. Differences between Pavarotti and the conductor erupted during rehearsals last week but La Scala officials dropped out because of a cold.