Opera singer Placido Domingo is to make the jump from tenor to baritone in a production of Verdi's Simon Boccanegra.
The Spanish singer, 66, will take the title role in the opera for the first time at Berlin's Staatsoper Unter den Linden in 2009, his spokesman said.
He will also perform the work at La Scala in Milan and the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London.
In 2005, it was reported that Domingo wanted to fulfil his dream of playing Boccanegra before he retired.
He told the Observer newspaper: "After that, I will probably say Amen."
Tenors success
Domingo last sang as a baritone at the very start of his career in 1959.
He made the switch to tenor when he joined the Mexican National Opera a year later and has since sung more than 120 opera roles on stage and in recordings.
The singer had huge success as part of The Three Tenors with Jose Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti.
Their rendition of Nessun Dorma became synonymous with the football World Cup in Italy in 1990. They went on to perform at the tournament again in 1994, 1998 and 2002.
His decision to perform Boccanegra at Covent Garden was reported in the February issue of Opera magazine.
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