HARD hats may not be the kind of attire you’d expect to see on stage at one of the world’s most renowned opera houses (not until Clement and La Frenais offer up a libretto for Auf Wiedersehen, Pet anyway).

But it may be a necessary precaution for Geordie bass Graeme Danby and the cast of A Dog’s Heart when they finally take to the stage of the historic La Scala in Milan.

Tonight’s Italian premiere of Alexander Raskatov’s opera, based on Mikhail Bulgakov’s 1925 satirical story Heart of a Dog, was dramatically postponed after ongoing technical difficulties culminated in a 25kg weight falling 60ft to the stage of Milan’s opera house – narrowly missing two of the cast by a few inches during Sunday night’s dress rehearsal.

“A few inches at the most,” said Graeme, speaking from the relaxing confines of Lake Como yesterday afternoon, during a much-needed day off with wife Valerie Reid, “from the circus going on in Milan”.

“This production is based around this huge, moving wall which weighs tons... and it was these two high steel lines from that which snapped. No-one was far from it – the whole cast – chorus, actors, dancers, puppeteers... the lot. People were just running for cover,” he added.

Having spent the past month in rehearsals for the ambitious production, in which Graeme enjoyed a “seamless and fantastic” run at English National Opera (ENO) three years ago as the Big Boss, the senior principal guest bass at La Scala and ENO says there is a real fear running through the cast.

“People’s performances are being compromised which is such a shame because it’s a fabulous piece and this is one of the world’s top opera houses. But every time you are on stage you’re wondering,” he said. “Every one of my entrances and exits to the stage involves the wall and aspects of the stage moving with the hydraulics and everything. Some are meticulously timed so that I just miss the wall... and more importantly, the wall misses me.

“It really is your life in their hands... and it’ll be tin hats and body armour tomorrow,” he added laughing in reference to their next stab at a dress rehearsal. But seriously, how on earth do you give a performance when you’re worried about your safety?

“The cast are waiting to hear a snap or crack.”

The production, scheduled to enjoy five sell-out performances between now and April 5, marks a return to the prestigious venue for Graeme, a visiting professor at the University of Sunderland.

He performed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 2010. “But it was a much simpler production, so there’s not much comparison to be made,” he said.

As things stand with A Dog’s Heart, Graeme says unless the company complete a dress rehearsal which proves the La Scala staff have the technical ability to do the show safely, the whole production could be in jeopardy.