John Holiday spent a month and a half training to sing Mandarin for the role of First Male Voice in the world premiere of “Paradise Interrupted” at this year’s Spoleto Festival USA.

What the 30-year-old countertenor did not spend months training for was the role of Zaida in the opera “Veremonda, l’amazzone di Aragona.” But when his friend Michael Maniaci was unable to sing the part due to health issues, Holiday stepped in, learning the music in a day. He sung from the pit the next night as Maniaci acted out the part on stage.