 Following an incident in which Mme Tietjens accidentally struck Giuglini on the nose with a drumstick when sounding a gong during a performance of "Norma", causing the tenor's nose to bleed on stage, Giuglini conceived a hatred for that opera and swore a solemn oath never to appear in it again.However, during a breakdown in a series of "Il trovatore", owing to the indisposition of the contralto, Mapleson was obliged to stage "Norma" and engaged another tenor, knowing Giuglini's objection, and that this performance was supernumerary to his contract.Having attempted to extort additional fees, Giuglini at the last minute had the rival forcibly divested of his costume backstage, and sang the role himself, but to little financial advantage, and without the drumstick.