MILAN — In his first performance since cancer surgery, Placido Domingo will portray Verdi's hero "Simon Boccanegra," opening today at Milan's famed La Scala opera house.

His 131st role will be something to sing about.

The 69-year-old Spanish tenor underwent colon cancer surgery just six weeks ago. He acknowledges he put off getting a routine colonoscopy for years — thinking he would do it after the La Scala run — and finally succumbed to severe pain after concerts in Japan in February, which he said he managed to get through.

Doctors in New York removed the cancerous tissue on March 2, and Domingo counts himself lucky because they got it early enough.

"My biggest triumph ever is the one over illness," Domingo said earlier this week, acknowledging fear that his career could have been over.