The radiant Deborah Voigt
Photo: New York Times
I’ve been following this story in the media for awhile now. Deborah Voigt, one of the leading dramatic sopranos in the world, was fired from a production at London’s Covent Garden four years ago. She was deemed “too large” for the costume the director wanted her to wear for the production of Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos” she was starring in: A little black dress. Ms. Voigt had a gastric bypass, lost 100 pounds, and made her triumphant debut in the same production over the weekend. A great, happy ending, right? Maybe. Some of her critics claim her voice is now different as a result of the weight loss.
The drama following the 2004 dismissal of the soprano Deborah Voigt from a production of Strauss’s “Ariadne auf Naxos” at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden here had many elements of the work itself: an opera within an opera that blends comic and tragic aspects and caricatures the lofty ideals of high art. Ms. Voigt’s dismissal, because she was too large to wear the cocktail dress stipulated by the director or adhere to his staging concepts, prompted an avalanche of international interest that ranged from buffa laughs about fat ladies singing to ponderous editorials about the meaning of “sacred art” versus Hollywood ideals of beauty.
In the end, as in “Ariadne,” the little-black-dress saga also became a story of transformation: in Ms. Voigt’s case, a very literal one. After gastric bypass surgery in 2004 and considerable weight loss, a much slimmer and more agile Ms. Voigt was re-engaged by the Royal Opera to sing the title role in the second revival of Christof Loy’s 2002 production, which opened on Monday night. Ms. Voigt looked elegant and sounded in fine form in her first Covent Garden appearance since 2001.
The New York Times reviewer’s comments about Ms. Voigt’s performance are glowing. I’m sorry I can’t see it, because I’d love to hear and see her as well. (The less stellar comments, particularly the ones questioning the changes in Ms. Voigt’s voice, are printed by a news organization (sounds like ey pee,) that bloggers are no longer excerpting for a variety of reasons.) At the same time, this begs a few questions that I can’t help but ask. Are male opera stars held to the same physical appearance standards? If they’re not, why not? Ms. Voigt says that she is still making adjustments to her singing style after four years as a result of this surgery. Is this fair to her?
I realize that many of the readers of TLPC may not be opera fans. I didn’t think I was, either, till I saw one live. I was even more surprised to learn that opera singers must now be as concerned with not just the quality of voice and which roles they’ll be singing and acting, but being photogenic, too. It takes a certain physicality and strength to project one’s voice over an orchestra without benefit of microphone. That’s not happening if you’re a size two and don’t work out.
I wonder what would happen if Ben Heppner, one of the leading tenors on the face of the planet, was required by contract to sing Wagner’s The Ring cycle in a Speedo. Just something to ponder, huh?
-S
I never thought I would like opera. A child of the 80’s who believed the only good music was that with rockin’ guitar solos, I figured opera was just some hoity-toity thing for fancy folks. And then I heard one, about 6 years ago, on the local NPR station I kept on for background noise. Wow!
Now I’m a huge fan of NPR’s “Live at the Met” (I think that’s the title.) though I still can’t tell one opera or one soprano from another, nor even understand the words. But the beauty of the music combined with the sheer power of the voices is just… indescribably lovely.
As for Deborah Voight – how sad and pathetic that her beautiful voice was not considered “good enough” for a production because of the body which houses it. Somehow, I just can’t imagine the director of any opera would have required Pavarotti to fit a costume or be fired.
Comment by PA_Lady — June 24, 2008 @ 8:09 pm
Hi, PALady!
I’m with you. Opera was not my bag. I had to do a lot of research for the book, and I went to “La Boheme” last spring and loved it. The local classical station broadcasts from Seattle Opera and Chicago Lyric Opera. If I know the story, I might listen, but not so often. I’d rather see it live.
I think one of the better things about being an adult is the ability to try new things we probably wouldn’t have even thought about when we were younger. Opera is one of those things, at least for me. Skydiving? Not so much.
Interesting that women opera stars are now required to be photogenic, while the men look like they always have. (Did you read about the thirty-five-year-old diva that appeared in the Met’s production of “Romeo and Juliet” this last winter? She’s stunning, along with the beautiful voice.)
-S
Comment by strategerie — June 25, 2008 @ 9:34 am