Jun 18, 2008

Soprano Deborah Voigt returns to Royal Opera House

Posted by : tootoo
Evening Dress Collection” I was angry about it at the time and for quite a whileafterwards," said Voigt, who once called the attitude toward heavypeople "the last bastion of open discrimination in our society." However, Voigt had gastric bypass surgery in June 2004, threemonths after the story broke, and subsequently lost 135 pounds (61kilograms). She says she had been considering the surgery on healthgrounds for years, long before the black dress incident. "I didn't need the Royal Opera House to tell me I was fat," Voigtsaid. "I knew I was fat." She now concedes she wouldn't have been right for the production,and thinks opera's increased focus on image is here to stay, "I think that the face of opera is changing," Voigt said. "Toassume that one can weigh 300-plus pounds and still be viable ontoday's opera stage is naive. I tell that to young singers. "Opera has changed immensely in my generation and it is going tochange more." In 2006, the Royal Opera rehired Voigt, announcing she would returnto the role of Ariadne in the 2007-2008 season. Beyond that, thecompany refuses to discuss the incident, saying only thatrehearsals have gone well and it is "looking forward with greatexcitement to Deborah Voigt's performances in 'Ariadne.'" The ebullient Voigt seems to have put the episode squarely behindher. She has nothing but praise for her "warm and welcoming"reception by the Royal Opera, and has poked fun at the furor byreleasing a YouTube video entitled "The Return of the Little BlackDress," in which she and her slinky nemesis make up. "It just seemed at the time that we weren't a good fit," the dresstells the now-svelte singer in the clip. "But times change, peoplechange." Voigt said in 2004 that she didn't expect to be allowed to sing atthe Royal Opera House as long as casting director Peter Katonaremained. He's still there, and the pair have reconciled. "I remember that Mr. Katona said some day we would be able to laughabout this," Voigt said. "And I said, 'Yeah, right.' But he wasright. "There is no point walking around with a chip on your shoulderabout it. Life's too short." At 47, Voigt's career is going strong. Some have detected changesto her voice as a result of the weight loss, and Voigt acknowledgesit has been an adjustment. "Four years on, I am still having to rethink how I sing," she said. But an Associated Press reviewer thought her recent performance in"Tristan und Isolde" at the Metropolitan Opera was majestic: "Hervoice has lyric beauty as well as steel." In 2011, Voigt is due to sing Bruennhilde in the Met'smuch-anticipated new Ring Cycle. Since her surgery she has expandedher repertoire, playing Biblical temptress Salome and legendarybeauty Helen of Troy. "It's nice to be able to play the pretty-girl parts," Voigt said."I never thought I would be able to do that." "Ariadne Auf Naxos" opens Monday at the Royal Opera House and runsin rep until July 1. ___ On the Net Royal Opera House: http://www.royalopera.org Deborah Voigt: http://deborahvoigt.com
 
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