A Soprano Writ Small(er)

Acclaimed soprano Deborah Voigt, fired from a production of Ariadne auf Naxos by a London opera company last March because she was too fat to fit into the costume that had been designed for her character, underwent gastric bypass surgery in June 2004, and has since lost 100 pounds. Voigt had made the decision to have the procedure done before she was sacked by the Royal Opera House, a public humiliation compounded by the fact that Ariadne is her signature role. The surgery was not without risk: “Opera singers who lose significant amounts of weight have been known to lose vocal luster as well, Maria Callas being the most notable example.” But Ms. Voigt has been performing regularly in the months since her recovery, and has been continued to garner rave reviews.