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[Melodie]

Opera that dropped soprano because of her weight says it wants her to perform there in future

By AUDREY WOODS
The Associated Press
3/10/04 6:47 PM


LONDON (AP) -- Directors of the Royal Opera in London, which dropped American star soprano Deborah Voigt from a role because of her weight, said Wednesday they still want her to perform with the company in the future.

They said The Royal Opera "deeply regrets" the issue became public, and that 43-year-old Voigt, one of the world's most sought-after singers, might have "wrongly perceived" that she wouldn't be asked to perform at the theater under its present management.

Voigt's publicist, Albert Imperato, said she was performing in Switzerland and had not yet seen the Royal Opera's statement.

"We have no comment at this time," he said.

A spokesman for the opera in London's Covent Garden confirmed on Sunday that Voigt had been dropped from the lead role in a summer 2004 production of Richard Strauss' "Ariadne on Naxos" and that the reason was her size.

The spokesman, Christopher Millard, said Sunday that casting director Peter Katona had selected a black evening dress for the part and believed Voigt would not look right in it.

A newspaper had quoted Voigt as saying she didn't expect to be allowed to sing at the Royal Opera House as long as Katona remained casting director.

"I have big hips and Covent Garden has a problem with them," she was quoted as telling the newspaper. "Or at least their casting director, Peter Katona, has the problem, and he's made it clear that I won't be singing in his house as long as he's around. Which is sad."

Wednesday's statement from the Royal Opera directors, including Katona, said the opera still wanted to work with Voigt on other projects.

"We sincerely hope that we can collaborate with Ms. Voigt again in the near future to find a suitable project," the directors said.

The statement also described the history of the "Ariadne" production.

Voigt had been booked in November 2000 to sing the role in June 2004 -- a revival of a production staged in September 2002 with German singer Petra Lang, they said.

Following the opening of the 2002 production with Lang, "it was decided by the artistic management of The Royal Opera, in consultation with the production's director, that Ms. Voigt would be inappropriate casting in this particular production, and her contract was regretfully withdrawn."

The announcement of the cast for the June 2004 revival was made in April 2003 with Anne Schwanewilms in the title role, they said.

In explanation, they said that with an artist of Voigt's international standing it was necessary to book the singer several years in advance, which can mean --"as in this instance"-- that the creative team and the production concept is put together after the booking.

A production is a fusion of musical, dramatic and visual elements, they said, and assessment of the vocal and dramatic suitability for a production is "fundamental to the art form."

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