The Fat Lady Sings

Deborah Voigt had always contemplated gastric bypass surgery because of her weight condition. The 44-year-old New York City Metropolitan Opera singer tried everything from Weight Watchers to fen-phen. Her knees were giving her trouble and she couldn’t keep up with her performances. It wasn’t until she lost her signature role in Strauss’ Ariande auf Naxos at London’s Royal Opera House because she was deemed too big for the little black dress, that she decided to undergo gastric bypass surgery. She lost the part to a thinner soprano and she knew her weight wasn’t helping her career.

With more time on her hands finalized her decision and underwent gastric bypass surgery. She knew the surgical risks involved, but also the professional risks. Weight loss has been known to affect some opera singers’ voices. Over a year she lost 120 pounds and dropped to a size 14 from a 30. She returned to rave reviews and was flattered by all of the comments. “The review said, ‘Ms. Voight has transformed herself into a strikingly beautiful woman.’ I thought, ‘Who was he looking at?’ I haven’t gotten my head there yet,” says Voight, who is still overwhelmed by the transformation that has taken place in her life.

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