Last week, Covent Garden fired American diva Deborah Voigt from Ariadne auf Naxos because she was too large to fit into the little black dress they planned to hang on Ariadne, Voigt’s signature role.

How did you take the news? I’ve been dealing with this all my life. Have you noticed we never talk about male singers when it comes to waist size? That pisses me off.

How did your fans react? Mostly everyone is on my side. But one e-mail said, “Obesity is a disease, and you’re obese. And you shouldn’t point your fat little fingers at other people.” That bothered me, not because he was pointing out that obesity is a disease—duh!—or that I’m obese—duh again!—but that I’m pointing my fat fingers, which, by the way, aren’t so fat.

What’s your favorite restaurant in New York? Well, since I hang around Lincoln Center a lot, Picholine.

What will you wear for your Carnegie Hall recital debut on April 7? I’m thinking feathers. Not a slinky little black dress. In fact, maybe I should call Covent Garden and ask if they can whip up something for me.

Related:

• Archive: “Intelligencer Features”
• Articles by Robert Hilferty
• Table of Contents: Mar 22, 2004 issue of New York | Subscribe!