Optional cuts
Which Metropolitan Opera diva has eased her transition into the visual-intensive Gelb era with the assistance of a plastic surgeon recently featured in W magazine and the New York Post? This Park Avenue doctor’s “short scar” facelifts promise a dramatically rejuvenated jawline with shorter recovery time and minimal scarring — just the thing for those high-definition closeups!
I didn’t mean to imply that Nilsson needed gastric bypass, or any surgery for that matter. I was just saying that she was certainly no pixie. Hands down, a vocal goddess for sure. But place her next to someone like Netrebko or Dessay, and there’s no denying she isn’t quite the wilting flower the latter two are.
Joshua:
La Cieca thinks the smaller chestal area on La Bartoli is a combination of her being a bit slimmer now than she was 10 years ago, a very well-fitting dress and corset, plus expert PhotoShopping of the “Proibita” album cover. A candid photo of Bartoli taken about the same time reveals that she is still naturally buxom.
I think the whole idea of the gastric bypass is another blog altogether.
As far as the facelift is concerned, my best is on RF. She has lost a lot of weight from the 90s and she isn’t 30 anymore. Take a look at her Otello video with PD and you’ll see the dramatic difference. I imagine she has nothing to fill out her wrinkles now.
While I disagree that the topic of gastric bypass is “another blog altogether” (or was it stated somewhere that the responses must be limited to plastic surgery concerning only the face?), I would also bet the singer La Cieca was referring to was RF.
Fleming was very svelte in the Volpe Gala. But I noticed some thickness around the waist in Onegin cinecast. Not that I care either way who’s had work done and who hasn’t.
Though never truly heavy, RF is certainly much slimmer now. In her defense, though, that Met “Otello” was recorded only a few months after giving birth to her younger daughter. if memory serves, Vaness was originally cast but suffered a back injury during rehearsal. On went her cover and the rest is history.
In my opinion, it caught Fleming at the perfect moment. She then sang with radiant purity in a deeply touching performance. I really miss that artist. If only she’d find her way back…
For me, her Tatiana was the best thing I’ve heard from her since her Nozze Countess in the Met telecast of serveral years ago. So, I’m hopeful for the future. It’ll be interesting to hear how her Violetta sounds next season (to see if it’s stylistically any better than her last go at it).
You know, I guess that I am one of those people who enjoys people for who they are, and don’t necessarily find aging in a person a sign of unattractiveness. Truthfully, I think some women, and men, are more attractive with a few extra pounds than without. And look at all the statues from Rome and Greece- as natural as they come- and you’ll see that women were admired for having curves and bottom and bust.
Opera has always had some beautiful ladies and handsome men, and its not wrong to want the combination today. However what has always been a pleasure for me in opera is that beautiful voices come in all shapes and sizes, and so what is on stage is more ‘real to me, than in most other art forms.
Having said that, I for the life of me do NOT understand how anyone except the truly ill get as gigantic as someone like Voight did. Or Marc. Or a number of other singers. I will of course tolerate it for a truly great voice, like Marc has, but I wonder how, when you are working so hard you manage to get that big, or stay that big.
Being overweight and fit is one thing, but there is a limit. How can you breath? How can you move?
Maybe someone can enlighten me on this.
As far as having face lifts, well, I think doing surgery that isn’t necessary for your health is an unwarranted risk. I know of few people, including singers, who look so scary that they should contemplate it for their careers.
It doesn’t matter the opera is inside the entertainment industry, this is about the truisms of life, and everyone being born perfect isn’t reality.
Shakespeare has a wonderful sonnet talking about this.
I just saw a picture of AG,
http://66.187.153.86/Imgs/Turandot0607.08.jpg
and thought, that is such a plastic surgery nose! So I went looking for a ‘before’ picture, which was not hard to find:
http://www.imgartists.com/?page=artist&id=76
Is that also what a ‘rejuvinated jawline’ looks like?
I have to say I don’t know why people do that to themselves. Whatever flaws they may have imagined having, they end up looking more marked afterward, in my opinion.
La Cieca, please tell us the real answer!