omg the drama llama pewped all over the Metropolitan Opera stage last night at the performance of Tristan und Isolde, as soprano Deborah Voigt as Isolde was forced from the stage mid act from a sudden bout of nausea. A$$Press reports and La Cieca was there, and NYTimes is all over it.
It's cooties galore @ the shatteringly bright Dieter Dorn production, which has been problematic from the inception, with tenor Ben Heppner earlier bowing-out of the first four performances (citing a hardy virus), replaced first by John Mac Master and then last night's Gary Lehman.
At around 9:30 pm last night, Voigt was reported to have fled offstage, leaving Levine and the orchestra in the lurch. Voigt's cover was OC aficionada, big-voiced Strauss and Berg and Wagner girl and all-out milf (I mean, check out those bikini pix) Janice Baird -- Queen Janice was thankfully was on hand, as Voigt had confided in Gelb earlier that day of stomach issues. Baird donned Voigt's costume and finished the five-hour opera without incident. Baird in Voigt's costume? In 48 hours, she'll be down on the bathroom floor! It's like having intimate relations with every singer that ever wore it! Ewwww!
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We wish Voigt a speedy recovery and congratulate Baird for rushing to the rescue.
* (Mrs. Baird photo via www.janicebaird.com)