While looking for singers to feature in this issue on health and wellness, I first turned to Google. I typed in “fit opera singers” and hit Enter. Google immediately replied, “Did you mean: fat opera singers?” And then it showed the top two results for the search words it thought I meant to type.
The first was an article from the UK’s the Register titled “Why Are Opera Singers Fat?” The second was a blog posting from the New York Crank called “What Is It with Fat Opera Singers?”
I then turned to managers, asking them if they had singers on their rosters who might have something to say about health, exercise, or nutrition. Every manager I contacted responded with a list of names, more than we could possibly interview for this issue. Those contacted were eager to share their stories and ideas, and you can read their thoughts on healthful eating while traveling (p. 40) and favorite exercise and eating habits (p. 52) in this issue.
Next, I sent out a survey to CS readers, asking for their input on diet and exercise. Again, the response was overwhelming. A small sampling of those comments appears in this issue (p. 32), and even more are featured at www.classicalsinger.com.
With so many singers passionate about living healthful lifestyles, the fat opera singer is certainly on its way to becoming a stereotype of the past (even if Google hasn’t realized it yet). It’s exciting to see so many singers committed to health, wellness, and taking care of their bodies—which are their instruments, after all.
And yet, with all of the good that comes of taking better care of ourselves, diet and exercise do not always equal improved health. With so many fad diets out there and varying ideas about what is healthy, it can be challenging to sort through the mess. And wrapped up in all of this is the issue of body image—misperceptions of what a healthy body should look like.
In a society that focuses so much on the physical appearance—from flawless skin to gorgeous hair to being the perfect shape and size with nary an ounce of cellulite on thigh or buttock—it can be far too easy to lose sight of what should be the goal: good health. As the opera world continues to follow the trends of theater, movies, television, and magazines and focus on appearance, we can feel overwhelming pressure to aspire to an unrealistic physical ideal.
So, how do we keep our eye on the ball and concentrate on health rather than size or weight? How do we set realistic and attainable goals? I have found inspiration in so many of the stories shared in this issue. Joseph Calleja, featured in this month’s cover story, slowly lost 50 pounds without being fanatical. M Ryan Taylor (p. 36) and Clara Hurtado Lee (p. 46) have found two practical exercise programs to fit their lifestyles and small and large weight loss goals. Mezzo Robin Flynn began running to fight depression, and has now found a truly soul-healing passion (p. 48).
With a new year just around the corner, it’s a perfect time for some self-assessment. May this issue inspire you, too, to do so with ration and reason. Let’s worry less about being fat and more about being fit.
