Celebrity Gastric Bypass: Deborah Voigt

It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings. But what happens when the so-called fat lady has gastric bypass surgery?

That's exactly what 44 year old acclaimed soprano Deborah Voigt did. Voigt, who has battled her weight since she was a teenager, began considering gastric bypass surgery when she noticed a weakness in her knees. She was also worried about the real risks of developing hypertension and/or diabetes.

But it may have been the dismissal from a Covent Garden production in 2004 that prompted her to take action. She was vocal about her suspicions of being dropped because of the size of her hips. Voigt is a dramatic soprano who has long been a favorite among Opera enthusiasts, singing Wagner, Verdi and Strauss. Fans were quite sympathetic to her plight when she expressed her frustration at being dismissed due to her failure to fit into a particular dress.

Ironically, it's still unlikely that the dress fits her. Now it is probably far too large. The diva has gone from a size 30 to a size 14. The photos at www.deborahvoigt.com show off the performer's slimming waistline and more defined cheekbones.

Gastric bypass surgery is only performed on the morbidly obese. It is a life-threatening procedure with high risk of infection following surgery. According to Lenox Hill Hospital, where Ms. Voigt had the surgery, the procedure "reduces the size of the stomach and reroutes food to the intestines. As a result patients eat less, feel full faster, and absorb fewer calories." And in Ms. Voigt's words, "You will comply. Because if you don't, you're going to be very, very ill."

While the risks of gastric bypass surgery are very real and rather daunting, the risks to her life were not the only ones Voigt had to take into consideration. Opera singers who undergo dramatic weight loss often suffer in vocal performance. Happily, this has not been the case with Voigt. She reports having an easier time of breathing and moving. She does have to think about her technique more, as she reported to the New York Times. But overall she sees it as "a blessing."