Curtain falls for opera star

The show, they say, isn't over until the fat lady sings. But for Deborah Voigt, it's not going to start.

The world-famous soprano has been sacked by the Royal Opera House for being too fat.

The move may puzzle fans of Luciano Pavarotti or Montserrat Caballe.

Ms Voigt, who is estimated to weigh between 15 and 20 stone, was hired to sing the lead in Richard Strauss's Ariadne On Naxos at Covent Garden.

But casting director Peter Katona cancelled her contract for the June production after deciding the character's black dress would not suit her.

He also hinted the part was too energetic for a larger woman because it involved climbing up and down stairs, running about on stage and throwing herself on the floor. The decision has enraged the American diva, who is considering legal action over the cancelled contract.

'I have big hips and Covent Garden has a problem with them, or at least their casting director has. He has made it clear that I won't be singing in his house,' said the 43-year-old.

'I can only say that if I were running an opera house I would want the best singer for the role, whether they had hips or not.'

Her manager, Michael Benchetrit, added: 'Let's face it - Deborah is not monstrously heavy.'

The Royal Opera House has promised to reimburse Ms Voigt for lost earnings. Mr Katona has replaced her with Anne Schwanewilms, a less well-known but slimmer singer. He insisted he had made the right decision.

'Although Ms Voigt is a wonderful singer, the costume and production made it not such a fortunate suggestion that she should be in it,' he added.

'It is not just a question of how someone looks, it is also how they move on stage.'

It comes after Russian ballerina Anastasia Volochkova was sacked by the Bolshoi last year after male dancers complained she was too heavy to lift.

But the 27-year-old Volochkova claimed she was only 5ft 6in and weighed 7st 8lb.