Opera Singer Carries Alien in Belly
The "fat lady" sang for the New York City Opera's production of "Lucia di Lammermoor" on October 3. But the leading lady, Jennifer Welch-Babidge, wasn't fat, she was singing for two: the soprano was almost 7 months pregnant during her City Opera debut. (The little bundle of alien joy, a boy, is due to debut in December.)

Donzetti's opera has madness, stabbings, betrayals, and suicides. But no pregnant lady.

However, when Welch-Babidge, cast as lead Lucia, informed the Opera of her condition, they were unfazed. According to the New York Times, director James Robinson said "We found a way to incorporate it."

Robinson reported that Welch-Babidge's condition started having an effect on the work during rehearsals. "At times, it's actually quite interesting and moving and a bit horrifying… Clearly an intimacy has taken place between Edgardo and Lucia, and we are being frank about how sexual that relationship had been."

No lines were changed -- the opera was performed as written, with the pregnancy apparent only visually. "No one ever comes out and says, 'Oh, my gosh, Lucia, you're pregnant,'" said Robinson.

However, Anthony Tommasini notes, in his Sept. 15 review, "The problem is that staying faithful to the libretto… we hear from the stunned Enrico [Lucia's brother, arch-rival of Edgardo] is, "If you betray me, my fate is sealed!' Uh, Enrico, I think it's too late."

Renowned prima ballerina Anastasia Volochova was fired in September for getting too big. Even at a mere 100 pounds, the relatively tall (5 feet 6 inches) dancer was becoming too heavy for her dance partners to lift.

The Ballet is defying Russia's labor ministry, which declared the firing illegal. Apparently, it ain't over...

Read Tommasini's review of Lucia, or a UPI news service account

Read Classics Today's review

Read a bio of Welch-Babidge

Visit the New York City Opera

Explore the Bolshoi Ballet's English language site

Read more about Volochova's firing