Outrage Ensues Over Critics' Attacks on Opera Singer's Physique

Outrage is ensuing as theatre critics walk a fine line between critique and insult. Comments over a young woman's physique in Glyndebourne's 'Der Rosenkavalier' opera has been the topic of criticism to many reviewers.

Andrew Clark in the FT says a singer as 'a chubby bundle of puppy-fat.'

Michael Church in the Independent pokes fun at 'a dumpy girl', while Andrew Clements in the Guardian refers to her as 'stocky'.

Even Richard Morrison in the Times calls her 'Unbelievable, unsightly and unappealing' and Rupert Christiansen in the Telegraph calls a singer 'dumpy' and another 'stressed by motherhood.'

Social media went wild with these insults. Some of the comments were:

- Just been reading the reviews of rosenkavalier at glyndebourne. Shame on every critic who wrote such cutting remarks about x's physique. Shame on you. Congratulations on crushing yet another young woman's self esteem.

- There's a real anger from musicians towards the Glyndebourne Rosenkav reviews and their hideous, overly personal comments.

- Open mouthed shock reading the Glyndebourne Rosenkav reviews. Such personal hateful comments on a singer's body. Totally deplorable.

In response, mezzo-soprano Alice Coote wrote an open letter to opera critics, saying, in part: "It is not about lights, it is not about costumes, it's not about sets, it's not even about sex or stature... It is ALL about the human voice. This is the Olympics of the human larynx attached to a heart and mind that wants to communicate to other hearts and minds....All the visual messages that a production and costume brings to an opera does not alter (even though they can try very hard) the fact that it's true success in moving and making an audience love the Art form lies in the voice that sails across the pit to the audience and into their ears."

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