Think Opera is for wusses? Think again.
Listening to CBC Radio 2 this morning (ugh...early afternoon) over coffee I hear the host say that Joyce DiDonato fractured her leg in the first half of opening night of a long run show, but went on to finish the night's performance on the fractured leg!!! She would then finish the shows run from a wheelchair!
Opera performances are the hardest vocal performance to give as there is usually no amplification of the singers, who have to soar over a huge orchestra.
Also, these links:
http://www.musicalcriticism.com/inte...o-2-1209.shtml
http://www.fanfaire.com/aria/didonato.html