In another thread I mentioned an innovative Australian Opera 1993 production of La Boheme with a young, attractive, agile cast that just entranced me. Voices? Well, Cheryl Barker was pushing her limits, and although David Hobson is no Domingo, his light tenor hit the highest notes with ease. On the DVD, they looked good - or dare I say hot? And they ACTED. Maybe it's just Opera for the Common Folk, but it's a refreshing change from DVDs I've seen with overweight singers past their prime who are most unconvincing in their roles.

Looking good, or at least looking the part, adds to the experience. In this Boheme, Rodolfo could pick up Mimi and carry her to the couch, and Musetta and Marcello pushed each other around when they fought. They were supposed to be young, and they were.

No question that good looks will help the singer. Maybe in a purist mode it doesn't make any difference but in today's modern world, a singer with a good voice AND good looks will be in a better situation.

If a singer is a bit stocky, that is always okay but someone who's hugely overweight will have problems getting cast as The Duke or Gilda or whomever, so long as the company has the services of an equally good singer who's height/weight proportionate.

Like it or not, that's the way it is nowadays.

Well, one has to give singers a bit of slack - a lot of slack even. One has to accept that not everyone can be as pretty as Netrebko or as handsome as Domingo - or that whoever plays, say, Madama Butterfly is inevitably going to be too old for the part. But there are limits to everything. To have a Madama Butterfly who looks like for example Montserrat Caballé would be ridiculous.

Agreed. We all use suspension of disbelief -- after all, nobody stands around carrying a sword and sings -- but the cast should be at least reasonably fitted to their roles. I don't think anyone demands absolute verisimilitude.