Karen wrote:
<<It's fairly amazing to me that Jane Eaglen, of all people, should belecturing
us on staying healthy, and comparing her physical exertions with those of a
marathon runner. Actually - maybe it isn't so surprising. Given the physical
shape she's in, I imagine that the mere act of walking across the stage is, for
her, as physically demanding as running the marathon would be for someone who
was actually in good shape. If her idea of staying healthy is to maintain her
current weight, then "staying healthy" takes on a whole new meaning.>>
Karen, have you ever seen Jane Eaglen in opera in live performance? No? I
have. At the Met, in Tristan. To even get through that role, you have to be
in reasonably good shape. What did Nillsson say, what she needed most was a
comfortable pair of shoes?
I don't think she appears to be in bad physical shape or to have problems
moving around stage. She's in much better shape than I am, for sure. I saw
her in Tristan kneeling down, standing up, without moaning and groaning and
contortions, which is beyond me without help, and she's a much bigger girl than
I am.
Granted she's not graceful, but many thin people aren't graceful either, as I
wasn't when I was thin. I was always a klutz, and weight had nothing to do
with it. If anything, I move more gracefully now than I did then, as I have to
be more careful not to injure myself as I age. I'd say with her size, it's
very important to stay in shape. Weight is only weight, not physical condition.
Look how big the Sumo wrestlers or the super-heavyweight wrestlers or
weight-lifters are. Or how easily and gracefully performers like Jackie
Gleason and John Belushi moved on stage. We may not like aesthetically how
they look, and they may have health problems later in life than people who
weigh less (though thin people can also have medical problems as they age), but
they are not necessarily in bad physical condition just because they weigh more
than audience members like to look at.
---
Margaret Harrison, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
"Music for a While Shall All Your Cares Beguile"
mailto:peggyh@i...
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