Pregnant Soprano Dropped From Hamburg ‘Magic Flute’

Julie Fuchs says that the management of the Hamburg State Opera has informed her that she cannot perform the role of Pamina in this spring’s production of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte because “the artistic integrity of the production cannot be maintained if the soprano singing Pamina is four months pregnant.” Management has replied that German law expressly forbids employment of a pregnant woman in any situation that could harm her or her fetus.