Duet"We had a new director, 'daring' but not yet 'sensational,' for a production of Pagliacci at the old Met. Leonard Warren was Tonio and I [Robert Merrill] was cast as Silvio, the lover of young Nedda.
"Our Nedda, however, was a woman of a certain weight, about forty pounds more than mine. For our passionate duet, the director thoughtfully placed her in a chair and instructed me, 'Get on your knees and put your head in her lap.'
"I demurred sotto voce, 'But she doesn't have a lap.'
"'Well, snuggle as close as you can.'
"The only place my face could go was into her crotch. This evoked unsuppressed giggles from others in the cast. 'It looks bad,' I told the director.
"But he was determined to be creative. 'These are Italian peasants, they're passionate people.'
"I went back to my prenatal position and we started the duet. On a lovely phrase, my voice wobbled.
"'What's the trouble?' the director yelled.
"'I think I'm getting an echo.'"
Merrill, Robert Robert Miller (1917- ) American operatic baritone
[Sources: R. Merrill, Bewteen Acts: An Irreverent Look at Opera and Other Madness]More Robert Merrill anecdotesRelated Anecdote Keywords:
Surprises Singing Opera Bloopers Obesity Weight Echoes Noise Interruptions
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