Call Me Debbie

Internationally beloved opera star Deborah Voigt recounts her harrowing and ultimately successful private battles to overcome the addictions and self-destructive tendencies that nearly destroyed her life. Call Me Debbie is one of the most electrifying performances of Deborah Voigt’s life. The brilliantly gifted opera soprano takes us behind the velvet curtains to tell her compelling story—a tale of success, addiction, music, and faith as dramatic as any role she has performed. For the first time, she talks about the events that led to her dangerous gastric bypass surgery in 2004 and its shocking aftermath: her substantial weight loss coupled with the “cross addiction” that led to severe alcoholism, frightening all-night blackouts, and suicide attempts. Ultimately, Voigt emerged from the darkness to achieve complete sobriety, thanks to a twelve-step program and a recommitment to her Christian faith. Colored by hilarious anecdotes and juicy gossip that illuminate what really goes on backstage, Voigt paints diverting portraits of the artists with whom she’s worked, her most memorable moments onstage, and her secrets to great singing. She also offers fascinating insight into the roles she’s played and the characters she loves, including Strauss’s Ariadne and Salome, Puccini’s Minnie, and Wagner’s Sieglinde, Isolde, and Brünnhilde, sharing her intense preparation for playing them. Filled with eight pages of color photos, Call Me Debbie is an inspirational story that offers a unique look into the life of a modern artist and a remarkable woman. Onstage, she was a world-renowned soprano. Offstage, she was fighting for her life. Body Image and Weight Loss: The raw story of her dangerous gastric bypass surgery and the shocking “cross addiction” aftermath that no one saw coming. Addiction and Sobriety: A courageous account of severe alcoholism, terrifying blackouts, and the twelve-step program that helped her find complete sobriety. Backstage at the Met: Juicy gossip and hilarious, heartfelt portraits of the artists she worked with, from Plácido Domingo to Luciano Pavarotti. An Opera Singer's Life: Fascinating insights into her most famous roles, including the secrets to playing Strauss’s Ariadne and Wagner’s Brünnhilde.