Opera Star Sings Through Fracture

The phrase 'break a leg', said to bring luck to artistes performing on stage, has taken on a literal new meaning for US Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato.

Currently appearing in Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier’s staging of 'The Barber of Seville' at the Royal Opera House, the singer found herself in casualty after injuring herself on stage during the first act of the opening night performance.

Thinking she had only sprained her ankle, brave DiDonato who is playing the part of Rosina, battled on for three more hours right through to the end of Rossini 's opera. At one point, leading man Juan Diego Florez , performed the aria 'Cessa di piu resistere' while holding her up to ease her pain. 

Following her peformance, the singer was taken to the emergency room where it transpired that she had suffered a spiral fracture to her right fibula.

DiDonato paid tribute to her co-star and cast members for their support on her blog: "Yes - I broke my fibia. Fabulous. But it had a lot more to do with amazing colleagues helping me through every little step, astonishing music making at every single level, hair raising improvising by myself and my ridiculously brilliant cast, and a lot of patience on the part of the public." Read more on Joyce DiDonato's Blog .

The singer will complete the rest of the performances wearing her colourful new cast in a wheelchair!

'The Barber of Seville' runs until 18 July at the Royal Opera House, London, click here for more information.

Joyce DiDonato's next album,  Rossini: Opera Arias is released on Virgin Classics on 2 November 2009