Mary Elizabeth Williams Discusses "Nabucco" And Marriage

Verdi Bad Girl: Mary Elizabeth Williams will play the role of Abigaille in Nabucco beginning in June.

"Mary Elizabeth Williams is soaking up the sights of Venice when I call. It’s little over a week until the soprano will be on stage in Cardiff for the opening night of Welsh National Opera’s new production of Nabucco and she’s got a few days off from rehearsals. But despite the short break from work, she’s still immersed in opera – for she’s in the Italian city to support her husband, Lorenzo Decaro, who’s appearing in Tosca at Teatro La Fenice. 'I’ve been to Venice before but it was so long ago that I hardly remember a thing,' says the 37-year-old who is originally from Philadelphia but now lives in Milan. 'I’m just here for a couple of days and we’ve been doing lots of walking around and enjoyed dinner with my husband’s colleagues. I like to eat local food and shop and just hang out. But I leave

The opera duo exchange wedding vows.
(Photo: Facebook)

tomorrow and head straight to Cardiff for rehearsals.' The couple have only been married for two months. They tied the knot during an intimate ceremony at Williams’ mother’s house in America little over a year after meeting when they played on-stage lovers in Aida in Palermo, Italy. 'I suppose it’s been a whirlwind by today’s standards – he asked me to marry him at Christmas and we figured if we didn’t get married now it could be difficult as we’re both working all the time.' She admits that she was 'hesitant' at first about starting a relationship with another opera singer. 'I don’t like to have romances on the road – I like to keep it professional and I avoid tenors at all costs as typically they’re very high maintenance,' she laughs. 'I was very reticent but he was very gentlemanly and patient and he always made it clear he was interested without stalking me. He won me over, I’m lucky.'" [Source] For more information about the Nabucco performances at Welsh National Opera, click here.

Alfie Boe Talks Being Naked For "La Traviata" in Wales

Do you keep fit at all?

I do, yeah. Doing Les Misérables is quite a workout in itself but when I’m not doing the show I usually spend time in the gym and go swimming. At one point, I did a lot of weights and was taking all the protein shakes and the supplements and I put on a lot of weight. I became really sort of muscle-bound. I was working out for a show because I had to take my clothes off in La Traviata. 

What? All your clothes?

Yeah, for the dress rehearsal the director wanted me to be stark naked on stage. It was OK. I built myself up to it and did it for the dress rehearsal and the audience went crazy, it was really weird. I got so many whoops, whistles, gasps and intakes of air that they actually cut the scene. So in the end, I just took my shirt off and kept my trousers on. It was an amazing experience though. Whenever I did do it the wings were full. And I didn’t mind. 

So this was full frontal?

Full-frontal, yeah. It was a bit scary. And a bit stupid, I don’t know (laughs). But I’m pretty happy with my manhood so…
[Source]