By DANIEL J. WAKIN [NY Times, 9 November 2005]

The first mention of problems came on Jan. 19, a month after she sang with the New York Philharmonic.

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of the day, had been hospitalized for a lower back injury, Carnegie Hall announced, and would not be performing with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra on Jan. 23.