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Beverly Sills

Mme. Hermine

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Mme. Hermine

Mme. Hermine

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The Associated Press is reporting that Beverly Sills is very ill:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19485316/

Beverly Sills, the opera diva who won over fans worldwide with her sparkling voice and charming personality and later became a powerhouse in the New York arts world, is gravely ill with cancer, The Associated Press has learned...The Met would neither confirm nor deny news of her illness, but people close to the situation said Sills was at a Manhattan hospital, with her daughter at her side.
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bart

bart

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This is truly sad news. Sills has been the human face of the classical arts in America for almost as long as I can remember -- funny, warm, supportive, empathic, hard-working, no-nonsense, sharp as a button, and totally committed to her art and to the audience. A great lady -- in the American manner at its best.

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Natalia

Natalia

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This truly saddens me. Sills became 'my' special opera star when she took part in one of the early-1970s Casals Festivals in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I was a kid but still remember that concert as if it were yesterday! Her voice, special beauty & bubbly personality won me over to opera & the classical arts, way before I ever discovered ballet. I am hoping & wishing the best for her and her family at this moment.

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MakarovaFan

MakarovaFan

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This is truly sad news. Sills has been the human face of the classical arts in America for almost as long as I can remember -- funny, warm, supportive, empathic, hard-working, no-nonsense, sharp as a button, and totally committed to her art and to the audience. A great lady -- in the American manner at its best.

Bart put it so well. Sills is a great artist and advocate for the arts. I still think her Violetta is one if the best ever. Let's hope for a miracle that she beats this cancer. My heart goes out to her family and friends.

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dirac

dirac

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Thank you for posting this, Mme. Hermine. This does not sound good at all. I recall seeing an obituary for her husband not long ago and I understand he had been ill for a long time. She must have had a heavy burden to carry.

I never saw her live but I love her early recordings. She was the first person I can recall identifying as an 'opera star' as a kid; I'm sure that was true for many. My best wishes go out to her and her family.

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papeetepatrick

papeetepatrick

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Bart put it so well.

I agree, and that she had a true American style at its warmest and best.

I heard her with the NYC Opera once, in 'Lucia' and that was thrilling, I was very young. In the same period, I once saw her out in that little piece of park that used to be (I don't think it still is) across from the Empire Hotel and O'Neal's Baloon, a lot of buses would stop there. She was wearing this rich blue dress, almost electric-blue but like a muted version of that, and I remember that I recognized her only when she moved, because it was exactly like the majestic movement one sees on the opera stage.

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Paul Parish

Paul Parish

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She was a great human being, and a very great force for good -- her performances themselves MADE the case for a certain kind of singing, but the fact that she was so personable, so funny, and so human -- she could actually guest-host the Johnny Carson show -- made her the ideal spokesperson for opera and the high arts: there was nothing "elitist" about her, but so much that was excellent. She knew when to be vulgar, and when to be delicate, and she was great at both. Kinda like Peggy Lee all over again.

The Times obit is full of information, and if you don't know her life story, well, do yourself a favor, read it. SHe hada hard life. She said of herself, "I don't see myself as a happy woman; but I am a cheerful woman. The work helped me make it." (something like that.)

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bart

bart

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A personal sense of loss. Like losing a close friend. Not many public figures actually have touched me on that level -- but Beverly Sills was one.

As with richard53dog, Sills was the first opera singer I really related to. I've been thinking about some of her performances (the run-of-the-mill as well as the breakthroughs like Guilio Cesare and the Siege of Corinth), but I have to admit that my strongest memories are of things like:

-- her curtain calls at the old NYC Opera and Sarah Caldwell's Boston Opera -- she was so full of joy;

-- the way she introduced the Lincoln Center presentations on PBS -- making them happy, accessible events, rather like old friends she couldn't wait for you to meet, without ever being condescending to them or the audience;

-- the recognizability of her voice, even when you turned on the radio in the middle of something -- "That's Beverly Sills! I know her."

Paul's tribute is wonderful. I will be thinking, especially, of this part ...

The Times obit is full of information, and if you don't know her life story, well, do yourself a favor, read it. SHe hada hard life. She said of herself, "I don't see myself as a happy woman; but I am a cheerful woman. The work helped me make it." (something like that.)
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Mme. Hermine

Mme. Hermine

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i remember at the met when i saw her, and i know this was probably the staging, nonetheless, the first sight of her in don pasquale, if i recall correctly, she was in a hammock, with a book, smoking a cigarette! i so laughed and it was a really happy performance. later when as norina she is introduced to the old man with a view toward tricking him into marrying her, and presented as a shy young convent raised girl with a veil over her head and they lift the veil so he can see her, and in italian, her voice just quivered - "a MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!". again i laughed so hard. she didn't write the words, she didn't do the staging, but it was because of her.

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dirac

dirac

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the recognizability of her voice, even when you turned on the radio in the middle of something -- "That's Beverly Sills! I know her."

All too recognizable, once she had taken up what seemed to be permanent residence in Wobble City. She did not retire too soon. It's most unfortunate that she did so little recording in her very best years.

I listened last night to her "Se pieta" from Giulio Cesare. The angels in heaven trill like that. I recall also a clip from the recent PBS documentary, "Beverly Sills: Made in America" where she sings Baby Doe with Douglas Moore listening. So moving.

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Farrell Fan

Farrell Fan

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I was fortunate enough to have seen and heard her in her prime -- as Baby Doe, Cleopatra, Manon, The Three Queens... Sills performed all these great roles at New York City Opera during the years when she was ignored, or even snubbed, by the Met. By the time she made her Met debut. she was past her vocal peak. That's why it seemed ironic when she became a pillar of that institution after she'd retired from performing. As an administrator, she undertook everything with with great brio and skill. But I still think of her as one of the great sopranos of her time. I can see and hear her now in Manon, on her knees, bidding goodbye to their little table. Adieu.

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dirac

dirac

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At this very sad time do we really need to go down this road?

Forgive me if I sound blunt, Brioche, but it's a route that can no more be avoided in a discussion of Sills than a discussion of Callas.

But I still think of her as one of the great sopranos of her time. I can see and hear her now in Manon, on her knees, bidding goodbye to their little table.

I remember reading that she regarded it as one of her best roles, as did others. She had lovely French diction, too.

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