Category Archives: Beverly Sills

Up And Down ~ Early Evening Thoughts

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Just a couple of notes … I had a visit to the doctor today, and she was very pleased with my progress. She is very sure that it was bronchitis AND a viral infection. Of course, she had to add something she didn’t tell me the other day ~ which was her concern that it would digress into pneumonia. I’m glad she didn’t add that to the mix, my mind was already working overtime on possible problems. Thank you for those who added comments or emails. They were very encouraging, uplifting and ~ frankly ~ a great comfort to me.

And I am happy to report I am about 98% healthy. There is still a little coughing – at least I can talk in complete sentences now – and some “residual” issues. However, I can report I am back in the “pink” of things and enjoying being up and around once again.

The “down” news of the day is that Beverly Sills lost her battle against cancer today. And a beautiful voice has been silenced and a major supporter of the arts and people is no more. And yes, I had a chance to meet her ~ and she was as delightful as people say she was!!! A true artist and a wonderful human being ~ for whom no one was beneath her ~ and as a result had a zest for life and people!!

I said in the last post, that I couldn’t find a video of her performances with her close friend Carol Burnett — but I finally did … a wonderful mash-up of jazz and opera. It’s on the Beverly Sills website, so I can’t embed the video … but —>here is the link<— which is appropriately titled "The Farewell Medley." One final video … At the age of seven, Sills was chosen to be in the film short “Uncle Sol Solves It” in which she played a precocious singer whose family had various ideas about where she should study voice. She is taken to sing for Uncle Sol in his “Problem Court.” He decides, after her perky rendition of the Arditi classic, that she should study in America. (performed in 1936)

And so I say farewell to a wonderful person, an incredible talent and a person who only wanted the best in all she put her hand to do…and expected no less from those around her.

—more tomorrow

Potporroui ~ Early Evening Thoughts

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Tomorrow I promise to tell several of the “complex stories,” including the almost indestructible lock story. But for tonight ~ a couple of items:

First of all ~ One of the bright lights of the performing world is (at last report) gravely ill with cancer. Beverly Sills (AKA Bubbles – her childhood nickname), conquered the opera world opera house by opera house. It’s ironic that she didn’t perform at the Metropolitan Opera House until shortly before her retirement. She was an amazing performer, but more important she was a wonderful person as well. When she retired from singing she became a force for all the performing arts. She was heavily involved with the New York City Opera and the Met, but she also championed all the arts.

One story concerns her debut performance at one of the most legendary opera houses in the world ~ La Scala. The performance venue was known for “diva” behavior by its stars and those who performed. As a matter of fact it was expected. There is probably no person less like a diva than Ms. Sills.

As the story goes – there was a problem with one of her costumes ~ as in ugly, didn’t fit, etc. She made several attempts to work with the costumer to no avail. At this point, evidently, a hush fell over the rehearsal as people watched to see what she would do – and establish herself as a true diva.

In typical Beverly Sills fashion, she took the costumer’s scissors and proceeded ~ without a word ~ to cut the dress into shreds. She then handed the scissors back to the costumer and hung up the costume on the rack. Still without a word, she restarted rehearsal. Legend has it that there was applause from cast and crew – and she cemented her place as a La Scala Diva.

My thoughts and prayers are with her … and here is a performance from 1976 – singing Una Voce Poco Fa!!

Oh, and there was nothing “stuffy” about her either ~ here she performs with Danny Kaye and managed to completely “break him up” at one point:

She also performed with Carol Burnett as well as the Muppets. I couldn’t find a clip of her duet with Carol Burnett, but I did find this Muppet show clip (it’s not in English ~ so the speaking (not singing)is dubbed.

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I really should save this for an afternoon — but it’s just too funny to pass up. This really is a Late Evening Time Waster and I’m not responsible for lost sleep as you continue to —>press the button<—- ~over and over and over …. (thanks to the thinking blog)

And with that – the almost last doses of medicine have “wiped me out” …

—More tomorrow