# Beverly Sills



## Herkku (Apr 18, 2010)

Any fans of Beverly Sills here? I must admit that I am. An acquired taste. Her voice is not very beautiful to begin with: brittle and tends to spread above anything beyond mezzoforte. BUT: What a technique! And what a sense of style! The latter could easily be debatable, because she felt completely free to ornamentate bel canto arias to her own liking, interpolating high notes on the way, and this was very much not the thing to do for a time. And a real trill! What a thrill!

Maybe her V'adoro pupille was a bit over-the-top, but it was the first version I ever heard. Imagine my disappointment when I saw Giulio Cesare at The Finnish National Opera without any ornamentation! The same disappointment happened with I Capuleti e i Montecchi. I was deeply infatuated with Beverly's version of Oh! Quante volte with the high notes in the end. No such things were allowed in the complete recording of the opera with Janet Baker. But I love her Three Donizetti Queens! Coppia iniqua! from the ending of Anna Bolena is for me the way to sing it, even if no-one else does. Similarly, the ending of Maria Stuarda is for me the best.

Maybe she should have left Norma alone, but everyone makes mistakes - typing errors, for example...


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Herkku said:


> Any fans of Beverly Sills here? I must admit that I am. An acquired taste. Her voice is not very beautiful to begin with: brittle and tends to spread above anything beyond mezzoforte. BUT: What a technique! And what a sense of style! *The latter could easily be debatable, because she felt completely free to ornamentate bel canto arias to her own liking, interpolating high notes on the way,* and this was very much not the thing to do for a time. And a real trill! What a thrill!












I am attacted to many of her performances exactly for that reason, bold ornament and dramatatic individual presentation in the way the original composers of bel canto wanted great singers to flaunt thier talents.........

Her collection of 3 Donizetti tudor queens is perhaps best ever recorded in good sound quality (Callas reigns supreme in lesser sound) and I mentioned in the CD thread that our friends at Brilliant recently released budget priced versions of these gems:



*Not a big fan of her baroque work however like Cesare.........*
The recent influx of Naive Vivaldi operas and all the exciting new young new generation baroque singers and conductors have rendered the famous older recordings relics for me


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

*You mentioned Norma.........*

I am pretty impressed with Sills "lighter" version and like it better than the much praised Caballe or Sutherland, she has more emotion and drama especially compared to Caballe........Callas reigns supreme however as my ultimate Norma


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Herkku said:


> Any fans of Beverly Sills here? I must admit that I am. An acquired taste. Her voice is not very beautiful to begin with: brittle and tends to spread above anything beyond mezzoforte. BUT: What a technique! And what a sense of style! The latter could easily be debatable, because she felt completely free to ornamentate bel canto arias to her own liking, interpolating high notes on the way, and this was very much not the thing to do for a time. And a real trill! What a thrill!
> 
> Maybe her V'adoro pupille was a bit over-the-top, but it was the first version I ever heard. Imagine my disappointment when I saw Giulio Cesare at The Finnish National Opera without any ornamentation! The same disappointment happened with I Capuleti e i Montecchi. I was deeply infatuated with Beverly's version of Oh! Quante volte with the high notes in the end. No such things were allowed in the complete recording of the opera with Janet Baker. But I love her Three Donizetti Queens! Coppia iniqua! from the ending of Anna Bolena is for me the way to sing it, even if no-one else does. Similarly, the ending of Maria Stuarda is for me the best.
> 
> Maybe she should have left Norma alone, but everyone makes mistakes - typing errors, for example...


She has the exact same effect on me. I find it a bit dangerous to explore an opera for the first time when she is singing it, because then her ornamentation will get stuck in my head and I'll miss it when I listen to other versions. But I love her. I was sad when she passed away.


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## petelovesbevsills (Nov 25, 2010)

I am absolutely crazy about Beverly Sills. She has a "Special magical Beverly thing" when she sings and I love it. Beverly wrote to me and I treasure her and her husband's letters. How lucky you were to have seen Beverly in performance. I would have donated organs and limbs to have just seen her once inmy lifetime!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

petelovesbevsills said:


> I am absolutely crazy about Beverly Sills. She has a "Special magical Beverly thing" when she sings and I love it. Beverly wrote to me and I treasure her and her husband's letters. How lucky you were to have seen Beverly in performance. I would have donated organs and limbs to have just seen her once inmy lifetime!


Hey, a new member whose first post is in praise of Beverly Sills! Good start!!! Welcome to the forum!


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## petelovesbevsills (Nov 25, 2010)

Thank you for your welcome message! I am a a member of the TABSS (The Assoluta Beverly Sills Society) There are a bunch of us who have bumped into one another through YouTube, facebook and beverlysillsonline.com, who also call ourselves the "Beverly Sills Crazies"! Amongst us we have a music professor who is in the throes of writing a book on Beverly.....long overdue....and we absolutely LOVE sharing Beverly Sills stories and uploading Sills clips. Four of us are honoured to have Muffy Greenough and Beverly's cousin, Mr Traffic, as our F/B friends. I go into complete meltdown when I listen to Beverly's early live and studio recordings, I have never stopped adoring Beverly for forty years.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

petelovesbevsills said:


> Thank you for your welcome message! I am a a member of the TABSS (The Assoluta Beverly Sills Society) There are a bunch of us who have bumped into one another through YouTube, facebook and beverlysillsonline.com, who also call ourselves the "Beverly Sills Crazies"! Amongst us we have a music professor who is in the throes of writing a book on Beverly.....long overdue....and we absolutely LOVE sharing Beverly Sills stories and uploading Sills clips. Four of us are honoured to have Muffy Greenough and Beverly's cousin, Mr Traffic, as our F/B friends. I go into complete meltdown when I listen to Beverly's early live and studio recordings, I have never stopped adoring Beverly for forty years.


Wow, that's interesting! Bring your friends to the forum as well!


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

petelovesbevsills said:


> Thank you for your welcome message! I am a a member of the TABSS (The Assoluta Beverly Sills Society) There are a bunch of us who have bumped into one another through YouTube, facebook and beverlysillsonline.com, who also call ourselves the "Beverly Sills Crazies"! Amongst us we have a music professor who is in the throes of writing a book on Beverly.....long overdue....and we absolutely LOVE sharing Beverly Sills stories and uploading Sills clips. Four of us are honoured to have Muffy Greenough and Beverly's cousin, Mr Traffic, as our F/B friends. I go into complete meltdown when I listen to Beverly's early live and studio recordings, I have never stopped adoring Beverly for forty years.


What are your absolute favorite 3-4 recordings by Sills? (that can be purchased today)

I think her La Traviata, Donizetti tudor queens, and Tales of Hoffman are excellent


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> Wow, that's interesting! Bring your friends to the forum as well!


Yes bring them all in...........this is a very good, friendly, active opera forum!


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## scytheavatar (Aug 27, 2009)

DarkAngel said:


> What are your absolute favorite 3-4 recordings by Sills? (that can be purchased today)
> 
> I think her La Traviata, Donizetti tudor queens, and Tales of Hoffman are excellent


I love her Lucia di Lammermoor too, especially when it's one of the few recordings that features the glass harmonica in the mad scene.


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## petelovesbevsills (Nov 25, 2010)

Here goes, DarkAngel: Lucia, Maria Stuarda, Manon, Anna Bolena and not least, surprise surprise, Ballad of Baby Doe. Sorry, thats five and if I could have a few more it would be Traviata, Tales of Hoffman, and Mozart and Strauss arias! Oh, I suppose I could go on to the end of her recording career really! Beverly' voice was in pristine condition for these recordings and I just love them. The mad scene in Lucia was completely unique, no one has ever tried to do what Beverly did!


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

petelovesbevsills said:


> Here goes, DarkAngel: Lucia, Maria Stuarda, Manon, Anna Bolena and not least, surprise surprise, Ballad of Baby Doe. Sorry, thats five and if I could have a few more it would be Traviata, Tales of Hoffman, and Mozart and Strauss arias! Oh, I suppose I could go on to the end of her recording career really! Beverly' voice was in pristine condition for these recordings and I just love them. The mad scene in Lucia was completely unique, no one has ever tried to do what Beverly did!




I forgot that 1970 Westminster label Lucia (also mentioned by scytheavatar) which I do have in my collection also featuring young Sills......made quite an impression

The Donizetti tudor queens is almost universally loved/praised set of recordings

I must admit to never hearing Baby Doe other than a track on a Sills collection.....
Am I missing something special?


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## Herkku (Apr 18, 2010)

I am glad to see that there are other Sills fans in the forum! Just ordered her L'Assedio di Corintho.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Herkku said:


> I am glad to see that there are other Sills fans in the forum! Just ordered her L'Assedio di Corintho.


Are you talking about a live version............
I sold this a few months ago since sound quality was not good enough for me 

I want the studio version with Verrett but it costs a freaking small fortune!


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## Herkku (Apr 18, 2010)

Yes, I'm talking about the live version with Horne. Too bad, if the sound quality is not good. I just read some of the comments in amazon.com. It seemed that some people couldn't live without it.


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## petelovesbevsills (Nov 25, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> I forgot that 1970 Westminster label Lucia (also mentioned by scytheavatar) which I do have in my collection also featuring young Sills......made quite an impression
> 
> The Donizetti tudor queens is almost universally loved/praised set of recordings
> 
> ...


I love Baby Doe, it was recorded in 1958. Beverly's voice is very young sounding. It was re released on Deutchse Gramophon label in 1976to celebrate the bicentennial. Glorious singing and Beverly certainly sings her final aria heartwrenchingly. I adore this opera.


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## petelovesbevsills (Nov 25, 2010)

What a pity you don't seem to get my mesages. I would have loved to have made you copies of my Live Sills la Scala AND her live premiere at the Met in the Seige too. Maybe I am not sending the messages correctly to you Herkku.


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## Herkku (Apr 18, 2010)

It's not that. I'm unable to recieve personal messages right now, but we have "top men" dealing with the problem!


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Yes I am a fan of Beverly Sills. I had the three queens but what really set me off was when I got her on DVD playing Marie in Daughter of the Regiment. Absolutely wonderful performance and an adorable Marie! Now I have been picking up Beverly Sills operas and aria sets to add to my collection.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> Yes I am a fan of Beverly Sills. I had the three queens but what really set me off was when I got her on DVD playing Marie in Daughter of the Regiment. Absolutely wonderful performance and an adorable Marie! Now I have been picking up Beverly Sills operas and aria sets to add to my collection.


This is the most reliable source Florestan http://www.beverlysillsonline.com/
No loud screaming and hysteric behaviour , just plain adoration :tiphat:


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

I was listening to Sills yesterday in the Mad Scene from ANNA BOLENA. I like her voice so far as it goes, but for my taste it was too girlish sounding for some of the roles she sang: e.g. the Donizetti Queens. She had an ideal voice for Gilda in RIGOLETTO, but unfortunately she made her complete recording when she was past her prime (1978, with Milnes and Kraus). I would like to hear that Bellini and Donizetti album she made in the 1960's when she was in her prime, but last time I checked it was unavailable on CD.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Bellinilover said:


> I was listening to Sills yesterday in the Mad Scene from ANNA BOLENA. I like her voice so far as it goes, but for my taste it was too girlish sounding for some of the roles she sang: e.g. the Donizetti Queens. She had an ideal voice for Gilda in RIGOLETTO, but unfortunately she made her complete recording when she was past her prime (1978, with Milnes and Kraus). I would like to hear that Bellini and Donizetti album she made in the 1960's when she was in her prime, but last time I checked it was unavailable on CD.


it's still available, at ridiculous high price

http://www.amazon.com/Bellini-Doniz...r=1-4&keywords=beverly+sills+bellini+heroines

Edit at 9.23.
On eBay:

http://www.ebay.nl/itm/BEVERLY-SILL...101425?hash=item2364268531:g:~xwAAOSwwbdWM5Qe


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Bellinilover said:


> I was listening to Sills yesterday in the Mad Scene from ANNA BOLENA. I like her voice so far as it goes, but for my taste it was too girlish sounding for some of the roles she sang: e.g. the Donizetti Queens. She had an ideal voice for Gilda in RIGOLETTO, but unfortunately she made her complete recording when she was past her prime (1978, with Milnes and Kraus). I would like to hear that Bellini and Donizetti album she made in the 1960's when she was in her prime, but last time I checked it was unavailable on CD.


I've made this point several times myself. On record at least, the voice is too light for the Donizetti Queens. It lacks grandeur, something that comes naturally to such as Callas, Sutherland and Caballe. My favourite of her recordings are her Giulietta in *I Capuleti e i Montecchi*, and her *Manon*.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I want this but am a bit put off by the pricing. About $25 plus shipping used online. This is the longer, 3CD edition, vs the one with Pavarotti that is only 2CD. What does anyone here think of this performance? Worth my $$?









Alternate covers:









Ugh (what was the designer thinking with this one?):


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> I want this but am a bit put off by the pricing. About $25 plus shipping used online. This is the longer, 3CD edition, vs the one with Pavarotti that is only 2CD. What does anyone here think of this performance? Worth my $$?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


My copy: Sutherland/ Pavarotti has also 3 CD'S 
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Decca/4175882


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> My copy: Sutherland/ Pavarotti has also 3 CD'S
> http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Decca/4175882


Yes, but not the Sills Pavarotti: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000019WS

The Sills set with 3 CD is 2 hr, 54 minutes long
(http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/search.php?searchString=puritani+sills), 
which would not fit 2 CDs so we know the Sills Pavarotti must have cuts.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Well I must admit that I was not a big fan of the Barber of Seville, but with Beverly Sills it is hard not to like the Barber of Seville. However, I only find the Levine recording on CD. The Caldwell recording seems to be only on VHS and no Cd sets.










There are several different CD covers but all Levine:


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> Well I must admit that I was not a big fan of the Barber of Seville, but with Beverly Sills it is hard not to like the Barber of Seville. However, I only find the Levine recording on CD. The Caldwell recording seems to be only on VHS and no Cd sets.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's correct, but sparkling enough though .
The VHS ( now on none commercial DVD) is a jolly good watch:tiphat:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> That's correct, but sparkling enough though .
> The VHS ( now on none commercial DVD) is a jolly good watch:tiphat:


Am checking out a You Tube of it, but hopefully the picture is much better on VHS. VHS can be converted to DVD too, but I think it is costly to have it done. Maybe worth it though. Besides Beverly as Rosina, I really like Figaro in that one.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

DarkAngel said:


> I forgot that 1970 Westminster label Lucia (also mentioned by scytheavatar) which I do have in my collection also featuring young Sills......made quite an impression
> 
> The Donizetti tudor queens is almost universally loved/praised set of recordings
> 
> ...


And DA did you listen too it in the last 5 years?


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## Jeffrey Smith (Jan 2, 2016)

Florestan said:


> Am checking out a You Tube of it, but hopefully the picture is much better on VHS. VHS can be converted to DVD too, but I think it is costly to have it done. Maybe worth it though. Besides Beverly as Rosina, I really like Figaro in that one.


If it is the same one I dimly remember seeing on Great Performances many years ago, it is very much worth getting.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> Am checking out a You Tube of it, but hopefully the picture is much better on VHS. VHS can be converted to DVD too, but I think it is costly to have it done. Maybe worth it though. Besides Beverly as Rosina, I really like Figaro in that one.


If you are quick you can buy the DVD for only $ 3.00


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> If you are quick you can buy the DVD for only $ 3.00


Yes, but not subtitles. The You Tube has English subtitles.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> Yes, but not subtitles. The You Tube has English subtitles.


Are we talking about the Barber? 
Mine has subtitles


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> Are we talking about the Barber?
> Mine has subtitles


Good with subtitles. Hey, I just ordered this book from my library. There is another book, _Bubbles: An Encore by Beverly Sill_s, that they don't have. Maybe I will buy a copy but first the one from the library.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> Good with subtitles. Hey, I just ordered this book from my library. There is another book, _Bubbles: An Encore by Beverly Sill_s, that they don't have. Maybe I will buy a copy but first the one from the library.


Bubbles is a really good and and funny book :tiphat:


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

On this day in 1975 soprano Beverly Sills made her Met Opera debut! She starred as Pamira in Rossini's The Siege of Corinth, alongside Justino Diaz as Maometto.
http://archives.metoperafamily.org/...t=50&xBranch=ALL&xsdate=&xedate=&theterm=Sill


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> Bubbles is a really good and and funny book :tiphat:


Ah, you broke my resistance, I ordered a copy of ebay. $5.49 shipped!


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

ldiat said:


> On this day in 1975 soprano Beverly Sills made her Met Opera debut! She starred as Pamira in Rossini's The Siege of Corinth, alongside Justino Diaz as Maometto.
> http://archives.metoperafamily.org/...t=50&xBranch=ALL&xsdate=&xedate=&theterm=Sill


Can't help myself. Your post inspired me to check out recordings. Just bought this one on CD! Think it's the same one anyway. If not, close enough. All that matters is Sills. Nice to have Horne too. Now maybe I should go to Wikipedia and see just what this opera is all about. I have no idea.

Hmm, not much on wikipedia for plot. I see three recordings with Sills listed, and all three have Justino Diaz. Mine is 1969 so not the one posted above, but I like the idea of Marilyn Horne, as I don't have her on anything.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

ldiat said:


> On this day in 1975 soprano Beverly Sills made her Met Opera debut! She starred as Pamira in Rossini's The Siege of Corinth, alongside Justino Diaz as Maometto.
> http://archives.metoperafamily.org/...t=50&xBranch=ALL&xsdate=&xedate=&theterm=Sill


Thank you for this lovely contribution, much appropriated:tiphat:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Just ordered off Ebay:


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Florestan said:


> Just ordered off Ebay:


When was the last time an opera star was on the cover of Time?? I suspect this.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

They also have this one:


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

To show what a wonderful woman she was:tiphat:


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

*


Florestan said:



Just ordered off Ebay:








Click to expand...

*









_"I 'love you' Beverly, but. . ."_


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## Jeffrey Smith (Jan 2, 2016)

Marschallin Blair said:


> *
> *
> 
> 
> ...


That Time cover is actually very close to how Gloriana looked in her last years: her makeup was nearly a complete mask to hide the fact that she was an old woman: 69 years old at the time of her death, at that time a very advanced age.
This is supposed to be her in 1595, age 61 or so









For what I think is a ghastly triple play by Sills in the make-up department, try this which Florestan just posted in the Opera Purchases thread.








Only the far right inset looks human.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Jeffrey Smith said:


> That Time cover is actually very close to how Gloriana looked in her last years: her makeup was nearly a complete mask to hide the fact that she was an old woman: 69 years old at the time of her death, at that time a very advanced age.
> This is supposed to be her in 1595, age 61 or so
> 
> 
> ...


It's called _stage make-up_ in case you didn't know.:angel:


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

Actually, its called "_Sashay away, first-to-be-sent-home on RuPaul's Drag Race_" make-up.


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)




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## silentio (Nov 10, 2014)

I like Sills the best _L 'Assedio di Corinto_; the EMI studio recording is great, but the live performance in 1969 at La Scala is even better:






Another role fits her like a glove is Giulieta in I Capuleti e I Montecchi. Her EMI recording is famous, but again she is even better in some earlier excerpts:






Any one recommend a good performance of Sills in _The Ballad for Baby Doe?_. Her Willow Song is often cited as one of her best moments.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

silentio said:


> I like Sills the best _L 'Assedio di Corinto_; the EMI studio recording is great, but the live performance in 1969 at La Scala is even better:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Such a beautiful voice and great personality, in every sense of the word :tiphat:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

DarkAngel said:


> Are you talking about a live version............
> I sold this a few months ago since sound quality was not good enough for me
> 
> I want the studio version with Verrett but it costs a freaking small fortune!


Yeah the D'oro is not the greatest sound quality but Horne is great. If only the Verrett one were not so expensive. However, there is another release of the Horne performance on Legato that has somewhat better sound, which I purchased for that reason. Here are some clips to show the difference:

Very apparent sound quality different in this clip:
Clip from disk 2: D'Oro vs. Legato

Not so apparent in this clip
Clip from disk 1: D'Oro  vs. Legato.

To me, it was worth it to buy the Legato for $10 shipped even though I had already purchased the D'Oro ($6 shipped). Now to get rid of the D'Oro set.

EDIT: note that the D'oro/Legato releases are of a 1969 performance vs the other one is about 1975. Would Sills' voice be much better in '69 than mid '70s?


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I have been looking at the Merry Widow with Sills and only find a highlights set on CD and only one listing showing a poor image of the reverse side of the CD. Is it the case that the full Merry Widow is not available on CD for Sills?

Here are cover image and clips from Allmusic.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> I have been looking at the Merry Widow with Sills and only find a highlights set on CD and only one listing showing a poor image of the reverse side of the CD. Is it the case that the full Merry Widow is not available on CD for Sills?
> 
> Here are cover image and clips from Allmusic.


Only highlights on EMI Florestan( the one under your link):tiphat:


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)




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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

ldiat said:


>


The ones with Carol Burnett are even more fun to watch :lol:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

or with the muppets!


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> or with the muppets!


I have that one on DVD , can't stop laughing when we watch it.:lol:


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Florestan said:


> or with the muppets!


Yes, wonderful! Down-to-earth and approachable, Sills helped dispel the traditional image of the temperamental opera diva. I mean, could you imagine Callas duetting with Miss Piggy? :lol:

Something from Wiki:

'Following Sir Rudolf Bing's departure as director, Sills finally made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera on April 7, 1975 in The Siege of Corinth, receiving an eighteen-minute ovation. Other operas she sang at the Met include La traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor, Thaïs, and Don Pasquale (directed by John Dexter). In an interview after his retirement, Bing stated that his refusal to use Sills, as well as his preference for engaging, almost exclusively, Italian stars such as Renata Tebaldi - due to his notion that American audiences expected to see Italian stars - was the single biggest mistake of his career. Sills attempted to downplay her animosity towards Bing while she was still singing, and even in her two autobiographies. But in a 1997 interview, Sills spoke her mind plainly, "Oh, Mr. Bing is an ***. [W]hile everybody said what a great administrator he was and a great this, Mr. Bing was just an improbable, impossible General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera.... The arrogance of that man."'


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

*In Loving memory*










In loving memory of Beverly Sills who was born this day and would be 88 if still alive .:tiphat:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Was listening to L'amico Fritz last night and though too bad Beverly Sills did not record that one. 

Also, do you think Beverly would have made a good Marcellina in Beethoven's Fidelio?


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> Was listening to L'amico Fritz last night and though too bad Beverly Sills did not record that one.
> 
> Also, do you think Beverly would have made a good Marcellina in Beethoven's Fidelio?


Remember she had to fight hard too come so far, and she was very choosy with roles.
As far as I recall she did only Beethoven 9 Th ( and Mahler 2- soprano part )


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> Remember she had to fight hard too come so far, and she was very choosy with roles.
> As far as I recall she did only Beethoven 9 Th ( and Mahler 2- soprano part )


Not only that, but who ever does L'Amico Fritz? Great opera but some would consider it boring? Mascagni's other opera dominates.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

DavidA said:


> Something from Wiki:
> 
> 'Following Sir Rudolf Bing's departure as director, Sills finally made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera on April 7, 1975 in The Siege of Corinth, receiving an eighteen-minute ovation. Other operas she sang at the Met include La traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor, Thaïs, and Don Pasquale (directed by John Dexter). In an interview after his retirement, Bing stated that his refusal to use Sills, as well as his preference for engaging, almost exclusively, Italian stars such as Renata Tebaldi - due to his notion that American audiences expected to see Italian stars - was the single biggest mistake of his career. Sills attempted to downplay her animosity towards Bing while she was still singing, and even in her two autobiographies. But in a 1997 interview, Sills spoke her mind plainly, "Oh, *Mr. Bing is an ***. everybody said what a great administrator he was and a great this, Mr. Bing was just an improbable, impossible General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera.... The arrogance of that man*."'


Sills was not alone with her low opinion of MET director Bing, no real artistic sense in the man which one would hope for such an important position, he rubbed many great singers the wrong way. I have just read the Bing bio book "5000 nights" and this little story says it all.......when first coming to MET 1950 and replacing prior director Johnson he had to decide who to keep and who to replace in management, there was one top stage manager whom every singer hated and Bing loved this aspect, he right away renewed his contract since this guy was doing his job "right" by not trying to please the unreasonable singers demands........we wouldn't want that would we, ha ha


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

DarkAngel said:


> Sills was not alone with her low opinion of MET director Bing, no real artistic sense in the man which one would hope for such an important position, he rubbed many great singers the wrong way. I have just read the Bing bio book "5000 nights" and this little story says it all.......when first coming to MET 1950 and replacing prior director Johnson he had to decide who to keep and who to replace in management, there was one top stage manager whom every singer hated and Bing loved this aspect, he right away renewed his contract since he knew he was doing his job "right" by not trying to please the unreasonable singers demands........we wouldn't want that would we, ha ha


It was Bing's doing that Helen Traubel and Lauritz Melchior - _the_ Tristan and Isolde at the Met after Flagstad's return to Norway, and a pair of Wagnerian voices we cannot hear the like of now - were sacked in 1953 and 1950 respectively, for being so undignified as to make movies in Hollywood and sing popular music in nightclubs. What would he have said about the three tenors?


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Woodduck said:


> *It was Bing's doing that Helen Traubel and Lauritz Melchior* - _the_ Tristan and Isolde at the Met after Flagstad's return to Norway, and a pair of Wagnerian voices we cannot hear the like of now - were sacked in 1953 and 1950 respectively, for being so undignified as to make movies in Hollywood and sing popular music in nightclubs. What would he have said about the three tenors?


Bing seems to have no regrets sacking the greatest wagner tenor in MET history, as Bing tells it in his book he was "considering" extending contract for Melchior, but Bing was given an ultimatum to have contract ready by "X" date and Bing said he was not going to be told what to do by any singer......as we know famous singers have multiple obligations at many houses that can't be put on hold to stroke Bings ego.......Sills was right he was an a**

*One more thing.....*
We know how inept Bing was trying to originally sign Callas at the MET, when Bing was first making inquiries in Europe 1953 about booking Callas at MET he didn't even know she was NY born American citizen. After making a ridiculous lowball offer of $500-600 per opera (because Maria had not yet made her debut in USA) Chicago Lyric signed her for $2000 per opera for 1954-55 seasons......legendary performances

My overall impression after reading book was that Bing was better suited to just manage a standard generic factory or agency, he really was not truly sympathetic with the artistic world of MET opera.......


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Pugg said:


> In loving memory of Beverly Sills who was born this day and would be 88 if still alive .:tiphat:


Gone but not forgotten. :angel:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> Gone but not forgotten. :angel:


Such a delightful lady!


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

For all Sills fans: Did you know there is more than one Tales of Hoffman on CD staring Beverly Sills? I just discovered a second recording.

Here is the one we are all familiar with:









Then there is this one and I have no idea what it sounds like:









From the Amazon reviews it apparently is not the greatest recording quality: 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000003LL6/


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Fritz Kobus said:


> For all Sills fans: Did you know there is more than one Tales of Hoffman on CD staring Beverly Sills? I just discovered a second recording.
> 
> Here is the one we are all familiar with:
> 
> ...


I've heard it and indeed bad sound, Opera Depot has one in English with Treigle also, much better.


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