Posted on 07/02/2007 6:40:00 PM PDT by lunarbicep
Beverly Sills, the Brooklyn-born opera diva who was a global icon of can-do American culture with her dazzling voice, bubbly personality and management moxie in the arts world, died Monday of cancer, her manager said. She was 78.
It had been revealed just last month that Sills was gravely ill with inoperable lung cancer. Beyond the music world, Sills gained fans worldwide with a style that matched her childhood nickname, Bubbles. The relaxed, red-haired diva appeared frequently on TV talk shows, on "The Tonight Show," "The Muppet Show" and in televised performances with her friend Carol Burnett.
Together, they did a show from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera called "Sills and Burnett at the Met," singing rip-roaring duets with funny one-liners thrown in.
Long after the public stopped hearing her sing in 1980, Sills' rich, infectious laughter filled the nation's living rooms as she hosted live TV broadcasts. As recently as last season, she conducted backstage interviews for the Metropolitan Opera's high definition movie theater performances.
Now that’s an interesting thread title.
The angel chorus will be more spectacular tonight. Rest in peace.
I don't know what happened to the headline, but bless the adm's for their help in fixing it
I think she went to High School with Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
There’s something sadly ironic about an opera singer dying from lung cancer.
I hate cancer.
R.I.P. Ms. Sills.
ping
I’m very sorry to hear this.
Her brother, Sidney Silverman, was the doctor that brought me into the world.
Does that mean there are only three degrees of separtion between me and Ruth Bader Ginsberg?
By the way, my mother thought he was a great doctor.
An incredible loss to the arts world, and she was always such an upbeat person. I always think of her retort to being asked how she manages to always be so happy .. and she said (paraphrase) I’m not always happy, I am alwasy cheerful. God Bless her!
BUMP
Dear Borges,
Thank you for this sad ping.
Classical Music Ping List ping.
sitetest
Sad news. Prayers for the family.
Despite sadness in her personal life (one child deaf, the other mentally retarded), she was always cheerful. A great lady.
“I’m not always happy, I am always cheerful.”
What a wonderful way to approach life. I seem to recall hearing that one of her nicknames was ‘Bubbles’, and then thinking how much that name suited her.
Like all of us, she had her share of heartache, but you’d never have known it by listening to her talk. She was joyful, infectious. Yet, I believe she had a deaf child. Imagine that. That marvelous voice, and a child who would never hear it.
I loved Beverly Sills long before I became aware, ‘politically’. She had class. What a pleasure she was!
R.I.P. Miss Sills.
pattyjo
Amen.
Sweet woman - sweet voice.
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