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Beverly Sills in 1956, photo by Carl Van Vechten
Beverly Sills in 1956, photo by Carl Van Vechten

Beverly Sills (May 25, 1929 – July 2, 2007) was an American operatic soprano who enjoyed success in the 1960s and 1970s. Carl Van Vechten ( June 17, 1880 &ndash December 21, 1964) was an American Writer and Photographer who was a Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. She was famous for her performances in coloratura soprano roles in operas around the world and on recordings. Coloratura has several meanings The word derives from the Italian colorare (to Colour; to heighten to enliven or colorazione (colouring coloration This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. After retiring from singing in 1980, she became the general manager of the New York City Opera. New York State Theater by David Shankbonejpg|thumb| New York State Theater]] The New York City Opera (NYCO is based in Philip Johnson 's New York State In 1994, she became the Chairman of Lincoln Center and then, in 2002, of the Metropolitan Opera, stepping down in 2005. The Metropolitan Opera Association of New York City, founded in April 1880 is a major presenter of all types of opera including Grand Opera. Sills lent her celebrity to further her charity work for the prevention and treatment of birth defects. A congenital disorder is a disease or disorder that is present at birth

Contents

Early career

Sills was born Belle Miriam Silverman in Brooklyn, New York to Shirley Bahn (née Sonia Markovna), a musician, and Morris Silverman, an insurance broker. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous [1] Her parents were Jewish immigrants from Odessa and Bucharest, Romania. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ ODESSA which stands for the German phrase O rganisation d er e hemaligen SS - A ngehörigen which in turn translates Bucharest ( Romanian: Bucureşti) is the Capital city, industrial and commercial centre of Romania. She was raised in Brooklyn, where she was known, among friends, as "Bubbles" Silverman. As a child, she spoke Yiddish, Russian, Romanian, French and English. [2] She attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, as well as Manhattan's Professional Children's School. Erasmus Hall Campus High School is a three-year Public high school in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, operated as part of the New Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York Professional Children's School is an independent day school enrolling 210 students in grades 6-12 [3]

At the age of three, Sills won a "Miss Beautiful Baby" contest, in which she sang "The Wedding of Jack and Jill. " Beginning at age four, she performed professionally on the Saturday morning radio program, "Rainbow House," as "Bubbles" Silverman. Sills began taking singing lessons with Estelle Liebling at the age of seven and a year later sang in the short film Uncle Sol Solves It (filmed August 1937, released June 1938 by Educational Pictures), by which time she had adopted her stage name, Beverly Sills. Estelle Liebling ( April 21, 1880 – 1970 was a vocal coach who taught singing using the three-register method For the current and unrelated company of the same name see Educational Pictures (image archive Liebling encouraged her to audition for CBS Radio's Major Bowes' Amateur Hour, and on October 26, 1939 at the age of 10, Sills was the winner of that week's program. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Bowes then asked her to appear on his Capitol Family Hour, a weekly variety show. Her first appearance was on November 19, 1939, the 17th anniversary of the show, and she appeared frequently on the program thereafter. Events 1095 - The Council of Clermont, called by Pope Urban II to discuss sending the First Crusade to the Holy Land Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [4]

In 1945, Sills made her professional stage debut with a Gilbert and Sullivan touring company produced by Jacob J. Shubert, playing twelve cities in the US and Canada, offering seven different Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian era partnership of Librettist W Jacob J Shubert ( Circa 1879 - December 26 1963) was naturalized American theatre owner/operator and producer and a member of the famous In her 1987 auto-biography, she credits that tour with helping to develop the comic timing she soon became famous for: "I played the title role in Patience, and I absolutely loved the character, because Patience is a very funny, flaky girl. Patience, or Bunthorne's Bride, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W . . . I played her as a dumb Dora all the way through and really had fun with the role. . . . My Patience grew clumsier and clumsier with each performance, and audiences seemed to like her. . . . I found that I had a gift for slapstick humor, and it was fun to exercise it onstage. "[5] Sills sang in light operas for several more years. Comic opera, or light opera, denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature usually with a happy ending

On July 09, 1946, Sills appeared as a contestant on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (radio). She sang under the pseudonym of Vicki Lynn,because she was still under contract to J. J. Schubert. Schubert did not want Godfrey to be able to say he had discovered "Beverly Sills" if she won the contest (she didn't). Sills sang "Romany Life" from Victor Herbert's "Fortune Teller. "

In 1947, she made her operatic stage debut as the Spanish gypsy Frasquita in Bizet's Carmen with the Philadelphia Civic Opera. Georges Bizet (25 October 1838 – 3 June 1875 was a French Composer and Pianist of the Romantic era Carmen is a French Opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The Libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based She toured North America with the Charles Wagner Opera Company, in the fall of 1951 singing Violetta in La traviata and, in the fall of 1952, singing Micaëla in Carmen. La traviata is an Opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. Carmen is a French Opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The Libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based On September 15, 1953, she made her debut with the San Francisco Opera as Helen of Troy in Boito's Mefistofele and also sang Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni the same season. Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. San Francisco Opera (SFO is the second largest Opera company in North America. Arrigo Boito ( February 24, 1842 &ndash June 10, 1918) aka Enrico Giuseppe Giovanni Boito Pseudonym Tobia Gorrio was an Italian Don Giovanni ( K527; complete title Il dissoluto punito ossia il Don Giovanni, literally "The Rake Punish'd or Don Giovanni On October 29, 1955, she first appeared with the New York City Opera as Rosalinde in Johann Strauss II's Die Fledermaus, which received critical praise. Events 437 - Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor, marries Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of his cousin Theodosius II Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) New York State Theater by David Shankbonejpg|thumb| New York State Theater]] The New York City Opera (NYCO is based in Philip Johnson 's New York State Johann Strauss II (also known as Johann Strauss the Younger, Johann Strauss Jr Die Fledermaus ( The Bat; in French La chauve-souris) is an Operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German Libretto As early as 1956 she performed before an audience of over 13,000 guests at the landmark Lewisohn Stadium with the noted operatic conductor Alfredo Antonini in an aria from Vincenzo Bellini's I puritani. Lewisohn Stadium was an amphitheater and athletic facility built on the campus of the City College of New York, and opened in 1915 Alfredo Antonini ( May 31, 1901 - November 3, 1983) - was a leading Italian / American symphony conductor and composer who Vincenzo Salvatore Carmelo Francesco Bellini ( November 3, 1801 &ndash September 23, 1835) was a Sicilian Opera Composer I puritani ( The Puritans) is an Opera in three acts by Vincenzo Bellini. [6] Her reputation expanded with her performance of the title role in the New York premiere of Douglas Stuart Moore's The Ballad of Baby Doe in 1958. Douglas Stuart Moore ( August 10 1893 - July 25 1969) was an American Composer, educator and author

On November 17, 1956, Sills married journalist Peter Greenough, of the Cleveland, Ohio newspaper The Plain Dealer and moved to Cleveland. Events 284 - Diocletian is proclaimed emperor by his soldiers Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Peter B Greenough ( February 6 1917 – September 6 2006) was an American Journalist and editor. Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state The Plain Dealer is the major daily Newspaper of Cleveland Ohio. She had two children with Greenough, Meredith ("Muffy") in 1959 and Peter, Jr. ("Bucky") in 1961. Muffy was profoundly deaf and Peter was severely mentally disabled. Sills restricted her performing schedule to care for her children.

In 1960, Sills and her family moved to Milton, Massachusetts, near Boston. Milton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States and part of the Greater Boston area In 1962, Sills sang the title role in Massenet's Manon with the Opera Company of Boston, the first of many roles for opera director Sarah Caldwell. Jules (Émile Frédéric Massenet ( May 12, 1842 – August 13, 1912) was a French composer best known for his Operas Manon is an Opéra comique in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille, based The Opera Company of Boston was founded by the American conductor Sarah Caldwell in Boston Massachusetts in 1958 Sarah Caldwell ( March 6, 1924 – March 23, 2006) was a notable American Opera conductor, Impresario Manon continued to be one of Sills' signature roles throughout most of her career. In January 1964, she sang her first Queen of the Night in Mozart's The Magic Flute for Caldwell. The Magic Flute (German Die Zauberflöte, K 620 is an Opera in two acts composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Although Sills drew critical praise for her coloratura technique and for her performance, she was not fond of the latter role; she observed that she often passed the time between the two arias and the finale addressing holiday cards. [7]

Peak singing years

In 1966, the New York City Opera revived Handel's then virtually unknown opera seria Giulio Cesare (with Norman Treigle as Cæsar), and Sills' performance as Cleopatra made her an international opera star. New York State Theater by David Shankbonejpg|thumb| New York State Theater]] The New York City Opera (NYCO is based in Philip Johnson 's New York State Opera seria (usually called dramma per musica or Melodramma serio) is an Italian musical term which refers to the noble and "serious" Giulio Cesare in Egitto ( Julius Caesar in Egypt) (HWV 17 is an Italian Opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel. Norman Treigle (né Adanelle Wilfred Treigle 6 March, 1927 - 16 February 1975) was born in New Orleans Louisiana, the fifth and Sills also made her "unofficial" Met debut in its "Opera in the Parks" program as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, though nothing further came of this other than offers from Rudolf Bing for roles such as Flotow's Martha. Don Giovanni ( K527; complete title Il dissoluto punito ossia il Don Giovanni, literally "The Rake Punish'd or Don Giovanni Martha oder Der Markt zu Richmond ( Martha or The Richmond Market) is an opera in four acts by Friedrich von Flotow to a In subsequent seasons at the NYCO, Sills had great successes in the roles of the Queen of Shemakha in Rimsky-Korsakov's Le coq d'or, the title role in Manon, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, and the three female leads Suor Angelica, Giorgetta, and Lauretta in Puccini's trilogy Il trittico. Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov ( Николай Андреевич Римский-Корсаков, Nikolaj Andreevič Rimskij-Korsakov) also Nikolay The Golden Cockerel ( Золотой Петушок, Zolotoy Petushok) is an Opera in three acts (with short prologue and even shorter epilogue Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (29 November 1797 &ndash 8 April 1848 was an Italian composer from Bergamo, Lombardy. Lucia di Lammermoor is a dramma tragico (tragic Opera) in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini ( December 22, 1858 Il trittico ( The Triptych) is the title to a collection of three one-act operas Il tabarro, Suor Angelica,

In 1969, Sills sang Zerbinetta in the American premiere (in a concert version) of the 1912 version of Richard Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos with the Boston Symphony. Richard Georg Strauss (11 June 1864 &ndash 8 September 1949 was a German Composer of the late Romantic era and early modern era particularly noted Ariadne auf Naxos ( Ariadne on Naxos) is an Opera by Richard Strauss with a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Her performance of the role, especially Zerbinetta's aria, "Grossmächtige Prinzessin," which she sang in the original higher key, won her acclaim. Home video-taped copies circulated among collectors for years afterwards, often commanding large sums on Internet auction sites (the performance was released commercially in 2006, garnering high praise). The second major event of the year was her debut as Pamira in Rossini's The Siege of Corinth at La Scala, a success that put her on the cover of Newsweek magazine. Le siège de Corinthe ( The Siege of Corinth) is an Opera in three acts by Gioacchino Rossini to a French Libretto The Teatro alla Scala (or La Scala, as it is known in Milan, Italy, is one of the world's most famous Opera houses The theatre was Newsweek is an American weekly Newsmagazine published in New York City.

Sills' now high-profile career landed her on the cover of Time magazine in 1971, labeling her as "America's Queen of Opera. Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and " The title was appropriate because Sills had purposely limited her overseas engagements because of her family. Her major overseas appearances include London's Covent Garden, Milan's La Scala, La Fenice in Venice, the Vienna State Opera, the Theatre de Beaulieu in Lausanne, Switzerland, and concerts in Paris. WikipediaWikiProject Opera --> The Royal Opera House is an Opera house and major performing The Teatro alla Scala (or La Scala, as it is known in Milan, Italy, is one of the world's most famous Opera houses The theatre was Teatro La Fenice ("The Phoenix " is an Opera house in Venice, Italy. The Vienna State Opera ( Wiener Staatsoper) located in Vienna, Austria, is one of the most important Opera houses - and opera companies - in In South America, she sang in the opera houses of Buenos Aires and Santiago, a concert in Lima, Peru, and appeared in several productions in Mexico City, including Lucia di Lammermoor with Luciano Pavarotti. Lucia di Lammermoor is a dramma tragico (tragic Opera) in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes. Thank you--> Luciano Pavarotti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI ( October 12,

During this period, she made her first television appearance as a talk-show personality on "Virginia Graham's Girl Talk," a weekday series syndicated by ABC Films. An opera fan who was Talent Coordinator for the series, persuaded the producer to put her on the air and she was a huge hit. Throughout the rest of her career she shone as a talk show guest, sometimes also functioning as a guest host. Sills underwent successful surgery for ovarian cancer in late October, 1974 (sometimes misreported as breast cancer). Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from an Ovary. The cancer most commonly forms in the lining of the ovary (resulting in epithelial Her recovery was so rapid and complete that she opened in "Daughter of the Regiment" at the San Francisco Opera a month later. [8]

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. Sir Rudolf Bing ( January 9, 1902 &ndash September 2, 1997) was an Austrian-born Opera Impresario. The Metropolitan Opera Association of New York City, founded in April 1880 is a major presenter of all types of opera including Grand Opera. Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Other operas she sang at the Met include La traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor, Thaïs, and Don Pasquale (directed by John Dexter). Don Pasquale is an Opera buffa, or comic Opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. John Dexter ( 2 August 1925 - 23 March 1990) was an English award-winning Theatre, Opera, and Film 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 ass. [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. "[9]

Sills was a frequent recitalist, especially in the final decade of her career. She sang in many mid-size cities and on numerous college concert series, bringing her art to many who might never see her on stage in a fully staged opera. She also sang concerts with a number of symphony orchestras. Sills also continued to perform for New York City Opera, her home opera house, essaying new roles right up to her retirement, including the leading roles in Rossini's Il Turco in Italia, Lehár's Die lustige Witwe and Gian Carlo Menotti's La loca, a role written especially for her. Franz Lehár (30 April 1870 &ndash 24 October 1948 known in Hungarian as Lehár Ferenc, was an Austrian Composer of Hungarian descent

Although Sills' voice type was characterized as a "lyric coloratura," she took on a number of heavier spinto and dramatic coloratura roles more associated with heavier voices as she grew older, including Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia (with Susanne Marsee as Orsini) and the same composer's Tudor Queens, Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda and Roberto Devereux (opposite Plácido Domingo in the title part). Spinto (from Italian "pushed" is a vocal term used to characterize a Soprano or Tenor voice of a weight between lyric and dramatic This article is about the historical person For the biographical opera see Lucrezia Borgia (opera. Susanne Marsee (née Susan Irene Dowell on November 26, 1941, in San Diego California) is an American Mezzo-soprano of note Anna Bolena is a tragedia lirica, or Opera, in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Maria Stuarda ( Mary Stuart) is a tragic Opera, Tragedia lirica, in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti, to a Libretto Roberto Devereux (or Roberto Devereux ossia Il conte di Essex Devereux or the Earl of Essex'' is a tragedia lirica, or tragic Opera, by WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes --> José Plácido Domingo Embil KBE (born January 21, 1941) better She was admired in those roles for transcending the lightness of her voice with dramatic interpretation, although it may have come at a cost: Sills later commented that Roberto Devereux "shortened her career by at least four years. "

Sills was perhaps a more important force for popularizing opera than any other singer of her era through her many appearances on talk shows, including those with Johnny Carson, Dick Cavett, David Frost, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, and Dinah Shore. A talk show ( American) or chat show ( Global) is a Television or Radio program where one person or group of people come together to John William “Johnny” Carson ( October 23, 1925 &ndash January 23, 2005) was an American Television host and Richard Alva "Dick" Cavett (born November 19, 1936) is an American former Television Talk show host known for his conversational Sir David Paradine Frost, OBE (born 7 April 1939) is an English Satirist and Television presenter, famed as both a Mike Douglas, born Michael Delaney Dowd Jr ( August 11 1925 &ndash August 11 2006) was an American Entertainer Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin Jr ( July 6, 1925 &ndash August 12, 2007) was an American Television host and Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore February 29, 1916 - February 24, 1994) was an American Singer, Actress Sills even had her own talk show, "Lifestyles with Beverly Sills" on NBC. In 1979 she even appeared on The Muppet Show. Down-to-earth and approachable, Sills helped dispel the traditional image of the temperamental opera diva.

Later years and death

In 1978, Sills announced she would retire on October 27, 1980, in a farewell gala at the New York City Opera. Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) In the spring of 1979, she began acting as co-director of NYCO, and became its sole general director as of the fall season of that year, a post she held until 1989, although she remained on the NYCO board until 1991. During her time as general director, Sills helped turn what was then a financially struggling opera company into a viable enterprise. She also devoted herself to various arts causes and such charities as the March of Dimes and was sought after for speaking engagements on college campuses and for fund raisers. March of Dimes is the name of a United States health charity, whose mission is to improve the health of babies.

From 1994 to 2002, Sills was chairman of Lincoln Center. In October 2002, she agreed to serve as chairman of the Metropolitan Opera, for which she had been a board member since 1991. The Metropolitan Opera Association of New York City, founded in April 1880 is a major presenter of all types of opera including Grand Opera. She resigned as Met chairman in January 2005, citing family as the main reason (she had finally had to place her husband, whom she had cared for over eight years, in a nursing home). SNF redirects here For the sports show see NBC Sunday Night Football. She stayed long enough to supervise the appointment of Peter Gelb, formerly head of Sony Classical Records, as the Met's General Manager, to succeed Joseph Volpe in August 2006. Peter Gelb (born 1953 is an American arts administrator He is currently General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Joseph Volpe (born July 2, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York) was general manager of the Metropolitan Opera from 1990–2006

Peter Greenough, Sills' husband, died on September 6, 2006, at the age of 89. Events 3114 BC - According to the Proleptic Julian calendar the current era in the Maya Long Count Calendar started Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. [10] They would have had their 50th wedding anniversary on November 17, 2006. Events 284 - Diocletian is proclaimed emperor by his soldiers Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

She co-hosted The View for Best Friends Week on November 9, 2006, as Barbara Walters' best friend. She said that she didn't sing anymore, even in the shower, to preserve the memory of her voice.

She appeared on screen in movie theaters during HD transmissions live from the Met, interviewed during intermissions by the host Margaret Juntwait on January 6, 2007 (I puritani simulcast), as a backstage interviewer on February 24, 2007 (Eugene Onegin simulcast) and then, briefly, on April 28, 2007 (Il trittico simulcast). Margaret Juntwait (born 1957 is an American Radio broadcaster who is the voice of the Metropolitan Opera 's Saturday afternoon broadcasts Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. I puritani ( The Puritans) is an Opera in three acts by Vincenzo Bellini. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Eugene Onegin ( Russian: Евгений Онегин BGN/PCGN: Yevgeniy Onegin) is a Novel in verse written by Aleksandr Pushkin Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Il trittico ( The Triptych) is the title to a collection of three one-act operas Il tabarro, Suor Angelica,

On June 28, 2007, the Associated Press and CNN reported that Sills was hospitalized as "gravely ill," from lung cancer. Events 1098 - Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Associated Press ( AP) is an American News agency. The AP is a Cooperative owned by its contributing Newspapers radio Cable News Network, usually referred to by its Initialism CNN, is a major English language Television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner Lung cancer is a Disease of uncontrolled Cell growth in tissues of the Lung. With her daughter at her bedside, Beverly Sills succumbed to cancer on July 2, 2007, at the age of 78. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. [11]

Honors and awards

Sills received many honors and awards from the 1970s through her final years. Here are a list of her major awards, divided by category:

Recordings and broadcasts

During her operatic career, Sills recorded eighteen full-length operas: The Ballad of Baby Doe (1959), Giulio Cesare (1967), Roberto Devereux (1969), Lucia di Lammermoor (1970), Manon (1970), La traviata (1971), Maria Stuarda (1971), The Tales of Hoffmann (1972), Anna Bolena (1972), I puritani (1973), Norma (1973), The Siege of Corinth (1974), Il barbiere di Siviglia (1974-75), I Capuleti e i Montecchi (1975), Thaïs (1976), Louise (1977), Don Pasquale (1978) and Rigoletto (1978).

Sills also recorded 9 solo recital albums of arias and songs, and was soprano soloist on a recording of Mahler's Symphony No. 2.

She starred in eight opera productions televised on PBS and several more on other public TV systems. The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the She participated in such TV specials as A Look-in at the Met with Danny Kaye in 1975, Sills and Burnett at the Met, with Carol Burnett in 1976, and Profile in Music, which won an Emmy Award for its showing in the US in 1975, although it had been recorded in England in 1971. Danny Kaye ( January 18, 1913 – March 3, 1987) was an American award-winning Actor, Singer and Comedian Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American Actress, Comedian, Singer, Dancer and

Some of those televised performances have been commercially distributed on videotape and DVD:

Others not available commercially include:

After her retirement from singing in 1980 up through 2006, Sills was the host for many of the PBS Live from Lincoln Center telecasts. Live from Lincoln Center is an ongoing series of musical performances produced by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in conjunction with Thirteen/WNET

Further reading/listening/viewing

References

  1. ^ www.filmreference.com/film/88/Beverly-Sills.html.
  2. ^ www.iht.com/articles/2007/07/03/arts/03sills.php.
  3. ^ Tommasini, Anthony. "Beverly Sills, All-American Diva With Brooklyn Roots, Is Dead at 78", The New York Times, July 4, 2007. Events 836 - Pactum Sicardi, peace between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Accessed November 6, 2007. Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. "But her father put an end to her child-star career when she was 12 so that she could concentrate on her education at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn and the Professional Children's School in Manhattan. "
  4. ^ The dates of the first Bowes appearances are incorrect in most printed sources about Sills.
  5. ^ Sills (1987) Beverly: An Autobiography, pp. 29-32
  6. ^ The New York Times, July 9, 1956, pg. 26
  7. ^ Sills (1976) Bubbles: A Self-Portrait, p. 98
  8. ^ Sills (1987) Beverly: An Autobiography, pp. 256-258
  9. ^ Strange Child of Chaos: Norman Treigle (pp. Norman Treigle (né Adanelle Wilfred Treigle 6 March, 1927 - 16 February 1975) was born in New Orleans Louisiana, the fifth and 176-177), by Brian Morgan, iUniverse, 2006.
  10. ^ www.nytimes.com/2006/09/08/obituaries/08greenough.html?ref=obituaries.
  11. ^ www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2007/07/03/beverly_sills_peoples_diva_dies/.

External links


Persondata
NAMESills, Beverly
ALTERNATIVE NAMESSilverman, Belle Miriam (birth name);
SHORT DESCRIPTIONopera soprano
DATE OF BIRTHMay 25, 1929
PLACE OF BIRTHBrooklyn, New York
DATE OF DEATHJuly 2, 2007
PLACE OF DEATHNew York City, New York, U.S.
Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The City of New York New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
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