In 1975 my favorite history professor declared a public holiday and gave every one of his students an “A” for the day. The reason? Beverly Sills was finally debuting with the Metropolitan Opera in Rossini’s Siege of Corinth. I walked into his history class in the old Hardin Hall at Clemson University to see a photo of ‘Bevey Baby’ as he called her, taped to the chalk board. One of the greatest sopranos of her time, she was prevented from establishing a Metropolitan Opera career by Rudolph Bing, who had odd theories about performers. Much of her performing life was spent across the plaza at Lincoln Center at the less prestigious New York City Opera.

For all the brilliant peaks of her performing life, her personal life was filled with heart-ache and trauma. Her son was autistic. Her daughter, hearing impaired, would never hear her mother’s exquisite voice. Then, last year, Sills’ beloved husband, Peter Greenough died from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease. No matter what the trauma or heart-ache Beverly Sills soldiered on with her legendary humor. No prima donna was Beverly Sills, even when upstaged by Miss Piggy.

I was fortunate enough to see “Bubbles” during her farewell tour with the Metropolitan Opera in Atlanta, when she appeared in Don Pasquale. It was one of the highlights of my opera going life. This evening, when I heard Beverly Sills has lost a brief battle with lung cancer, I cried. In this day and age of glamour before craft, I fear we will never see her likes again.

DISCOGRAPHY (my favorites)

Opera fans are a weird lot. We will argue recordings, performances, and voices, quoting statistics with the joy and fervor of the most avid of baseball fans. We are highly subjective, irrational, and illogical. One fan’s joy is another’s horror. My two all time favorite voices are Sherrill Milnes and Beverly Sills. Fortunately it was a match made in opera fanatic heaven. They made several recordings together, much to my eternal delight.

My favorite Beverly Sills performance and recording is Massenet’s Thais with Sherrill Milnes (arguably the greatest baritone of all time) and the late, great tenor, Nicolai Gedda. There are wonderful stories about this performance at the Met. Never the thinnest soprano in town, Sills dieted down to belly dancer curvaceous for her costume that consisted of quite a bit of lace, gauze and a few appropriately placed beads. And Sherrill Milnes’ costume was even sexier.

If you have never heard Sills’ Rosina, you are missing a treat. There is no Figero like Sherrill Milnes. Together in duet in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, they are untouchable. Conducted by James Levine, this recording also includes Nicholai Gedda and Ruggero Raimondi. If you do not have it in your collection, you are missing one of Sills’ most vivacious performances.

A few years after recording the two operas, Milnes and Sills were back again, this time in the absolutely delicious Up in Central Park, conducted by Julius Rudel. This luscious collection of duets from operetta and musical comedy is a delight to the ear and heart. Songs include The Desert Song, Indian Love Call, and It’s Love.

Then there is Violetta. Enough said.

Sills’ rendition of Donizetti’s Three Queens is one of her greatest achievements – Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, and Roberto Devereux.

ON DVD

Two words: Roberto Devereux. This is simply one of the single best performances of Beverly Sills long career. Of course, in order to make this rash statement, one must overlook Sills’ most important television appearance – with Miss Piggy and the rest of the Muppets!

ACHIEVEMENTS

Beverly Sills was a tireless money making machine for charity. She helped raise tens of millions of dollars for the March of Dimes and for the Metropolitan Opera. Not only was she the leading soprano of her day, but upon her retirement from singing in 1980 she became one of the few vocalists to rise to the pinnacle of the boardroom in opera.

Time Magazine once declared Beverly Sills, born Belle Miriam Silverman, “America’s Queen of Opera”. Another biography simply lists her as “Beloved Opera Star”. That says it all.