“A pair of shoes can change your life. Just ask Cinderella.”

The first full  live opera I ever saw was Opera Colorado's Manon Lescaut. There is a belief that opera is never an acquired thing, it either takes you over immediately or never. It was immediate for me. Sitting in the nosebleed section I was taken to tears. and was hooked for life. of course subtitles helped  me immeasurably. I had only gone to the opera because a student of mine had an uncle who was singing and the family had been sweet to me one morning that week by having the singer show up in my classroom singing happy birthday. and so I labored along for a few years seeing good albeit not world class opera. Central City Colorado had The Teller operahouse and you needed a fan because it was a 19th century house and the balcony tickets were placed in hell. but it only slightly detracted from my first experience of the Magic Flute- live. The queen of the night remains one of my favorite characters. then i went on to Verdi and Puccini and more Mozart and then climbed my way to the top of opera when I cried and moaned through Tosca at New York City Opera. since then I have had the thrill of visiting with Lucia while Mad, laughed through Gianni Schicci, gnashed my teeth at Turandots's impossible demands and identified with Carmen's audacious flirting. I even confess I slept through parts of Die Meistersinger but who could blame me?

 

 

Which brings me to reflect on the death of Beverly Sills. To most Americans she is the zoftig redhead called Bubbles with the great laugh and  sublime political skill. But most people will not have heard that early voice which could travel anywhere and ring high over the orchestra. As with so many performing artists, their professional lives are far too short for those who love them.  luckily there are recordings from the early days to remind us why they were so beloved in the firstlace. Ever listen to early Frank Sinatra singing Old Man River? he isn't the stylist of the blues eye rat pack fame. he is a just a transcendent tenor singing from the heart. And so it is with Sills, not as fiery and dramatic as Callas but consistent, funny, earthy, accessible and our brooklyn born dreams do come alive homegrown girl So goodbye Ms Silverman. I will say El Male Rachamon.