• Show Quote
• Hide Quote

Everything that can be said of her has been repeated many times. The mainspring of her career has been her belief that opera is drama, not a showcase for beautiful voices. Hers was among the most beautiful. Her range was enormous, all gold at the top and silver at the bottom, combining lightness of texture and lustrous shades of color with great strength. It has been a voice that can raise the roof or break your heart... Most of the time she seemed to sing with her back to the audience, or lying down, or in the middle of an exit. Dramatic expression was what she demanded.
- "Newsweek, April 21, 1969" by Hubert Saal, music editor

books 3

Riggs, Geoffrey
The Assoluta Voice in Opera, 1797-1847 McFarland & Company, 2003, isbn 0-7864-1401-4, hardcover
Description - Riggs, a writer for musical journals, magazines and newsletters, gives the history and characteristics of the bel canto style in opera, including examples from recordings. In more than 20 pages, the author provides detailed descriptions and analyses of the Sills recordings of Anna Bolena, Norma and Roberto Devereux.
Ruben, William S. & Ruben, Paul
Profiles in Inspiration Manor Books, 1977, isbn 0532191501, softcover
Description - The authors cover 28 women who have persevered in their lives through various adversities. The 8-page chapter on Sills covers her bout with cancer and her dealings with two disabled children.
Sargeant, Winthrop
Divas Coward, Mcann & Geoghegan, 1973, isbn 0698104897, hardcover
Description - Journalist Winthrop Sergeant interviews 6 world-renowned singers (Sutherland, Horne, Sills, Nilsson, Price and Farrell), giving overviews of their careers and personal insights into their talents. Each chapter is accompanied by 6-8 black and white photos. The 30-page Sills chapter recounts mostly routine facts and dates but does include some family anecdotes and some insights into Sills's approach to characterization.
Scheader, Catherine
Contributions of Women - Music Dillon Press, 1985, isbn 0875182747, hardcover
Description - This 143-page book presents brief biographies of five prominent women in the field of music, including conductor Antonia Brico, opera stars Beverly Sills and Leontyne Price, composer Ruth Crawford Seeger, and violinist Dylana Jenson. The book is geared to a high school audience.
Slaterl, Elinor & Robert
Great Jewish Women Jonathan David, 1998/2001 isbn 0824603702, hardcover
Description- The book includes 3-4 page biographies notable Jewish women of the twentieth century, such as Bella Abzug, Lauren Bacall, Sarah Bernhardt, Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein, Goldie Hawn, Ann Landers and many others. The Sills pages cover the standard facts and events of her life and includes one posed photo from the early 1990's.
Sokol, Martin
New York City Opera: An American Adventure Macmillan, 1981, isbn 0026122804, hardcover
Description- This 562-page book is a history of the New York City Opera, from its first performance on February 21, 1944 through its 1981 spring season. Within the narrative that makes up the first part, all of Sills's major roles and performances are covered. The second part is a complete set of performance annals for NYCO in its New York appearances (no tour information is included).
Stux, Erica
Eight Who Made A Difference Avisson Press, 1999, isbn 1888105372, hardcover
Description - This 123-page book, geared to grades 4-7, presents biographical sketches of ballerina Maria Tallchief, sculptor Louise Nevelson, singer Marian Anderson, musician Nadia Boulanger, photographer Margaret Bourke-White, opera singer Beverly Sills, painter Mary Cassatt, and architect Julia Morgan. The entries are short, enumerating only the main accomplishments for each woman.
Vacha, John
The Music Went 'Round and Around Kent State University Press, 2004, isbn 0-87338-798-8, soft cover
Description - The book is a history of Cleveland's Musicarnival from its first summer season in 1954 to its last in 1975. There are eight pages of description of the five productions Beverly Sills sang there (Die Fledermaus in 1955, The Merry Widow and Carmen in 1956, Tosca in 1957 and The Ballad of Baby Doe in 1958). Also included are two photos of Sills (Carmen and Baby Doe) and a Cleveland Press drawing of her rehearsing Tosca.
Wills, Garry
Lead Time: A Journalist's Education Doubleday, 1983, isbn 0-385-17695-3, hard cover Marriner, 2004, 0-618-44690-7, soft cover
Description - A collection of essays by noted journalist Garry Wills. He devotes an 18-page chapter to Sills and her career, beginning with a backstage view of Sills in a performance of Anna Bolena.
Wion, John
Wood, Silver and Gold: a flutist's life JohnWion.Com/Lulu, 2007, isbn 978-1-4303-2039-5
Description - John Wion was the principle flutist for the New York City Opera orchestra from 1965 to 2002. His memoirs include references to Sills as performer and administrator throughout that period. He comments on specific Sills roles and includes anecdotes about her and her colleagues.
Opera Magazine, Ltd
Sopranos In Opera Opera Magazine,2001, isbn N/A, softcover
Description - A 2001 supplement to the UK magazine Opera, featuring reprints of 15 profiles of sopranos that appeared previously in the magazine. The 5-page Sills profile, written by Herbert Weinstock, is from the December 1970 issue. There are 10 black and white photos accompanying the article. Sills speaks about working with Alfredo Kraus in the 1970 Naples Traviata, creating productions with Sarah Caldwell, and her "feud" with Rudolf Bing.