Beverly Sills - Linda Di Chamounix (1979)

[@castodivo]

What's really quite amazing is her demeanor. She has absolutely nothing to prove to anyone. They wanted her to sing, so she's going to sing for them. It doesn't matter how she does. She knows they'll love her. There's this confidence that transcends that really delicious and satisfying wobble she does in her high notes. Whenever she works her way up to that underpitchness, I just smile and love it. She doesn't have to try anymore. She nailed those notes years ago.

[@fluffynamedkimba]

the reason why she is great is because she just is. she has star power. you cant put your finger on it, its bubbles 'magic' everytime i watch her, i have tears in my eyes. who will disagree with me?!

[@smoothiw]

Thanks for your reply! Frankly speaking, her singing is not beautiful in this performance. However, if I love a opera singer simply because of his or her beautiful voice, there is no old or mature one that I admire in my mind. I think that we need to learn from great singers their efforts and experiences as well as their gorgeous voices. I can't find her beautiful voice in this performance, but I can find her past glory and her operatic experiences. I love her!

[@smoothiw]

Can I know how old she was in this video??

[@foxyzzzzz]

She didn't have cancer in 1979. She retired because she wanted to leave before her voice deteriorated any more, or, to quote "before they say 'When is that woman ever going to quit?'"

[@andrecooper555]

I always loved the runs she did at the end. She knew knew enuf to leave out the last which goes even higher. I hear/read some place that she continued performing past her prime b/c she had contracts for performances scheduled years in advence and chose to fulfull her obligations. Does anyone know whether this is true and do u have any additional details?

[@foxyzzzzz]

Re: her voice. It's a poor and damaged video, both picture and audio. But there is an earlier version elsewhere on this page.

[@joserico282]

I can't help but think "Poor thing" when watching this. I am a first-tier Sills fan, but I have to say her voice in this video is such a MESS. What is interesting is that it's still light and fast. Whatever. I'll love her till the day I die.

[@foxyzzzzz]

Fifty.

[@godivapaw]

I think that seeing that this performance was done when she was making her farewells, it is a very good performance with what she had left vocally after suffering with cancer.

[@Emil-d6q]

But she nevertheless said that it was well worth it!

[@godivapaw]

She did have cancer in 1974.

[@markhh]

she was 48

[@singinciaran]

She sang roles too heavy for her voice in the later part of her career, which didn't help. Roberto Devereux shortened her career by 4yrs! She said so herself.