Beverly Sills as Baby Doe

[@Callas77]

Douglas Moore, the composer of Baby Doe, told Beverly himself that she WAS Baby Doe. Somehow, the words and music of this aria seem to be a very fitting tribute to Beverly. No one can deliver this aria like her and her Manon will never be matched!! This is one of my favorite arias she recorded. My only regret is that I never had the opportunity to see her perfom live. We miss you Beverly!!!!!!!

[@castodivo]

Do you notice how she doesn't have any of the usual singer mannerisms? Her body is so calm. She's telling us a little story. Her voice does all the work and her body can relax. She just has to stand there and sing pretty; but somehow, her voice and singing is immensely interpretive. And I really respect how she doesn't need to scoop these big intervals. Her legato's just perfect -- thanks to her amazing, AMAZING breath control!

[@primadivo]

Sill's silvery tone is PERFECT in this..she always did have the ability to sing and act a part in a way that touches you..and as for the high D..beautiful :-)

[@dragonfly51990]

She is an angel. God's gift to earth. The song is so gorgeous, not overly complex and she sings those super high notes so beautifully and effortlessly. Rest in Peace. and sing with those angels in heaven.

[@kbrisin]

This song and the opera "Ballad of Baby Doe" belong to Beverly Sills forever. No one will ever sing it as beautifully again. Thanks for this wondeful posting.

[@MistyVVaves]

AND such an actress. rest in peace bubbles.

[@51258alan]

I too almost never weep at the passing of the rich and famous. But I have shed a tear for Beverly and reading your comment today I find I shed another. Thank goodness there are people like her who can touch people like us! alan

[@vendettealouette]

This is probably my favorite song of hers. It's already one of the most beautiful I've ever heard, but the way she sings it is just so perfect.

[@turandot82]

I, literally, just listened to the NYCO recording of this opera with Sills. OH, God. There has never been an artist that puts so much "TRUTH" into the text as Sills does. And it's not just for "Baby Doe" but for every role she's ever done. She truly was one of the greatest.

[@leadingbyxample]

I'm listening to Baby Doe on NPR right now! Sills sounds absolutely lovely! I love this opera.

[@kgarmaker123]

No one sings this with such beauty of tone and pathos.. Sills voice was simply gorgeous, with beautiful round tones all the way up and down her scale.

[@queenoftheuniverse5638]

An American treasure. Her generosity of spirit shone through from childhood on through her careers as singer and arts advocate. She gave so much. So sad to thinks she is gone.

[@Mary_Zacarias]

Oh wow, I just love her voice so much. I could listen to her recordings all day long and never tire of them.

[@beefnotfish]

this clip just speaks volumes...what a thing of sheer beauty is the voice of siils. How can this be topped?

[@Tenor777]

Simply Glorious. Oh how I miss her!!!! :(

[@donizettirules]

so pignant! she truly envolves the listener and translates the character's emotions beautifully into the physically palatable. being an 18 young singer-in-training myself, Sills is perhaps my greatest hero and idol in opera, along with other such a Price and Kiri Te, my dad ushered at the san fransisco opera back when he was in college and got to hear her live (and free -_-)on a number of occasions... always a very great fan he's raised me on her music- to which i am very thankful!

[@ceb2633]

I have been watching, listening and weeping to this video all day. Bless you, Beverly, at least I still have your voice to listen to. Rest in peace.

[@DanRobSo]

There have been Baby Doe's before and since, but there will never be one like Beverly Sills. Rest in peace, dear lady.

[@JDOopera76]

I only recently became a fan of "Bubbles" - she had a wonderful voice, and was a true artist. I am saddened by by her death; but I am grateful to have her recordings to enjoy...Brava, Beverly!

[@godivapaw]

La SUPREMA!!!! So beautiful! So controlled but at the same time, filled with emotion!!!

[@ceb2633]

My sister had a pirated recording of the only time beloved Beverly ever sang Soeur Angelica. It was soon after the birth of her second child and she cracked up on stage and never sang it again. Both her children were handicapped; to me the saddest is the one who was deaf and never heard her mother sing. Oh, I miss her, lovely lady.

[@EthanBremner]

Saddened by the news today.. heartened by the people who have come here to pay respects to an amazing force in opera...

[@infoman111]

While this aria is commonly referred to as "The Willow Song" (mainly because the character is singing from sheet music at a piano), it is perfectly correct to refer to it (and all arias) by the usual convention of naming arias by the first few words of the first line (such as "Vissi d'arte" and "Celeste Aida"). The two commercial recordings of Baby Doe do it that way, for instance.

[@tenormcgee]

this was my favorite roll of hers.

[@belcantowvu]

This is just beautiful. I love it.

[@wedidntknow]

wow! this is amazing. i'm always telling singers that one of the greatest voice lessons can happen by watching the greats. not just hearing but truly watching. The way she uses her mouth to approach the high notes. How she outwardly creates the crescendo and decrescendos. sopranos instead of being critical watch she's not one of the greatest for nothing.

[@paulostroff99]

A real delight! Totally unknown to me TY DOUG

[@ceb2633]

So hard to make comparisons. Bubbles, Sutherland, and the unequaled Renata Tabaldi and on and on were all so special and perfect in their own way. But I miss Beverly Sills so much. Just knowing she was alive made my day better.

[@fiercejarret]

RIP Bella Diva!

[@mkb143]

I'm in awe; simply beautiful!

[@Rosalind80]

"Mensch" means "person," so anyone can be a mensch. Beverly Sills was definitely one!

[@tenormcgee]

I would love to see her perform the Letter Song "Dearest Mama"...it would be fantastic!

[@nickbigd]

So lovely.

[@tinyvoicedgheorghiu]

Wishing Beverly Sills a speedy recovery

[@gclef2288]

May you rest in eternal peace...

[@nyc88s]

How beautiful her voice was back in the earlier days! Limpid and shimmering. Listen to her sail up to that high Dflat! Heaven.

[@BelleMusique]

She does a very good job with this song. The only thing is the song is not called "Willow, where we met together" the song is called "The Willow Song". I know this because I sing it as well. It makes for a good audition song. Gotta love those high notes!

[@CoreyLeig]

meltzer boy, if I respected your opinion before, now even more so with what you say about Beverly´s Manon, Cleopatra and "O quante volte", you are truly unbiased and my hat´s off to you for that. Best regards.

[@McKunda77]

Most often in these videos they have a pre-recorded track and ask the singer to sing "prettily". The calm appearence is just because they only have to mark instead of singing full out. However, she might actually be singing without a recording. In which case, blame it on her sheer professionalism and proper training.

[@vendettealouette]

Beverly Sills, rest in peace. I'm sure she's up there singing in the angels' chorus.

[@Richarddude]

Moreover, this hotel scene is exactly as I remember it in Leadville, Colorado, where you can still visit Doe's place of vigil, the Matchless Mine. Sills is Doe.

[@SahibAmar]

A great musician, an incredible voice, but above all a mensch (if there is a feminine form of that word). I will miss her presence in my living room in Live From Lincoln Center broadcasts - it was always so wonderful to see her smiling face.

[@herminestover]

In EVERY possible way, this is a very hard act to follow!

[@kgarmaker123]

What year was this?

[@donizettirules]

can one find this? and if so where?

[@jvinikour]

high D natural, you mean!

[@MistyVVaves]

Do you or anyone else have any baby doe more baby doe vids?

[@CoreyLeig]

I disagree with you. Sills´ trills were truly a thing of beauty that not even Sutherland, as great as she was, could match. Just listen to her V´Adoro Pupile from Cleopatra and tell me if Joan ever produced such incredible sounds. Not even close.

[@MistyVVaves]

haha

[@ceb2633]

Sorry, the first comment I made had to do with the porn ad at the beginning of the heavenly Ms. Sills. Such an insult.