Sills, Beverly (1929–)

American opera singer and director. Born Belle Miriam Silverman, May 25, 1929, in Brooklyn, NY; studied with Estelle Liebling for 34 years; m. Peter B. Greenough, 1956; children: Meredith Greenough (b. 1959); Peter Greenough (b. 1961).

Coloratura soprano, who gained wide recognition for her superb handling of classic "bel canto" roles and her strong dramatic instincts; began singing on radio at age 3 (1932); at 7, sang the aria "Caro nome" from Verdi's Rigoletto on the Major Bowes Amateur Hour and became a regular on the show for next 3 years; trilled the country's 1st commercial jingle, for Rinso laundry soap ("Rinso white, Rinso white, happy little washday song"); began formal vocal studies with Liebling; made operatic debut in Philadelphia as Frasquita in Carmen (1947), followed by several years of touring with small repertory companies before appearing with New York City Opera (1955), singing Rosalinda in Strauss' Die Fledermaus; sang with New York City Opera (1955–70); to great acclaim, sang the title role in Douglas Moore's The Ballad Of Baby Doe (1958) and Cleopatra in Handel's Guilio Cesare (1966); debuted in Vienna as Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte (1967); debuted at Teatro alla Scale as Pamira in Rossini's Le Siège de Corinthe (1969) and at Covent Garden and Berlin's Deutsche Opera (1970); made formal debut at Metropolitan Opera in a reprise of her Pamira (1975); took on the more difficult bel canto roles, including all 3 of "Donizetti's queens"—Elizabeth in Roberto Devereaux, Anne in Anna Bolena, and Mary in Maria Stuarta; became general director of New York City Opera (1979), rescuing it from financial insolvency and building its artistic reputation during 8-year term; retired from the stage (1980); named chair of New York's Lincoln Center (1994); began hosting "Live From Lincoln Center" tv series. Received President's Medal of Freedom from Jimmy Carter (1980).

See also autobiography (with Lawrence Linderman) Beverly (Bantam, 1987); and Women in World History.