[HAM] Beverly Sills

[Don Erickson]

I just read that Beverly Sills is gone.

She used to come to Kansas City to perform at the Lyric Opera when I was 
working at the somewhat rundown Hotel where the performers usually stayed. 
When she was a guest at the hotel, it wasn't unusual for her to spend some 
time in the post-performance early morning hours in the lobby talking to 
the night auditor, who was me.  I initially had no idea who she was, 
except that she was with the Opera company.  I remember her as a very 
intelligent and witty conversationalist, although I could not begin to 
recreate any of these nearly thirty years past discussions.

I remember feeling somewhat surprised that a New York Opera "Diva" 
would devote so much time talking to a ~20 year old college kid in the 
middle of the morning in Kansas City.  Perhaps it was a way to burn off 
some of the "performance buzz", if that's an appropriate term.  Truth be 
told, there weren't really many options at the Hotel Bellerive at 214 E. 
Armour at 3:20 AM.  Still, I came to think of us as friends.

I had no idea of the level of fame that Beverly Sills had attained until I 
saw her on the Johnny Carson show a few days after one of her Operas had 
closed in Kansas City.  I'm searching my memory, but I can't come up with 
anyone else that was ever on Carson that, even for a short while, knew me 
by sight and name.

Certainly by her demeanor and humor, one would have no clue as to her 
worldwide stature and celebrated achievements.

I'm sorry to hear that she's gone.


Regards,

-Don