ABSTRACT
Born Belle Miriam Silverman in Brooklyn, New York, Sills became one of America’s best-loved operatic sopranos and, following her performing career, a major figure in performing arts administration. Sills began performing locally on radio and at amateur talent shows from age three, earning the nickname “Bubbles.”She made her operatic debut in 1947 with the Philadelphia Civic Opera, and toured for the next few years with a number of smaller companies. In 1955 she made her first appearance with the New York City Opera, and was soon a major star of the company. She made her first appearance with the Metropolitan Opera in 1966 at a Lewisohn Stadium performance; she did not make her “formal,” Lincoln Center premiere with the company until nine years later. In 1979, she was named general director of the New York City Opera, and retired from performing the next year. She was elected chairman of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in 1994, a position she held through spring 2002; six months later, it was announced that Sills would be the new chairwoman of the Metropolitan Opera.
