By the time she was four, Beverly Sills, or “Bubbles” was singing and performing in public. She learned to sing opera by imitating her mother’s records. When her soon to be voice teacher heard Bubbles sing, the teacher laughed out loud. But the lady agreed to take Bubbles, and the rest is history. At a time when virtually all major opera singers were European, Bubbles became internationally famous because of her spectacular soprano voice and her sparkling and bubbly personality.
Originally published by Viking and now back in print, this new edition, revised and updated, will enchant young readers seeking narrative biographies.
Reviews for Beverly Sills: America’s Own Opera Star
“How Brooklyn-born Belle Miriam Silverman became the famous opera star, Beverly Sills, is a fascinating story. This biography is short, lively, and easy to read. It covers a remarkable amount of ground, from Bubbles’ appearance as a regular on “Uncle Bob’s Rainbow Hour,” a 1930s radio show, to her successful stint as General Director of the New York City Opera . . . [Kerby has the] ability to reflect in words the vivaciousness that Sills brought to her performances.” School Library Journal
The Beginning of Chapter 1: Wait for the Ding Dong!
Bubbles stood before the microphone and looked at the studio audience. She was on the radio. She wasn’t afraid. Uncle Bob Emory was standing next to her. Besides, she loved to sing. And she knew she was good. Last year in Brooklyn, New York, she had been declared Miss Beautiful Baby of 1932.
Now she was four years old. Her blond curls bobbed around her face while she sang her last year’s winning talent entry, “The Wedding of Jack and Jill.” The catchy tune ended with the words “ding, dong, ding.”
Before she had even come to the end of her song, the audience broke out in applause. “Wait a minute!” she shrieked at them, “I haven’t finished my ding dong!”
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