We are similar to a museum. My function is to present old masterpieces in modern frames.
The opera always loses money. That's as it should be. Opera has no business making money.
There are two sighs of relief every night in the life of an opera manager. The first comes when the curtain goes up The second sigh of relief comes when the final curtain goes down without any disaster, and one realizes, gratefully, that the miracle has happened again.
We want an ensemble of stars, not comets.
I will not enter into a public feud with Madame Callas, since I am well aware that she has considerably greater competence and experience at that kind of thing than I have.
Miss Renata Tebaldi was always sweet and very firm... she had dimples of iron.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain the services of first-class conductors. They are sick and tired of dealing with singers, as I am.
I never socialized with singers. It's very dangerous if you work with opera... I don't think that in 30 years a singer has entered my apartment.
I never for a moment believed they would perform at 10 o'clock in the morning. It's hard enough getting them to perform at 8 at night.
Confine your kissing to the irresistible.
It is so much worse to be a mediocre artist than to be a mediocre post-office clerk.
I prefer to remember the happy things over 10 years, the things that went well. Let me see, what did go well?
Expressions of disapproval are on a level of vulgarity that cannot be tolerated. The way to express disapproval is to do without applause.
How nice the human voice is when it isn't singing.
