She was one of the few gentle women that I knew throughout my lifetime.

A happy woman is one who has no cares at all; a cheerful woman is one who has cares but doesn't let them get her down.

There is a growing strength in women but it's in the forehead, not the forearm

There is a growing strength in women but it's in the forehead, not the forearm.

I never breathe through the nose, not when I'm singing. In the opera, you don't have so much time. That's fine at the beginning of an opera or after somebody else has been doing an aria, and you want to get a good fresh start.

This joyfulness that I felt when I sang, and this need to communicate with people, these are my two strongest points. I've always been a people person. I love people; I like to be with people, and when I got on stage, I was home free.