I could never choose just one Marilyn Horne recording or the memory of just one performance. Among my favorite performances of Horne are:
- Orfeo at Tanglewood.
- The Verdi Requiem in Carnegie Hall.
- Carmen and Isabella, the lady from Algiers at the Met.
- A recital in Boston's Symphony Hall when I was a kid.Â
- Rosina in The Barber of Seville.Â
- Copland's Old American Songs at Carnegie Hall with Bernstein — the first such to raise money to fight AIDS.
- A London performance of Messiah in Mozart's orchestration is a favorite of mine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mnc31XdaiQ Then there is when she told Johnnie Carson, "No fat cracks, please," and threatened to give Tony Randall a fat lip on The Odd Couple I've met Horne a few times. She was the guest quiz master on one of my last gigs with the lamented Metropolitan Opera Quiz. Her first words off-mike were "Call me Jackie." Today Marilyn Horne is a teacher and mentor. I'm happy to know that at this writing she is being very good indeed, generous, supportive, maternal to a dear friend of mine who is battling cancer. "Miss Horne calls me every day." I'm sure she's helped many people in need-but you'll never hear that from her. So hear it from me. Happy birthday, gracious lady. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i-X4IJzkNM
