I was sorry to hear about the death of Yehudi Menuhim at the age of 82, in
Berlin.  The TV news last night also brought the announcement of the death
of Brazilian soprano Bidu Sayao.  Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1906, she was
sent to France in 1922 to study with Jean de Reszke.  In 1926, debut in
Italy at Teatro Constanzi in Rome.  In the same year she sung Rosina (from
Rossini's Il Barbieri di Siviglia) at the Teatro Municipal do Rio de
Janeiro.  Despite her talent to sing, her family was strongly against her
pursuit as a lyric singer.  After singing for Toscanini at Carnegie Hall,
her career was finally established.  In 1937, debut at the Metropolitan
Opera House as Massenet's Manon, with great sucess.  Bidu Sayao was one
of the best Zerlinas of her time.  The last time she sung was in 1958,
at Carnegie Hall, at the request of Villa-Lobos.  She had Northamerican
citizenship and was living in Maine.

Wilson Pereira.