They do not hold a candle to Minnie. :)
Wally Kairuz wrote:
>
> my city has been one of the most important opera and classical music centers
> in the world for more than a century. because i've always lived a few blocks
> away from teatro colon, and many times in buildings where singers and
> conductors were staying while in south america, most of my encounters with
> celebrities have been with opera and classical music stars.
> when i was 8 i met maria callas [thanks to my mother!!!]. at the same party
> i met pier paolo passolini.
> later on in my life, i met/had dinner/talked informally with lots of opera
> singers and some ballet stars too. some of the bigger names that i think you
> might recognize are:
>
> birgit nilsson
> joan sutherland
> placido domingo
> rudolf nureyev
> ingrid bjoner
> eva marton
> gwyneth jones
> anna moffo
> leonie rysanek
> james levine
> georg solti
> samuel ramey
> ghena dimitrova
> elena suliotis
> jon vickers
> deborah voight
> and many, many, many more!
> these are not just people whose autographs i asked or that i congratulated
> after a performance but people i established a meaningful rapport with and
> with some of whom [nilsson, marton, suliotis] i still correspond.
> as to other stars:
> laurie anderson
> rick wakeman
> catherine deneuve
> bruce labruce
> richard carpenter, etc
>
> casual encounters: anne rice in an elevator; william hurt in the hamptons;
> and my favorite one of all: cnn's jeanne moos in central park!!!!! [if you
> don't know jeanne moos, you don't know what you're missing].
>
> i also met and befriended the jmdl's only true celebrity: robert holliston.
>
> wallyK
