"Rudolf Bing" was an Austrian-born opera impresario who worked in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, most notably being General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York from 1950 to 1972. He became a British citizen in 1946 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1971.

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Expressions of disapproval are on a level of vulgarity that cannot be tolerated. The way to express disapproval is to do without applause.

305

We want an ensemble of stars, not comets.

236

How nice the human voice is when it isn't singing.

175

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.

172

They have a disease of the throat.

143

We are similar to a museum. My function is to present old masterpieces in modern frames.

138

The opera always loses money. That's as it should be. Opera has no business making money.

130

I prefer to remember the happy things over 10 years, the things that went well. Let me see, what did go well?

126

I don't want them to come in with a white tie, and I don't want them to come in a black tie. But I do want them to come in a tie.

76