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.

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

Miss Renata Tebaldi was always sweet and very firm... she had dimples of iron.

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

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

It is so much worse to be a mediocre artist than to be a mediocre post-office clerk.

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

We want an ensemble of stars, not comets.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain the services of first-class conductors. They are sick and tired of dealing with singers, as I am.

I never socialized with singers. It's very dangerous if you work with opera... I don't think that in 30 years a singer has entered my apartment.

I never for a moment believed they would perform at 10 o'clock in the morning. It's hard enough getting them to perform at 8 at night.

I’m writing this because you begged. You know how I love the begging

The redundancy of flesh, he thinks, the helplessness of meat, how can we conjure spirit from a bone?

Language is power, life and the instrument of culture, the instrument of domination and liberation.

Our epoch does not love itself.

You yourself never loved; you never love! Yes, I too can love; you yourselves can tell it from the past. Is it not so?

The word impossible contains the word possible' What's that-- some Zen thing?' I think Star Trek. Mr. Spock.

If these rich women from 5th Avenue spend a fortune on cashmere sweaters, they will come to my store to buy gummy bears.

If the Eagles were to get back together, it would have to be for the right reasons. I think it would look awful if it were just for the money.

The language has got to be fully alive - I can't bear dull, flaccid writing myself and I don't see why any reader should put up with it.

Boot the grime of this world in the crotch dear.