Dame Joan Sutherland (I), "La Stupenda" makes her farewell performance on the stage of the Royal Opera House, London. Guest stars include Marilyn Horne and Luciano Pavarotti.
me Hilda Bracket: Five minutes ago I was sitting at home with a pumpkin.
me Hilda Bracket: She doesn't drink, dear.
lonel Frank: Well who'd you expect? Severiano Ballasteros?
me Hilda Bracket: Have you had your brown tablet? Evadne Hinge: I've had two. So you'd better hurry up, hadn't you?
me Hilda Bracket: That was "Three little maids" arranged for two voices. Should have been three but at the last moment Dame Edith cried off. She was rushing around the corridors beating her chest and saying "I cannot go on. I cannot go on". And then she couldn't. No breath left.
osch: Help! Tea!
osch: Once at least I have sung with Placido Domingo.
lonel Frank: [Frosch crashes into window] What is it? osch: Nothing Herr Direktor, I just broke the window. lonel Frank: What do you see? osch: Shards of glass. lonel Frank: Who is down there? osch: Ladies. Four ladies. Could be just two though.
lonel Frank: Frosch where can we hide these ladies? osch: Cell 13. lonel Frank: Since when is cell 13 free? osch: Since this afternoon. The prisoner's my brother in law and he wanted to celebrate new year's eve with his family. He'll be back tomorrow.
. Falke: You should have married me my dear, you're wasting your time with this man!
. Blind: Why are you leading me around like this? osch: You're blind. . Blind: I'm not blind. My name's Blind. osch: Anyone can say that.
salinde: That's how you're going to jail? briel von Eisenstein: Why not meine Liebe? Selbst respekt!
. Falke: Where has your beloved husband gone? salinde: To change. . Falke: And what do you think he'll change into? salinde: What ever you change into when you go to jail. . Falke: Very well. I bet that he will come back here wearing his best evening dress, top hat, white tie, waiscoat, the toute ensemble. salinde: [Gabriel arrives in full evening dress] That's how you're going to jail?
salinde: This will be his first contact with the underworld.
salinde: You can use the front door.
me Hilda Bracket: Happy new year. Bless her.
osch: [on being told to leave Franke alone with Olga and Ida] Shpoilshport!
salinde: [referring to Falke] Well, at least he's not another tenor!
A woman played the part of Prince Orlovsky in one version of this opera because the part of the Prince was intended to be sung by a castrato, a type of singer which no longer exists - the practice of "creating" them was stopped ages ago, as it involved the surgical removal of the singer's genitals.
