--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At the beginning, I thought, 'Oh, I can't…" description: "\"At the beginning, I thought, 'Oh, I can't criticize a singer who's doing a role that I adored... even a role I didn't do.' And then I thought, 'The hec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/beverly-sills-11881_beginning_at-the-beginning-i-thought-oh-i-can-t-cr_2648786.png" --- # At the beginning, I thought, 'Oh, I can't criticize a… ![“At the beginning, I thought, 'Oh, I can't criticize a singer who's doing a role that I adored... even a role I didn't do.' And then I thought, 'The heck with that! Thirty years of experience... ask the girl who did it!' And I feel that if they're not willing to take what I have to say, that's…” quote by Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/beverly-sills-11881_beginning_at-the-beginning-i-thought-oh-i-can-t-cr_2648786.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/beverly-sills-11881_beginning_at-the-beginning-i-thought-oh-i-can-t-cr_2648786.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/beverly-sills-11881_beginning_at-the-beginning-i-thought-oh-i-can-t-cr_2648786.png) > “At the beginning, I thought, 'Oh, I can't criticize a singer who's doing a role that I adored... even a role I didn't do.' And then I thought, 'The heck with that! Thirty years of experience... ask the girl who did it!' And I feel that if they're not willing to take what I have to say, that's fine! But I'm going to say it.” [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She emphasizes the importance of speaking truth despite personal admiration, asserting that experience grants authority to critique. **In simple terms:** Speak truth even if you admire the subject. Key Takeaway Offer honest feedback when qualified. Themes courage integrity experience Mood assertive reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - theatre reviews - mentor-mentee discussions - public speaking - media interviews Key Concepts art criticism professional responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance respect with honesty? - When is it appropriate to with? A Different Perspective May be perceived as harsh or ungrateful by fans. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) ## Related quotes > [“Fresh proof of the risks you run in writing about players, and of the advisability of not standing to leeward of their self-esteem when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-berlioz/fresh-proof-of-the-risks-you-run-in-writing-about-players-and-of-the/) [Hector Berlioz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-berlioz/) > [As a teacher with over thirty years of experience, I've found that students are hungry for material that goes beyond simply learning tune after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-trischka/as-a-teacher-with-over-thirty-years-of-experience-i-ve-found-that/) Tony Trischka > [“When you've spent thirty years entering rooms filled with strangers you feel less pressure than when you've had only half that number of years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/when-you-ve-spent-thirty-years-entering-rooms-filled-with-strangers/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [The French are true romantics. They feel the only difference between a man of forty and one of seventy is thirty years of experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-chevalier/the-french-are-true-romantics-they-feel-the-only-difference-between-a/) [Maurice Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-chevalier/) > [Anarchism is not a romantic fable but the hardheaded realization, based on five thousand years of experience, that we cannot entrust the management of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/anarchism-is-not-a-romantic-fable-but-the-hardheaded-realization/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [The latter qualification brings to mind a fellow who applied for a job and stated he had twenty years of experience-which was corrected by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-latter-qualification-brings-to-mind-a-fellow-who-applied-for-a/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I feel like I've had 20 years of experience at a very high level, if you throw in college, playing overseas, I've played in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-hammon/i-feel-like-i-ve-had-20-years-of-experience-at-a-very-high-level-if/) [Becky Hammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-hammon/) > [Now, you can just get a laptop, get some software, put a microphone on it and make a record. You have to know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcguinn/now-you-can-just-get-a-laptop-get-some-software-put-a-microphone-on/) [Roger McGuinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcguinn/) > [At Microsoft I had many years of experience and history and seeing connections. With my direct reports, the job at Microsoft was to delegate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/at-microsoft-i-had-many-years-of-experience-and-history-and-seeing/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [“There are obviously two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live. Surely these should never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-truslow-adams/there-are-obviously-two-educations-one-should-teach-us-how-to-make-a/) [James Truslow Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-truslow-adams/) > [I am aware of the responsibility I am taking on as the chancellor. Things have developed very quickly for me in recent years, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-kurz/i-am-aware-of-the-responsibility-i-am-taking-on-as-the-chancellor/) [Sebastian Kurz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-kurz/) > [I think 20 years of experience really came to fruition and enabled me to be able to play Cotton Marcus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-fabian/i-think-20-years-of-experience-really-came-to-fruition-and-enabled-me/) [Patrick Fabian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-fabian/) > [War destroys. War obliterates. War is ruination. And war begets more war. After thousands of years of experience proving this, and reams of literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-simeone/war-destroys-war-obliterates-war-is-ruination-and-war-begets-more-war/) Lisa Simeone > [“The preferred medications were those that forestalled corruption. We know 'as a result of more than three thousand years of experience that Myrrh and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/the-preferred-medications-were-those-that-forestalled-corruption-we/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [“I am persuaded from long years of experience amongst women of many nationalities that good midwifery is essential for the true happiness of motherhood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantly-dick-read/i-am-persuaded-from-long-years-of-experience-amongst-women-of-many/) [Grantly Dick-Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantly-dick-read/) ## More by Beverly Sills > [There is something in me-I just can't stand to admit defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/there-is-something-in-me-i-just-can-t-stand-to-admit-defeat/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [My voice had a long, nonstop career. It deserves to be put to bed with quiet and dignity, not yanked out every once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/my-voice-had-a-long-nonstop-career-it-deserves-to-be-put-to-bed-with/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [“Any excess in life is a substitute for something that's missing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/any-excess-in-life-is-a-substitute-for-something-that-s-missing/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [This joyfulness that I felt when I sang, and this need to communicate with people, these are my two strongest points. I've always been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/this-joyfulness-that-i-felt-when-i-sang-and-this-need-to-communicate/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [The Lourie Center eases the burden of children and their families through early intervention and diagnoses and treatment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/the-lourie-center-eases-the-burden-of-children-and-their-families/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [Opera is music AND drama. I'm prepared to sacrifice the beautiful note for the meaningful sound any time... I can make a pretty tone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/opera-is-music-and-drama-i-m-prepared-to-sacrifice-the-beautiful-note/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [I know that anybody who does all this and doesn't have to, everything thinks she's very driven. The truth is, I enjoy it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/i-know-that-anybody-who-does-all-this-and-doesn-t-have-to-everything/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [I've always tried to be cheerful, because I think people who whine are boring, and I never could tolerate bores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/i-ve-always-tried-to-be-cheerful-because-i-think-people-who-whine-are/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [The press frequently sneers at the hype devoted to a superstar, but the press itself is responsible for all the hype.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/the-press-frequently-sneers-at-the-hype-devoted-to-a-superstar-but/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [There is no short cut to a place worth going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/there-is-no-short-cut-to-a-place-worth-going/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [There were times in my career ... when I felt like a trapeze artist doing dangerous somersaults without a net underneath. When you execute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/there-were-times-in-my-career-when-i-felt-like-a-trapeze-artist-doing/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [Anger begins with folly, and ends with repentance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/anger-begins-with-folly-and-ends-with-repentance/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/you-may-be-disappointed-if-you-fail-but-you-are-doomed-if-you-don-t/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [I love Massenet - 'Manon' had been a wonderful role for me - and the music he wrote for 'Thais' is quite enjoyable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/i-love-massenet-manon-had-been-a-wonderful-role-for-me-and-the-music/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [I can't be happy every day but I can be cheerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/i-can-t-be-happy-every-day-but-i-can-be-cheerful/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) [Explore all 57 Beverly Sills quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) ## More Beginning quotes > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Every Finish Line is the beginning of a new race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-finish-line-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-race/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always keep the smile, because the smile is the beginning of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-imad/always-keep-the-smile-because-the-smile-is-the-beginning-of-love/) Adam Imad > [We are beginning to see intimations of this in the implantation of computer devices into the human body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-are-beginning-to-see-intimations-of-this-in-the-implantation-of/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [The only vocal training I had was playing with a tape recorder as a kid, and you know, doing the beginning of the 'Lone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buffer/the-only-vocal-training-i-had-was-playing-with-a-tape-recorder-as-a/) [Michael Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buffer/) > [January is the beginning of a new year for us in the Western world. Let us give to God what belongs to him: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/january-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-year-for-us-in-the-western-world/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [In the beginning, if you look at those early label albums of the Chicks, we didn't write all that much. We had an A&R…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/in-the-beginning-if-you-look-at-those-early-label-albums-of-the/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [When there is a mission before you, you see it from its beginning to its conclusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-white/when-there-is-a-mission-before-you-you-see-it-from-its-beginning-to/) [Jesse White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-white/) > [When God made the world, all things began with him. Life, death, it all began when he said so. That includes you and me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manae-poet-of-carisis/when-god-made-the-world-all-things-began-with-him-life-death-it-all/) Manae Poet Of Carisis > [From the beginning at Intel, we planned on being big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-noyce/from-the-beginning-at-intel-we-planned-on-being-big/) [Robert Noyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-noyce/) > [In the very beginning, Yelp started as a service where we really didn't think people would write reviews for fun. The whole concept of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stoppelman/in-the-very-beginning-yelp-started-as-a-service-where-we-really-didn/) [Jeremy Stoppelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stoppelman/) > [Some projects feel like the stars are aligning for them from the very beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-smith/some-projects-feel-like-the-stars-are-aligning-for-them-from-the-very/) [Gregory Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-smith/) > [Do not judge me by my beginning, Only by my end, Nor by the path I took, But where it led me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacklyn-h-lucas/do-not-judge-me-by-my-beginning-only-by-my-end-nor-by-the-path-i-took/) Jacklyn H Lucas [Browse all 3,566 Beginning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At the beginning, I thought, 'Oh, I can't criticize a singer who's doing a role that I adored... even a role I didn't do.' 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