Beverly Sills: Down-to-Earth, but Every Inch a Diva Fresh Air | By Lloyd Schwartz Published July 6, 2007 at 8:00 AM PDT Facebook Email Listen • 0:00 Beverly Sills, the Brooklyn-born opera star with the charming smile and the clean, silvery coloratura, died Monday at the age of 78. Fresh Air's classical music critic pays tribute. Copyright 2007 Fresh Air