If music in general is an imitation of history, opera in particular is an imitation of human willfulness; it is rooted in the fact... that we not only have feelings but insist upon having them at whatever cost to ourselves.... The quality common to all the great operatic roles, e.g., Don Giovanni, Norma, Lucia, Tristan, Isolde, Brünnhilde, is that each of them is a passionate and willful state of being. In real life they would all be bores, even Don Giovanni.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
You know, it's not the world that was my oppressor, because what the world does to you, if the world does it to you long enough an...d effectively enough, you begin to do to yourself.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Pessimists are the people who have no hope for themselves or for others. Pessimists are also people who think the human race is be...neath their notice, that they're better than other human beings.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
When you're called a nigger you look at your father because you think your father can rule the world--every kid thinks that--and t...hen you discover that your father cannot do anything about it. So you begin to despise your father and you realize, oh, that's what a nigger is.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
When the book comes out it may hurt you--but in order for me to do it, it had to hurt me first. I can only tell you about yourself... as much as I can face about myself.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
If you're treated a certain way you become a certain kind of person. If certain things are described to you as being real they're ...real for you whether they're real or not.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
He may be a very nice man. But I haven't got the time to figure that out. All I know is, he's got a uniform and a gun and I have t...o relate to him that way. That's the only way to relate to him because one of us may have to die.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »