Patrice Munsel Dishes For New Jersey Newsroom

"On Sunday night, Feb. 20, Miss Munsel, now 85, was interviewed in a room at Lincoln Center, and it became immediately clear that despite her age she’s quick-witted and lively. As she sipped from a bottle of water she said, 'I just wish this were vodka.' She was interviewed, by author Brian Kellow, after an exceedingly rare showing of the 1953 film, Melba. Years ago, when Miss Munsel first read the movie’s script, she related, she wept; she was so deeply disappointed that it portrayed Melba as someone 'nice, someone out of a Jane Powell movie.' (Miss Powell happens to be a dear friend of hers, Munsel added.) And, as she noted in her talk, there wasn’t much of a plot." The former diva goes on to talk about her days at the MET, including juicy stories of Enrico Caruso, Helen Traubel and Kirsten Flagstad. [Source]