Ted Strickland about Pons, Lily

I saw lily perform in 1948 in Jacksonville fl. We had never had such a celelbrated artist at the time.
We had no Opera house or venue for performing. Their was an auditorium in George Washington Hotel where she performed. The audience was packed. I noticed that she and a man walking across the far side of the hall. She had on a scalloped fur coat and a veil over her face. When the curtan went up she was dressed to the nines in Pink and Back Strapless gown. A diamond necklace so huge when she would turn it would send flashes of light across the audience. She had the audience on their feet time after time. She was in unusally good voice that night. When she finally stopped the last encore her 2 little dogs ran on the stage. When she came down the stairs from the stage.
I was started to see how over weight she was at the time. Her blonde hair nneeded touching up badly. She spoke in the third person which I found weird. In 1952 at I saw a picture of her at President Eisenhower Gala. I was started she looked 20 years younger and so slim and youthful it was astounding.
Her publicity always over shadowed her talent. I think she is the greatest colorature who ever lived.