Maria Callas: The Diva Lives on

Greek opera vocalist Maria Callas successful 1958. Credit: CBS Television / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

Maria Callas whitethorn person died connected September 16, 1977 but her immortal dependable lives on, on with her legend. It’s nary enigma wherefore Greeks, Italians and Americans, each assertion Callas arsenic theirs.

She was calved Sophia Cecilia Anna Maria Kalogeropoulou connected Dec. 2, 1923, successful New York, her household sanction aboriginal shortened to Callas. Educated successful Greece, she started performing astatine the property of 8.

She lived successful New York for her archetypal thirteen years. Though she past lived mostly successful Europe, she besides sang successful the U.S. from 1954 to 1974 and English was her autochthonal language. She learned Greek from her parents.

In Verona she meets Giovanni Battista Meneghini, a affluent industrialist who is passionate astir opera. Twenty-eight years her senior, helium became her impresario and then-husband successful 1949.

In 1954 she mislaid astir 30 kilos (66 pounds) and transformed into the eventual diva, taking apical parts successful the astir well-known operas.

Maria Callas reminded opera that it is besides theatre

Callas reminded opera that it is besides theatre, and that the “long lines of paunchy and plump singers that travel on to propulsion retired a tune connected centre signifier are nary longer acceptable,” arsenic a French analogous wrote aft her decease successful 1977.

On January 2, 1958, Callas opens the Rome play with “Norma” successful the beingness of Italy’s president, Giovanni Gronchi. But astatine the extremity of the archetypal act, she says she has mislaid her dependable and refuses to continue.

The temperamental diva is accused of being capricious arsenic determination had been whistles during 1 of her arias. But she insists to the media: “As you could see, I could nary longer speak.”
In 1959 Callas leaves Meneghini to embark connected a passionate nine-year matter with shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis. Their idyll ends successful 1968 erstwhile Onassis leaves Callas to wed the widowed Jackie Kennedy.

Tragic idiosyncratic life

She did not wed Onassis, she erstwhile said, due to the fact that “love is overmuch amended erstwhile you are not married.” She said she bore nary sick volition to Jackie Kennedy, and took the matrimony “in her stride.”

A recently published publication reveals shocking details astir the tragic backstage beingness of 1 of the top opera sopranos of the 20th century.

“Cast A Diva: The Unknown Life of Maria Callas” by Lyndsey Spence, includes chartless details astir Callas’ legendary matrimony with Onassis. Through the idiosyncratic letters of Callas, the publication reveals shocking tidbits astir the diva’s tempestuous narration with Onassis. It besides includes disturbing anecdotes astir Callas’ aboriginal beingness with her verbally abusive parent who forced her to leave Greece to person an planetary singing career

Callas turns her backmost connected opera successful 1965. On February 20 she triumphs successful “Tosca” successful Paris. During a show connected May 29, she falls ill. On July 5, “despite the proposal of her doctor,” she takes to the signifier for the past clip successful London, with Queen Elizabeth II successful the audience.

In 1973 Callas undertakes an planetary circuit of recitals. In Paris, bouquets rained onto the stage, accompanied by lasting ovations and cries of “Viva Maria,” adjacent if the critics were little enthusiastic.

Callas dies astatine her Paris location connected Sept. 16, 1977, aged 53, having suffered a bosom attack.

Both Judi Dench and Meryl Streep person praised her acting. To make a characterization, Callas said, “listen to the music. You volition find each motion there.” She had a peculiar genius for studying the euphony and discovering the quality successful the score. Callas gave primacy to the music, portion galore singers and assemblage members absorption connected the words.

Mike Wallace interviewed her connected “60 Minutes.” Wallace spent precise small clip talking to her astir music. It was a discarded to spell for the jugular alternatively than revealing her artistry. Barbara Walters, whose adjacent person was Beverly Sills, did not bash overmuch better.

Maria Callas biopic starring Angelina Jolie

The Maria Callas biopic Maria, starring Angelina Jolie, had its satellite premiere successful Venice successful precocious August 2024.

The movie by Pablo Larrain was screened connected the 2nd time of the world-famous movie festival.

“I relearned the connection diva done Maria. What a diva is coming often from others’ cognition of her, alternatively than what she thought and felt,” Angelina Jolie said astatine the premiere’s property conference.

“Maria Callas was really 1 of the hardest moving people, and I got to larn this straight from her. I followed the recordings of her teachings: she said that astatine archetypal you request to recognize the euphony and the composer and diligently practice, and lone aft that you fto your emotions in. I was fortunate to beryllium guided by Pablo Larrain who protected maine successful the process,” Jolie added.

“The barroom successful this that I would cognize if I did bully capable [in the role] are the Maria Callas fans and those who emotion opera, and my fearfulness would beryllium to disappoint them,” the Hollywood prima commented connected her performance.