36 years after the death of great Greek soprano Maria Callas. Born Maria Cecilia Kalogeropoulou in New York City on December 2, 1923, La Divina died of a heart attack on September 16, 1977 in Paris.
The American-born Greek soprano was one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20th century. Critics praised her bel canto technique, wide-ranging voice and dramatic gifts.
Her repertoire ranged from classical opera seria to the bel canto operas of Donizetti, Bellini and Rossini; further, to the works of Verdi and Puccini; and, in her early career, to the music dramas of Wagner. Her musical and dramatic talents led to her being hailed as La Divina.
La Traviata
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Born in New York City, she received her musical education in Greece and established her career in Italy. Forced to deal with the exigencies of wartime poverty and with myopia that left her nearly blind onstage, she endured struggles and scandal over the course of her career.
She turned herself from a heavy woman into a svelte and glamorous one after a mid-career weight loss, which might have contributed to her vocal decline and the premature end of her career.
The press exulted in publicizing Callas’s allegedly temperamental behaviour, her supposed rivalry with Renata Tebaldi and her love affair with Aristotle Onassis.
Her dramatic life and personal tragedy have often overshadowed Callas the artist in the popular press. However, her artistic achievements were such that Leonard Bernstein called her “the Bible of opera“.
Greek National Opera tribute to Maria Callas
A day before the 36th anniversary of her death, The Greek National Opera organized a tribute to the great soprano. A “music walk through five of Athens archaeological sites with the participation of sopranos of the National Opera.
More than 2,500 Athenians attended the event and listened to arias of great operas performed by great opera artists and musicians.
Tribute: outside the Acropolis Museum
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Tribute: at Kotzia Square
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Tribute at Ermou street
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More videos at pictures at athenswalk.net, who generously offered its material to KTG.
As usual KTG had forgotten to take the camera with.
PS I really wish when audience in public music events stop chatting about Sunday lunch, mother-in-law health and other issues. Or talking on the mobile assuring they were at “Callas event of the National Opera” but they were listening to their friends and companions than to the musicians. This ‘semi-educated’ audience can do the chat at a cafe after the concert and let us listen to the music. Cant’ they?
