Biography of Maria Callas

The Divine

December 2, 1923
September 16, 1977
Maria Callas (born Maria Anna Sofia Cecilia Kalogeropoulos), the undisputed Queen of Opera appealed from time to time as Diva, Goddess, Goddess and similar, was born probably on 2 December 1923, although his birth is surrounded by substantial mystery (there are those who say being on December 3 or 4). Only certainty the city, New York, Fifth Avenue, where dwelt the parents-Georges Kalogheropoulos and Evangelia Dimitriadis-of Greek origin.
The origin of this confusion about dates is to be found in the fact that apparently the parents, to remedy the loss of his son Vasily, who died during an epidemic of typhus at the age of three, had wanted a boy, so much so that when her mother learned of having given birth to a girl, for the first few days would not even see her, while her father paid no attention even to register at the registry office. His childhood was quiet anyway, like that of many little girls of her age, although earlier, in just five years, a tragic event was in danger of breaking them life: hit by a car in 192ma Street in Manhattan, remained in a coma for 22 days before recovering. Mary had a six-year-old sister Jakinthy called Jackie, the family favourite (singular destiny ... Jackie will be the nickname of Jacqueline Kennedy, the woman who will take away the mate). Jackie had every privilege, like that to take voice lessons and piano lessons that Mary had just listening from behind the door.
Except that she was able to learn just what the sister learned with so much difficulty. Not surprisingly, at the age of eleven, he participated in the radio program "The amateur hour", singing "La Paloma" and won second prize. Maria cultivates a passion for singing, even when the mother after the divorce, decides to return to Greece, taking the girl with him. In 1937 he entered the Conservatory of Athens and is perfected in the Greek and French. It's been years were not easy for the young Callas: the miseries of occupation and fame, and later the conquest, after the war, freedom, a peaceful and prosperous existence finally.
The first successes are right in Greece: "Cavalleria Rusticana" as Santuzza and Tosca, then its future workhorse. Callas has however in the heart New York and, above all, his father, returning to the United States to embrace him and especially for the fear that is taken from an American citizen is its primary purpose. Thus the father will be two years not particularly happy (artistic glories) that will push Maria Callas, once again, to "escape". It's the June 27, 1947, and the destination is Italy. Callas leave the United States "still poor in the barrel," as she herself said, with $ 50 in his pocket and a few clothes. With her are Luisa Bagarotzy, wife of an American contractor, and the singer Nicola Rossi-Lemeni. The goal is Verona where Maria Callas would have met her future husband, Giovanni Battista Meneghini, lover of works of art and good food.
Divided them 37 years apart and Callas, perhaps, not loved man who married on April 21, 1949. The Italy brings luck to kicking soprano. Verona, Milan, Venice have the privilege to hear his "Mona Lisa", "Tristan and Isolde", "standard", "the Puritans", "Aida", "I Vespri siciliani", "Il Trovatore" and so on. Friendships are born important, crucial to his career and his life. Antonio Ghiringhelli, Superintendent of the scale, Wally and Arturo Toscanini. The celebrated conductor remains astonished and amazed by the great soprano voice so much that he wanted to direct it in "Macbeth," but the Verdi's masterpiece, unfortunately, was staged at La Scala. Callas speaking of Renata Tebaldi will declare: "When will we sing the Valkyrie and i Puritani side by side, then you can make a comparison. Until then it would be like comparing Coca Cola champagne".
New loves, new passions into life (not only artistic) of Callas. Luchino Visconti who runs in Milan in 1954, "Vestal" of Spontini, Pasolini (which Callas wrote numerous letters to console the Ninetto Davoli), Zeffirelli, Giuseppe di Stefano. Italy is not the only homeland of choice of the famous soprano. Triumphs and acclaim enthusiastically follow each other around the world. London, Vienna, Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Paris, New York (Metropolitan), Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, Kansas City. Her voice captivates, moves, amazing. Art, gossip and social life are intertwined in the life of Maria Callas. The 1959 is the year of the break with her husband. Thanks to her friend Elsa Maxwell, American billionaire, knows the Greek shipowner Aristotle Onassis. Their will be a destructive love "ugly and violent" as you called it. Years of unbridled passion, love, luxury and sgretolatezza. A man who will suffer tremendously Callas. From this Union was born a baby, Homer, who lived a few hours, that might have changed the course of their romance.
After the 1964 began the decline of the singer, though perhaps more in the psychological sense than artistic. Aristotle Onassis leaves her for Jacqueline Kennedy. The news reaches through the newspapers as a terrible blow and from that moment you a continuous descent into oblivion. His voice begins to lose Polish and intensity, so "la divina" retires from the world and takes refuge in Paris. He died on September 16, 1977 only 53 years. Next to her a Butler and Mary, the faithful housekeeper. After her death, Maria Callas's dresses, like those of Marguerite Gautier, went up for auction in Paris. Her nothing remains: even the ashes were scattered in the Aegean. However, there is a plaque in his memory at the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris (where they are buried many prominent names in politics, science, performing arts, film and music). His voice remains in the engravings, which has resulted in a unique way to many characters tragic and unhappy.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.