This year we celebrate the centenary of his birth. Discredited by her mother, the singer was able to overcome her turbulent youth and become the singer adored all over the world.
If her mother loved her and found her beautiful, would she become Maria Callas? prima donna adored? In 1951, the 28-year-old singer opened the season at Milan’s La Scala Sicilian evening by Verdi. This victory makes us forget his mixed first in this famous house, a few months ago. Divina Assoluta’s career is on an upward slope. He is reaping the rewards of fifteen years of hard work.
Ugly and fat
When Maria was born in 1923 in New York, her mother was hoping for a son. Disappointed, she refuses to hold the baby in her arms. Evangelia does not really like this child, whom she considers ugly and fat, except when she sings with her powerful voice in an “almost black” timbre. Maria has been participating in competitions since she was a teenager. lyric poetry therefore occupies the entire space of his existence.
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Maria moved to Greece at the age of 14. Evangelia ages him on ID papers to allow him to enter a national conservatory without attending school. Professor Elvira de Hidalgo, a former coloratura soprano, is immediately seduced by the emotion this very young fat girl is capable of expressing. His voice is a wonderful instrument to work with and, above all, it has the potential to revive the bel canto that no one has been able to sing properly for half a century.
Through persistence
At the age of 17, Maria made a promising debut on the stage, but the war changed the cards of fate. He accepted roles in operas staged for the German and Italian occupation forces. His services to the soldiers during the liberation earned him a reputation as a collaborationist. His rivals got his skin. Maria is exiled in New York.
At the hearing, we now call Callas to the Stage. But in the famous Metropolitan Opera, they think that he is not ready for big roles. Next In Pride, the injured singer refuses to give up. He goes back to school and gets a job Turandot which is to be installed in Chicago. Unfortunately, the producer went bankrupt before the premiere. Goodbye spotlight, back to New York!
Archive of Maris Callas as a child (second from right) with her family. Dr
Thanks to her persistence, Maria took part in the audition for the role La Gioconda which will be presented at the 1947 Verona Festival. This time he is engaged. One of the patrons of the event, Battista Meneghini, fell in love with this Galatea, whom he hoped to turn into a lyrical star. He finds many obligations for her. the price of his pills increases. Thanks to her Pygmalion, she made her debut as Aida at Milan’s Scala in 1950. He replaced Tebaldi. the adored singer of this temple of classical music was unwell. The reception was mixed, the criticism scathing, but his hour of glory would come next year on this same stage.
La Scala elevates her to the rank of world prima donna. To better fit the role of this revered goddess, Maria lost 32 kilograms. The ugly duckling has turned into an elegant swan. Visconti completes her transformation, helping her fully utilize her acting talent. It took Maria fifteen years of work, hope and will to become Divina Assoluta, to receive from society and men the love that her mother never gave her.
Virginia Giraud has a doctorate in history. Find him on the podcast At the heart of the story From Europe 1 Studio, on your favorite listening platform.
Source: Le Figaro
