Maria Callas | Diva or misunderstood

Shining a light on the greatest diva of the 20th century La Callas..

Whilst I think Angeline Jolie was robbed with awards season for her performance in Maria, as Maria Callas. You can decide for yourself soon, as Maria the film is released this week to buy or rent at home. Worth watching for the music and costumes alone. It is stunning.

Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas in MARIA

The film Maria is based on the last week in the life of Maria Callas in Paris. Angelina Jolie plays Callas to perfection in my eyes. I absolutely loved the film and came away wanting to know so much more about her. I might also be playing a tiny bit more opera than I usually do.

London adored Maria Callas, unlike many other cities who were far more critical of her; they would even shout at her on stage, not boo, but shout - something I find quite extraordinary and almost unbelievable. London audiences at the Royal Ballet and Opera House clearly more reserved, and quite simply adored her.

I thought it would be interesting to share some of the stories I’ve learnt and share with you some facts. Idid a behind the scenes tour a few months ago at the Royal Ballet and Opera House and picked up so many stories there. Many of which I didn’t know myself.

Maria Callas in La Traviata Credit:Houston Rogers ©Victoria and Albert Museum

What you may not know about Maria Callas

1. Her first performance at Covent Garden was in 1952 playing Norma. It is her recording that is still the most listened to aria.
   

2. In the film Maria, the vocals are a mixture of Maria Callas archive & Angelina Jolie. She sings all the scenes taking place when she is in the hall with the pianist. I’m still staggered by this fact.
   

3. It was the setting of Verona in 1947 that Callas wore her first piece of jewellery by Atelier Marangoni. The jewellery house went on to make her over 600 pieces for her stage performances. Apparently every time she played a new role her husband purchased a new piece of jewellery to gift her. It was not unusual for Maria to often mix her costume and real jewellery together on stage.

4. It was in London where she chose to end her career, with her final stage performance in June 1965 at The Royal Opera House in Zefferelli’s Tosca.
   

5. To the very end London loved her. They gave her 16 curtain calls, that lasted over half an hour. There was clearly nothing reserved about Londoners on that night.
   

6. If you are talking Diva’s Maria Callas also sang at that infamous JFK birthday concert when Marilyn Monroe sang Happy Birthday. It was apparently the only time the two women met. Interestingly Jackie was not in the audience that night.
   

7. Diva is the latin word for Goddess. So whilst Maria was not the first diva, she was most certainly the diva of the 20th century. It seems incredibly sad that she died alone of a heart attack in Paris in 1977 aged 53. Her impressive career had lasted all of 30 years.

Maria Callas and Marilyn Monroe in 1962 at JFK’s birthday party in Madison Square Gardens.

Further reading on Maria Callas

I have been slightly obsessed with Maria Callas since watching the film and these two books were recommended to me. I loved both in equal measure. Neither are heavy, simply page turning on the extraordinary life of this incredible woman.

DIVA by Daisy Goodwin. Tells the story of Maria life as a young girl in Nazi Europe and throughout her life.
The Second Marriage by Gill Paul. A fictional story told through Jackie, Ari and Maria which goes back and forth through the voices of all 3 characters.