Blessed, restless, drama queen, hero aristotle Onassis - all and thousands more (presumably) of the above have been attributed to “La divina”, the leading female lyrical voice of the 20th century. Dithyrambos and lowly rumors together about the Maria Callas... Summarizing her in three words, 101 years after her birth, you conclude that she was (quiet simply) a servant of Art.
Stamp the musical indelibly. By extension, and world culture. There is no lack of coffee table books, biographies, films, plays, works of art in the “menu”. As with moast documentaries about a woman, the word “myth” is certainly not abusive in his case. How would you compose the portrait of a woman, with passions and a stormy life? Where is the truth about Maria, born on 2/12/1923 and baptized Maria Anna Cecilia Sofia Kalogeropoulou?
How much of the portrait is based on the hand of Pablo Larrain (or Laraine – take your pick, we won’t spoil it there)? How fair was the death of Aristotle Onassis from her life (with the ending not happy) for her personality?
How offended was her mother that Lorraine wanted her and her sister, Hyacinthe (Jackie), extradited to the Nazis? The common point of her operatic grandeur with the deep trauma she carried, her deep loneliness – they all belong to Chilianos’ cinematic universe. The fearless soprano, on stage, with her delicate voice and her various wounds, is X-rayed by the famous director.
Angelina Jolie he approaches Callas with respect, giving expression to life. With her porcelain beauty, she expresses to the maximum the opposite emotions of the seductive diva, which distinguished her throughout her life. Most of the signatories would like to name her the second “uncle Oscar” – as it is now.But who is the real callas? Not long ago, we were reading the hyper-illuminated album, after that, of Assouline editions “Maria by Callas” by Tom Wolfe, cinematographer, director and photographer, about Maria. And for Callas. what happened to us? A flood of emotions -over-enlightened. As was every aspect of her life. Or not?
Homer Mary and Aristotle
Perhaps you remember the story of the rumored son of the Callas – Onassis, who took the name Homer. The “story” was captured on the pages of the book “Greek Fire.The Love Affair of Maria Callas and aristotle Onassis”.
Nicholas Gatzogiannis (Gage) describes her pregnancy and the birth of her son with Onassis, “of which she spoke only to her assistants, Bruna and Ferruccio, and many years later to her close friend, Vaso Devetzis”. We then read details about the most scandalous chapter in her life – Onassis.
On the other hand, the mentor, her “stalwart husband, Giovanni Battista Meneghini, prevented her, in the name of her rising career, from pregnancy”. Gage tells us that the fruit of her love affair with Onassis came into the world on 3/30/1960.he was named Homer Lengrini and “died shortly after birth due to severe respiratory problems”.
He also presents his death certificate and his photograph – as he wrote, “He was everywhere with her at Kallas”. He also writes about “Onassis’ claim to termination of pregnancy”. And the fact that Meneghini “blackmailed her, setting as a condition for signing the divorce the non-publicity of her situation and granting him 50% of the rights from her recordings”. Where does the truth lie? As usual, somewhere in the middle.
Finale in paris
Focusing on the finale of the woman in the Paris apartment on the rue Fosse, the huge, expressive brown eyes, the incomparable smile and that unique voice, singing from the universe – “there is a void in the Universe and you sing from there”, a said her close friend Pier Paolo Pasolini, saying goodbye to her-, we are standing in the young, chubby creature, who first appeared in “Aida” and performed for the first time in the historic building of the National Opera in the Academy, where the institution of the same name is now located. On vacation with the yacht “Christina O”.
On the friendship with Grace Kelly and Luchino Visconti. in what came to light in the years 1940-1950, when the greatest lyrical singers of the previous decades (Kirsten Flagstad, Rosa Ponsel, Claudia Muccio) left the opera stage, losing the “vocal fireworks” that they have owned in the past. In that respect not only did Callas respond, but he left the previous ones in his shadow. To the extent that this ideal moment for her emergence came under the guidance of her teacher, Elvira de Hidalgo, a pioneering soprano in the 20S, who recognized her uniqueness from the first moment.
In that we are talking not only about “superhuman” high notes (high notes like a flute), but also about an actress of the highest standards: in ’61, when Katina Paxinou attended the rehearsal of “Medea ” by Callas in epidaurus, who appeared on stage with his veil in front of his face whispered to me the praise of alexis Minotis: ”This is Medea. maria is a Medea!”
She said: “I don’t know what happens to me on stage. there is something mysterious in me.” Even when she began to lose the voice she had in her youth, she remained expressive and entirely emotional.In 1973-1974, on her world tour, although her voice was not as who used to be, she could feel the heroine she was portraying on her skin.Maria disappears and transforms into Callas: she would become Leonora, Norma, tosca, carmen. “It is indeed only on stage that I feel loved, that my audience accepts it”, he said. He also said that “love works best when one is not married”. to say in my music,in my records”. And that “there are two people inside me: Maria and Callas, to whom I have to give a blank face”.
“He was not a tragicThe ”guardian” in a notably fascinating tribute to her, on the occasion of the release of “Maria” in cinemas – from the day before yesterday, 5/12-, published an article with the eloquent title “She was not a figure tragic.
Explaining: “It’s absurd for anyone to think that as of Onassis he started to go towards self-destruction. This is not another dramatic situation, like Janis joplin, Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday and Amy Winehouse”. Declaring, therefore, with Angelina Jolie, “that such a strong personality would not collapse because her relationship with Onassis ended.” It doesn’t matter how much she loves him.”
“Angie” is overemphasized – although Lahren clarified that “I wanted to make an impressive portrait of her, based on the real facts of her life, but also on the imagination” - that “her mother’s abusive behavior left a mark on her. And in the end – the most crucial – that she “lost” her voice”.
She did not describe herself as a legend: “What is a legend? I have reached the audience here. But I’m a normal person. If I hadn’t, I might have sung better.” And if many consider her decision not to continue with the performance of “Norma” in Rome in January ’58, due to illness, as a scandal and an insult on her part to the audience, the truth is that she wanted to insult the composer who avoid - something she took for granted if she interpreted the role of Norma with the “inadequate” voice she described.
After all, clapping and cheering are an effect and not a cause! The name Callas finally refers to a brave soul, a great man, who fought for the ideal of art; which was inherent, to the high art, to the culture itself. And if he said that “my sister was thin, lovely, my mother always preferred her. I was the ugly, but it is a heart to make a child feel ugly… I will not forgive her for taking away my childhood. Although I had to play and grow, I was either singing or making money. What I did was good and what they did to me was mostly bad,” what’s the point? She was human. Very.and therein lies his eternal greatness.
As for “Maria”, jolie’s costumes deserve a special mention in the 121-minute film, which cost more than $20 million. dollars. Oscar-nominated Massimo Cantini Parini emphasizes: “While sketching her, I wanted to express, through the clothes, her immortal aspect – the woman and the diva at the same time, whoever was with child.” Here it is: Despite its bottomless darkness, Callas is only known by the light.
*Published in the newspaper Runda an Parapolitika on Saturday 7/12
– What were the significant challenges Maria Callas faced in her personal life that influenced her artistry?
The text presents a rich tapestry of Maria Callas’s life, exploring not only her legendary status as an opera singer but also her tumultuous personal experiences and relationships. Callas is depicted as a multifaceted figure,referred to as “La divina,” embodying both the heights of artistic achievement and the depths of personal struggle.
Key Themes:
- Art as Service: Callas is summarized as a “servant of Art,” emphasizing her dedication to her craft. The text suggests that her life was intertwined with the art she produced,and her legacy continues to impact world culture.
- Mythical Status: The author reflects on the mythic quality of Callas’s life, suggesting that her story has been romanticized and idealized through various media, leading to questions about the true essence of her character and experiences.
- Personal turmoil: Callas’s personal life, particularly her relationship with Aristotle Onassis and the rumored child she lost, is touched upon with sensitivity. The narrative traces her emotional scars and loneliness, connecting them to her operatic grandeur.
- Cinematic Representations: The mention of Angelina Jolie portraying Callas indicates a modern interest in her story, highlighting how new interpretations of her life continue to emerge. the text raises questions about the fidelity of these portrayals to her true self.
- Voices from the Past: References to key figures like her mentor Giovanni Battista Meneghini, friends like Pier Paolo Pasolini, and other legendary performers frame Callas’s life within a broader contextual tapestry of the arts, indicating her influential role in the evolution of opera.
- Enduring Legacy: The narrative suggests that even as Callas faced the decline of her voice, her ability to convey emotion and connect with her audience remained intact. This speaks to her status as not just a singer but a performer who could convey deep narrative and emotion.
Reflective Questions:
- How do we define the true essence of an artist like Callas amidst the myths that surround her?
- In what ways do personal relationships shape the trajectory of an artist’s career and legacy?
- How does modern cinema reinterpret ancient figures,and what implications does this have for our understanding of their lives?
the text paints Maria Callas as a legendary artist whose life and career were marked by both remarkable achievements and profound personal struggles,leaving an indelible mark on the world of art and culture.