Vocals

"The adoration of Maria Callas is similar to a cult and how could it be any different? She has performed the roles of priestess, magician, sorceress and vestal virgin!" wrote Toronto's opera director Alfred Caron. Callas, who belongs to the pantheon of the greatest singing personalities in the history of vocal art, is the epitome of the opera diva in the classic sense. She may very well be the last in a long ling of prima donnas that includes Melba, Lind and Patti. A legend in her own lifetime, her fame pushed her name beyond the opera stage and, even today, people know of her and her magnificent vocal abilities. Her influence is so enduring that, in 2006, Opera News wrote, "Nearly thirty years after her death, she's still the definition of the diva as artist — and still one of classical music's best-selling vocalists."

Though she was born in New York, Callas returned to her ancestral home in Greece and began to develop and train her voice, particularly with bel canto. She made her debut in Athens in 1941, but returned to the United States by 1946 and at first had a hard time breaking into professional circles. She finally got her lucky break when she came under the tutelage of conductor Tullio Serafin, who not only recognized this diamond in the rough but became her guide and mentor. By 1951, her standing was established at La Scala when she sang the role of Elena in Verdi's I Vespri Siciliani. A quick study, she acquired the position of "assoluta" — capable of playing any role — and her legion of fans. She always pointed to her versatility, great acting talent and consistent register of three octaves as the basis of...more details