Maria Callas
The fame and legacy of Maria Callas are nearly unsurpassed in the modern history of opera. Her fame has transcended the usual boundaries of classical music, and she has been the inspiration for several movies as well as the successful Broadway play "Master Class." Her extensive catalogue of recordings remains among the most coveted and controversial for both her fans and detractors.
Though American by birth, Callas (born Maria Anne Sofia Cecilia Kalogeropoulos) was born of Greek parents, and at age 13 her mother took her back to Greece because of financial difficulties caused by the Great Depression. She studied voice at the Royal Academy of Music in Athens with Spanish coloratura soprano Elvira de Hidalgo and made rapid progress; she soon sang Santuzza in a student production of Cavalleria rusticana. Her professional debut came at age 16 in a minor role in von Suppé's Boccaccio.
While still in Athens during World War II, Callas sang her first Tosca in 1942. In 1945, she returned to the United States and sang several auditions, but nothing came of her visit. Her first appearance in 1947 at Verona as La Gioconda brought her to the attention of Tullio Serafin; Serafin became her musical advisor for many years, acting as her coach and conductor of many of her performances.
The entire world of opera was stunned when, in 1949 -- while singing Brünnhilde in Die Walküre at Venice -- she agreed to sing Elvira in Bellini's I Puritani, alternating performances during the same week. That same year she traveled to Buenos Aires to sing Turandot and Norma. In 1950, she sang Aida at the Teatro alla Scala, but she did not become a regular member there until 1952. Summer of 1950 brought her to Mexico City where, in one month, she sang Norma, Aida, Tosca and Il trovatore. During these early years, Callas would sing nearly any role offered including Isolde, Leonore in La forza del destino, Constanza in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail, and Elena in I vespri siciliani.
As she matured, Callas began to concentrate on a smaller core repertory, including Cherubini's Medea, Bellini's Norma, Puccini's Tosca, Bellini's La Sonnambula, and Donizetti's Anna Bolena. Most of her other roles were heard only in one series of performances. After 1959, she rarely appeared on the opera stage, but she did sing concerts in America and Europe. Her last opera performances were in June 1965, in Paris as Norma. She came out of retirement in 1973 to tour the world with Giuseppe di Stefano in a series of recitals. Although financially rewarding, the tour did nothing to enhance her reputation. In 1971, she gave a series of masterclasses at the Juilliard School of Music in New York which were quite successful. In 1977, she died of a sudden heart attack in her Paris apartment.
Maria Callas was one of the most controversial singers of the twentieth century. She had a wide range from high E to the F below the staff, and an innate feel for the style of bel canto roles, but she was most notable for bringing a commitment and intensity to her dramatic portrayals that was nearly unprecedented at the time.
Using photorealistic video projection, Callas was brought back to the stage for a new tour in 2018. Callas in Concert features an interactive Callas on stage performing some of her most iconic recordings with a live orchestra.
© Richard LeSueur /TiVo
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Verdi: La traviata (Live, Milan 1955)
Maria Callas, Carlo Maria Giulini, Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, Milano, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Ettore Bastianini
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.01.1977
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Callas - Mad Scenes from Anna Bolena, Hamlet & Il pirata - Callas Remastered
Maria Callas, Nicola Rescigno, Philharmonia Orchestra
Opernauszüge - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 19.09.2014
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Verdi: Un ballo in maschera
Maria Callas, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Orchestra del Teatro della Scala di Milano, Antonino Votto
Oper - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 18.03.1987
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Callas Forever
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.01.2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Maria Callas - The One and Only
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 15.03.2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Maria Callas Live - Vissi d'arte
Oper - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 05.07.2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Puccini: Tosca
Oper - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.01.1965
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Callas sings Verdi Arias - Callas Remastered
Oper - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.07.1964
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Callas - Bellini Casta Diva
Maria Callas, Orchestra Teatro alla Scala, Coro Teatro Alla Scala, Tuttlio Serafin
Oper - Erschienen bei Artemisia am 22.07.2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Divina (Edicion especial 30 aniversario)
Oper - Erschienen bei Rise International Music Ltd am 11.12.2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ponchielli: La Gioconda, Op. 9
Maria Callas, Orchestra Sinfonica di Torino della RAI, Antonino Votto
Oper - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 06.01.2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Bellini: Norma Highlights
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.01.1961
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Callas Rarities - Callas Remastered
Opernauszüge - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 19.09.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Legend
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.10.2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Maria Callas Sings Puccini
Opernauszüge - Erschienen bei Musical Concepts am 23.11.2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Callas Fnac Bouquet
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 14.09.2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Norma (Intégrale)
Gesamtaufnahmen von Opern - Erschienen bei Myto Historical am 27.05.2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Musique populaire de TV, Film et Opera
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.10.2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Maria Callas at Juilliard - The Master Classes
Klassik - Erschienen bei Warner Classics am 01.01.1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo