TALKS OF THE MONTH

In Celebration of the Centenary birthday

of Maria Callas

here are 7 Opera Talks that include the

memorable diva

Opera Talks always includes recordings and people I admire from my journey in opera. Maria Callas is one of the 20^th century opera divas who I learned about in high school when I auditioned for 9^th grade chorus. My high school teacher introduced her recording of Habaῆera from Bizet’s Carmen. From that day on, Maria Callas was one of my go to singers for dramatic interpretation. Here are all of the opera talks that include this marvelous diva’s unforgettable artistry.

Name that Opera

Maria Callas is featured in Part One of this Opera Series highlighting opera in TV and Commercials. Her voice is heard in the blockbuster film, Philadelphia starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington. She’s singing La Mamma Morta from Ponchelli’s La Gioconda while the character portrayed by Tom Hanks describes the emotional scene to Denzel Washington.

Tale of Two Divas: Callas vs Tebaldi

Both Maria Callas and Renata Tebaldi were legendary and talented in their own way. When you have two powerful divas conquering the international opera scene with similar repertoire, it is a surefire way to be a story that the press would use for more attention. This diva “rivalry” was the tabloid gossip of the mid 20^th century. Callas was never afraid to be seen as the “Tigress” when it came to her art.

IHCM- The Orchestra and the Diva

This opera program was created from my Classical Music Series that always includes an animated orchestra for the audience to conduct. It discusses the power of the “diva” in orchestral performances and how they all interact. Maria Callas is one of the featured singers performing Bizet’s Habaῆera from Carmen.

Confessions of a Courtesan: Verdi’s La Traviata

Maria Callas makes a special appearance in this opera talk that includes more than three different productions from the 20^th and 21^st century. The rare clip from 1958 is from The Art of Singing: Golden Voices of a Century documentary. Legendary Italian conductor, Nicola Rescigno discusses how Maria Callas forsook her beautiful voice with a crack every night in the last act. Her poignant explanation for her cracking was the fact that her character, Violetta is dying. Her boldness and dedication to the character allowed her to do something unappealing in order to bring out the dramatic interpretation of the role.

Joan Sutherland: La Stupenda

I had to include Maria Callas in Joan Sutherland’s opera talks because at the time Sutherland was a young opera singer at the Royal Opera House, she sang many roles including Clotilde opposite Maria Callas in Bellini’s Norma in 1952 . Within a few years, Sutherland would become the reigning Bel Canto sopranos just like the notable Maria Callas. And of course, Callas saw it coming because she flew to London just to see Sutherland’s dress rehearsal of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. Lucia was a role performed by Callas all around the world. In classic diva style, upon her arrival, she explained to Franco Zeffirelli that she wanted to see the production because she was in the same production in Dallas. Everyone knew she came to see and hear Joan Sutherland.

Puccini’s Tosca & Halloween at the Opera

Tosca is one of Maria Callas’s famous roles because she uses her vocal and dramatic prowess to conquer it dramatically. A memorable performance is one of her last performances at Royal Opera House in 1964 opposite Renato Cioni as Cavarodossi and Tito Gobbi as Scarpia in a legendary Zeffirelli production conducted by Carlo Felice Cillario. The scene in Act 2 when Tosca confronts Scarpia is one of opera’s most dramatic scenes and Callas interprets it like the dedicated artist she’s known to be. Watching it always gives me goosebumps because her power comes through the character… I also had to include this scene in Part 1 of my Halloween at the Opera Series because the sheer horror on her face is fit for such an event.