By David Cutler
LONDON (Reuter) - "It was something one hears only once in a lifetime -- indeed, one is fortunate to hear it once," Italian baritone Tito Gobbi once said of soprano Maria Callas.
This month, the 20th anniversary of Callas' death finds her reputation growing around the world. In Britain alone, her recordings for EMI outsell all living sopranos because of her "sheer diva genius," a company official said.
Her official recordings, dating back to 1953, are selling at 750,000 a year worldwide and account for 10 percent of all EMI Classics back-catalog sales. EMI has re-released her catalog in new presentations to celebrate the anniversary.
In addition to her commercial recordings, some never before issued, a number of her famous performances on stage will be released. Opening the 1960 season at Milan's La Scala, Callas starred in Donizetti's "Poliuto" with tenor Franco Corelli. The performance, which was broadcast and issued on various pirate releases, will be a highlight of EMI's anniversary compact discs.
Callas was born in New York in 1923 of Greek parentage and made her debut in Athens in 1941. Her career, interrupted by the World War II, blossomed in 1947 with a performance of Ponchielli's "La Gioconda" at the Verona Arena in Italy. This performance was under the direction of conductor Tullio Serafin, who became her musical mentor, guiding her over the years and bringing out the uniqueness in her artistry.
VOICE WAS 'INSTANTLY RECOGNIZABLE'
"The sound of the voice was so instantly recognizable, and all the words she sang had the right colors to convey the meaning to all who watched," said Polish bass Marian Nowakowski, who sang with Callas at London's Covent Garden in Verdi's "Aida."
Callas exuded authority in everything she did. Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians says "she had the deepest understanding of the classical Italian style, the most musical instincts together with exceptional dramatic powers."
"I was something new to listen to," Callas said of herself in a 1967 interview.
In his memoirs, Gobbi said, "all must be contained within the musical form -- the integration of acting and singing must be absolute. In Callas, this integration became nothing short of miraculous."
Vocally speaking, Callas was not perfect. There were a number of notes that wobbled, as can be heard in her recordings of Bellini's "Norma" and her aria "O don fatale" from Verdi's "Don Carlos." But this never detracted from her ability to put across the tragedy or vulnerability of her character.
Her accompanist, Robert Sutherland, said after one aria in her 1973-74 comeback recitals that it was the most terrible sound he had ever heard. But she adapted the music to change the effect and it was fantastic theater.
CALLAS FACED CONFLICTING DEMANDS AS WOMAN AND SINGER
The tragedy of Callas was the conflict between the demands of being a woman and those of being an artist. Her wish to transform herself from an ungainly young woman to the slim, stylish and elegant diva she became took tremendous willpower.
In the late 1950s, she began a tempestuous relationship with Greek shipping millionaire Aristotle Onassis, who later married the widow of President John F. Kennedy. It was only after this relationship cooled that she returned to the theater in what turned out to be her last stage appearances in 1964 and 1965 in Puccini's "Tosca" and Bellini's "Norma."
In 1971-72, still feeling a need to be involved with music, she gave some master classes at the Juilliard School of Music in New York.
These were recorded by EMI, and author Terrence McNally wrote the Tony-award winning play "Master Class" based on these appearances. To celebrate the anniversary, it opened in London in May with actress Patti LuPone.
On Sept. 16, 1977, Callas died of a heart attack alone in her apartment in Paris. Italian conductor Carlo Maria Giulini said she had needed the response of an audience to survive.
Callas changed the face of opera singing. With her, it was not simply listening to beautiful sounds. It became possible to care about the feelings of "Lucia di Lammermoor" or "Anna Bolena" as characters.
In John Ardoin's book, "The Callas Legacy," McNally said, "Opera has new possibilities, thanks to her --- after Callas there is no turning back."
Reuters/Variety
By Deborah Kyvrikosaios
EPIDAURUS, Greece (Reuter) - Opera greats gathered in Greece Sunday to honor the memory of Maria Callas in a seaboard ceremony commemorating the 20th anniversary of the diva's death.
Singers, maestros, biographers and friends who shared their lives with American-born Callas watched as olive wreaths were tossed into the Aegean Sea off the coast of the ancient site of Epidaurus in the Peloponnese Peninsula where her ashes were sprinkled.
Callas' recorded voice echoed across the water.
Callas died Sept. 16, 1977, in Paris. The tribute was one of a number organized around the day of her death in Greece.
Mezzosoprano Christa Ludwig, maestro Nicola Rescigno, and dramatist Marcel Prawy recalled their experiences with Callas, describing her as fragile and shy in her personal life and a lioness on stage who sacrificed her personal life for her career.
"As a person Maria, despite her appearance of great assurance, was a fragile person, and she tried to overcome that for the press. But her main trait was the greatness of her art," said Rescigno, who conducted Callas in many of her performances in Paris.
John Ardoin, who wrote three books on Callas, said she was throughout her life in a war between her professional and personal side which eventually brought about her downfall.
"Callas was so incredibly famous and idolized and Maria was ignored. She wanted to make Maria the equal of Callas. And when she did that she had no idea the price she would pay," he said.
He said her quest to find her personal side played a role in her affair with late shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.
"Onassis was in love with Maria the woman, not the opera singer .... He used to fall asleep at her performances. He loved Maria and she loved that .... In bringing Maria up, she brought Callas down," Ardoin said.
The ceremony continued at the ancient theater of Epidaurus, where Callas gave some memorable performances, and a flame was lit in her honor.
Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos said all of Greece honored the memory of one of the greatest modern singers as he lit the flame, surrounded by women dressed as ancient priestesses.
The flame will be lit every five years at the theater to preserve her memory, he said.
Callas was born Maria Kalogeropoulos in New York to a Greek immigrant couple in 1923 and at the age of 13 she went to Greece, where she began her singing career, which skyrocketed in Italy and France.
Her personal life was riddled with controversy after an intense affair with the late Onassis.
Onassis's marriage to former U.S. First Lady Jackie Kennedy left Callas devastated and her career went downhill after she contracted a throat disease.
Reuters/Variety