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30th Anniversary [DVD]

30th Anniversary [DVD]

£15.48
£15.48
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There are so many astonishing facts about Maria Callas... First, she was born not in Greece but in Manhattan and went to school there. Second, considering her colossal influence and in contrast to the divas of today, her actual international career was tiny - 18 years at most. Third, her cancellation record was the lowest of any great singer of her day. Fourth, she rarely looked at the conductor during an opera, simply because she could not see him - she was very short-sighted and often appeared (partly as a result) to be in a trance while on stage. Fifth, she was betrayed by most of those intimate with her throughout her life, and eventually abandoned by many of those who should have known better and who claimed to have loved her. Sixth, she died almost penniless - even her grotesquely rich long-time lover Onassis, whose marriage to Jackie Kennedy she only discovered by watching the 6 o'clock news, had invested her money in half a cargo boat, which sank.

Paradoxically, although she died 30 years ago, her records today outsell every other recorded classical artist and single-handedly keep EMI Classics afloat. Last, hers was not the most beautiful voice of her time, as she frequently admitted. Some days it worked; other days it just didn't. In the end, those who met her in Paris in the seventies agree that she was one of the loneliest, most desperate of women they had ever encountered, slowly drugging herself to death. 'Every day, thank God, is one day less', she told Di Stefano. A summons to tea (for half an hour at most) often lasted until the early hours, with the guest or guests pleaded with not to leave. It was pathetic and horrible, but it was Callas. It was always Callas, and that was the secret and the magic. We witness on stage a broken woman who sings nakedly from her heart, about herself and her life, who acts with such incredible power and unashamed truth that we stagger back before what we know, in our hearts, is all of her.

Maria - just a woman, who often spoke of Callas in the third person, in trouble, asking, begging sometimes, for our understanding and our love. She deserves it because there was no greater singing actress in our time. And she was only 53 when she died.

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Please Note Not All Our New Items Are Shrink Wrapped.All items shipped within 3 working days of payment.

There are so many astonishing facts about Maria Callas... First, she was born not in Greece but in Manhattan and went to school there. Second, considering her colossal influence and in contrast to the divas of today, her actual international career was tiny - 18 years at most. Third, her cancellation record was the lowest of any great singer of her day. Fourth, she rarely looked at the conductor during an opera, simply because she could not see him - she was very short-sighted and often appeared (partly as a result) to be in a trance while on stage. Fifth, she was betrayed by most of those intimate with her throughout her life, and eventually abandoned by many of those who should have known better and who claimed to have loved her. Sixth, she died almost penniless - even her grotesquely rich long-time lover Onassis, whose marriage to Jackie Kennedy she only discovered by watching the 6 o'clock news, had invested her money in half a cargo boat, which sank.

Paradoxically, although she died 30 years ago, her records today outsell every other recorded classical artist and single-handedly keep EMI Classics afloat. Last, hers was not the most beautiful voice of her time, as she frequently admitted. Some days it worked; other days it just didn't. In the end, those who met her in Paris in the seventies agree that she was one of the loneliest, most desperate of women they had ever encountered, slowly drugging herself to death. 'Every day, thank God, is one day less', she told Di Stefano. A summons to tea (for half an hour at most) often lasted until the early hours, with the guest or guests pleaded with not to leave. It was pathetic and horrible, but it was Callas. It was always Callas, and that was the secret and the magic. We witness on stage a broken woman who sings nakedly from her heart, about herself and her life, who acts with such incredible power and unashamed truth that we stagger back before what we know, in our hearts, is all of her.

Maria - just a woman, who often spoke of Callas in the third person, in trouble, asking, begging sometimes, for our understanding and our love. She deserves it because there was no greater singing actress in our time. And she was only 53 when she died.

Track Listing

Ardoin & The Tragic Love Story

Una voce poco fa The Barber of Seville

Graziella Sciutti Manhattan Athens

Audrey Hepburn & Lord Harewood

Callas as a singing actor

La Scala & Visconti

Nacqui all'affanno La Cenerentola

The Ugly Duckling & Meneghini Rome Opera & cancellations

A Greek Tragedy: Tu che la vanita

Don Carlos Habanera

Carmen Carlo Maria Giulini Onassis & Divorce

Tosca & Tito Gobbi Abortion & attempted suicide

Tacea la notte placida

Il Trovatore: Jackie Kennedy Medea & Pasolini

I never thought I was any good

Vissi d'arte Tosca O mio bambino caro Gianni Schicchi

End Credits

Details
  • Product Type: DVD
  • Barcode: 5056083210749
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