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Cast a Diva: The Hidden Life of Maria Callas
Maria Callas (1923–77) was the greatest opera diva of all time. Despite a career that remains unmatched by any prima donna, much of her life was overshadowed by her fiery relationship with Aristotle Onassis, who broke her heart when he left her for Jacqueline Kennedy, and her legendary tantrums on and off the stage.
However, little is known about the woman behind the diva. She was a girl brought up between New York and Greece, who was forced to sing by her emotionally abusive mother and who left her family behind in Greece for an international career. Feted by royalty and Hollywood stars, she fought sexism to rise to the top, but there was one thing she wanted but could not have – a happy private life.
In Cast a Diva, bestselling author Lyndsy Spence draws on previously unseen documents to reveal the raw, tragic story of a true icon.
However, little is known about the woman behind the diva. She was a girl brought up between New York and Greece, who was forced to sing by her emotionally abusive mother and who left her family behind in Greece for an international career. Feted by royalty and Hollywood stars, she fought sexism to rise to the top, but there was one thing she wanted but could not have – a happy private life.
In Cast a Diva, bestselling author Lyndsy Spence draws on previously unseen documents to reveal the raw, tragic story of a true icon.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 17, 2021
72 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
About the author
Lyndsy Spence
20 books47 followersWelcome to my Goodreads profile!
I am the author of The Mitford Girls' Guide to Life (The History Press, 2013); Mrs Guinness: The Rise and Fall of Diana Mitford (The History Press, 2015); Margaret Lockwood: Queen of the Silver Screen (Fantom Films, 2016); The Mistress of Mayfair: Men, Money and the Marriage of Doris Delevingne (The History Press, 2016). I also edit and produce The Mitford Society annual.
Aside from writing books, I have dabbled in screenwriting. In 2012 I co-wrote The Flower Girl, a short film directed by Emmy Award winner Nick Nanton and shot on location in L.A. My biopic of Vivien Leigh is in development with Ariana Entertainment, and I am currently developing and co-writing a television series based during WWI.
I have written for mainstream newspapers and magazines including Social & Personal, The Lady, Vintage Life, and BBC News Magazine. I also review books for The Lady.
I am the author of The Mitford Girls' Guide to Life (The History Press, 2013); Mrs Guinness: The Rise and Fall of Diana Mitford (The History Press, 2015); Margaret Lockwood: Queen of the Silver Screen (Fantom Films, 2016); The Mistress of Mayfair: Men, Money and the Marriage of Doris Delevingne (The History Press, 2016). I also edit and produce The Mitford Society annual.
Aside from writing books, I have dabbled in screenwriting. In 2012 I co-wrote The Flower Girl, a short film directed by Emmy Award winner Nick Nanton and shot on location in L.A. My biopic of Vivien Leigh is in development with Ariana Entertainment, and I am currently developing and co-writing a television series based during WWI.
I have written for mainstream newspapers and magazines including Social & Personal, The Lady, Vintage Life, and BBC News Magazine. I also review books for The Lady.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
August 2, 2021
This is neither casta diva nor cast a diva, this is more like άστα ντίβα. I was expecting something like Carolyn Burke's biography about Edith Piaf and instead, I got this... Do you know those cheaply made, rushed, gossipy, one-sided, unauthorised biographies about the British royals? Something like that... but worse.
A portion of the material used, according to the author, comes from archives, with unpublished papers, she specifically mentions (in a youtube interview) the Stanford archives where she found 30 years of correspondence between Callas and her Godfather, copies of medical certificates etc. She also mentions letters, written in Greek between Callas and her mother - which had to get them translated because she understands no Greek (neither language... nor culture if I may say so) - and other people (husband, colleagues etc). Besides that, which adds little or no actual new information, there is just some basic, select bibliography, bits and bobs from magazines... the bare minimum of research, really.
I wanted to learn more about Callas' work, about her singing, I was looking for a more thorough analysis of her major performances, but instead, I mainly got repetitive, behind the scenes, petty dramas. To be honest, I couldn't find any information about the author's level of music education but, if any, it definitely does not shine through her writings.
I also found quite condescending the way the author handles some historical events about the Greek civil war, a very sensitive subject, and she obviously has a superficial knowledge about Greek history, so... Why?
Anyhow, I encourage you to check this book, read a sample or borrow it from a library and if you find it suitable to your taste, sure, go ahead and buy it. But for me, it was a huge disappointment and I regret wasting my time.
A portion of the material used, according to the author, comes from archives, with unpublished papers, she specifically mentions (in a youtube interview) the Stanford archives where she found 30 years of correspondence between Callas and her Godfather, copies of medical certificates etc. She also mentions letters, written in Greek between Callas and her mother - which had to get them translated because she understands no Greek (neither language... nor culture if I may say so) - and other people (husband, colleagues etc). Besides that, which adds little or no actual new information, there is just some basic, select bibliography, bits and bobs from magazines... the bare minimum of research, really.
I wanted to learn more about Callas' work, about her singing, I was looking for a more thorough analysis of her major performances, but instead, I mainly got repetitive, behind the scenes, petty dramas. To be honest, I couldn't find any information about the author's level of music education but, if any, it definitely does not shine through her writings.
I also found quite condescending the way the author handles some historical events about the Greek civil war, a very sensitive subject, and she obviously has a superficial knowledge about Greek history, so... Why?
Anyhow, I encourage you to check this book, read a sample or borrow it from a library and if you find it suitable to your taste, sure, go ahead and buy it. But for me, it was a huge disappointment and I regret wasting my time.
September 5, 2024
A thoroughly depressing book, which is no surprise given the subject - Maria Callas must have been one of the loneliest, saddest people on Earth.
The book is not bad and the narrative kind of urges you on to read (listen to) it, though I occasionally detested the trite, tabloid style of writing and the author's thorough focus on everything negative. Surely Callas (both the artist and the woman) would have deserved more!
Also, I had no idea
More thoughts to come.
The audiobook is currently included in the Plus Catalogue. Good narration by Emily Ellet.
The book is not bad and the narrative kind of urges you on to read (listen to) it, though I occasionally detested the trite, tabloid style of writing and the author's thorough focus on everything negative. Surely Callas (both the artist and the woman) would have deserved more!
Also, I had no idea
More thoughts to come.
The audiobook is currently included in the Plus Catalogue. Good narration by Emily Ellet.
June 20, 2021
Sexist and barely true...
First of all, I really, really wanted this to be a good book. As a newbie opera buff I’ve wanted a new bio of Callas for a while, and was excited to learn someone young would be interested. Some books about Callas are kind of academic and stiff. Others are just sleaze.
It pains me to say this, but this tiny volume definitely falls in the latter category. Spence looks for any opportunity to cast both Callas and the people in her life in basically the worst light possible, often with little or no evidence. She takes what’s basically a 1956 ‘thank you’ note from TIME magazine to Cetra Records’ Dorle Soria for giving quotes to use in a feature before Callas’ New York debut to mean that Soria had 'conspired' to bring Callas down. But…. Callas was her client at Cetra Records. It’s well known that newspaper/magazine editors ask for quotes from family and friends when building features around stars, often without telling them of the article’s bias or flavor. Why would this woman have endangered the reputation of her most famous client – and on the eve of her NY debut?! That would have lowered record sales. It would have just been bad for Soria’s business.
In Vogue contributing editor Leo Lerman’s diary ('The Journals of Leo Lerman', Knopf, 2007) he wrote of Callas complaining to him of Onassis: 'I finished with him in Nassau. If I had stayed with him, he would have killed me or I would have killed him: ‘You can’t break me,’ I told him. ‘You can kill me, but you can’t break me.’ This Spence translates as: 'After a violent episode with Onassis, in which she feared for her life, Maria said, ‘You can kill me, but you can’t break me.’
Talk about out of context.
I like to give authors the benefit of the doubt, and let them separate their author persona from their public social media persona. Unfortunately this time Spence’s actions prior to the bio’s publication gave me pause. On one hand she alleged both the men and the family in Callas’s life had committed horrific abuse and assault of the cruellest variety. On the other, on her Instagram and Twitter pages she would tease this book as though it were a soap opera: writing about “spilling the Callas tea”, “the goss”, “the drama” she had uncovered, “the bombshells”.
If Callas really was abused by anyone, I doubt she’d wanted her plight to be described like this. I know some French, and, with the help of a French friend, we spent a few hours in the past few months going over the letters Spence quotes (most are already published in a 2019 French compilation). The biographer's use of them, though she says they come from private collections, is obvious in some of the poorer translations from French (one example being a quote from a letter to Callas’s secretary that refers to “nine years of hoping and doing sacrifices”). Nothing in these letters would suggest the horrifying things so often mentioned in this book.
I thought the whole “slave for a man” idea was a thing of the past, but Spence has gone further than Arianna Huffington did in her 1980 biography. Taking a tabloid’s list of Callas’s 1965 weekly diet – which is low on carbs and on the light side, but nothing drastic – Spence claims (unjustifiably) that she liked to “abuse food” because of Onassis’s preference for “androgynous figures”. Callas wasn’t even really skinny at this time, but at a healthy weight. When she had been skinny back in the late 50s (before the Onassis relationship), it was an extreme reaction to her wanting to resemble her characters onstage (all you to have to do is go on YouTube and find her 1967 interview with Edward Downes to hear her say this).
The opera singer’s dedication to her art – which Callas spoke about so much in interviews now all on YT – isn’t really mentioned. Spence’s lack of interest in opera and music in general is disappointing. At one point she writes: “Many began to wonder if Maria’s slimness had compromised the range of her voice, as she no longer had a large diaphragm to support it.” The diaphragm is a muscle. Does that mean a person’s heart expands and contracts according to their weight too?!
Sorry for the rant. Sadly the author’s attitude to Callas is belittling and just reeks of old-age sexism.
First of all, I really, really wanted this to be a good book. As a newbie opera buff I’ve wanted a new bio of Callas for a while, and was excited to learn someone young would be interested. Some books about Callas are kind of academic and stiff. Others are just sleaze.
It pains me to say this, but this tiny volume definitely falls in the latter category. Spence looks for any opportunity to cast both Callas and the people in her life in basically the worst light possible, often with little or no evidence. She takes what’s basically a 1956 ‘thank you’ note from TIME magazine to Cetra Records’ Dorle Soria for giving quotes to use in a feature before Callas’ New York debut to mean that Soria had 'conspired' to bring Callas down. But…. Callas was her client at Cetra Records. It’s well known that newspaper/magazine editors ask for quotes from family and friends when building features around stars, often without telling them of the article’s bias or flavor. Why would this woman have endangered the reputation of her most famous client – and on the eve of her NY debut?! That would have lowered record sales. It would have just been bad for Soria’s business.
In Vogue contributing editor Leo Lerman’s diary ('The Journals of Leo Lerman', Knopf, 2007) he wrote of Callas complaining to him of Onassis: 'I finished with him in Nassau. If I had stayed with him, he would have killed me or I would have killed him: ‘You can’t break me,’ I told him. ‘You can kill me, but you can’t break me.’ This Spence translates as: 'After a violent episode with Onassis, in which she feared for her life, Maria said, ‘You can kill me, but you can’t break me.’
Talk about out of context.
I like to give authors the benefit of the doubt, and let them separate their author persona from their public social media persona. Unfortunately this time Spence’s actions prior to the bio’s publication gave me pause. On one hand she alleged both the men and the family in Callas’s life had committed horrific abuse and assault of the cruellest variety. On the other, on her Instagram and Twitter pages she would tease this book as though it were a soap opera: writing about “spilling the Callas tea”, “the goss”, “the drama” she had uncovered, “the bombshells”.
If Callas really was abused by anyone, I doubt she’d wanted her plight to be described like this. I know some French, and, with the help of a French friend, we spent a few hours in the past few months going over the letters Spence quotes (most are already published in a 2019 French compilation). The biographer's use of them, though she says they come from private collections, is obvious in some of the poorer translations from French (one example being a quote from a letter to Callas’s secretary that refers to “nine years of hoping and doing sacrifices”). Nothing in these letters would suggest the horrifying things so often mentioned in this book.
I thought the whole “slave for a man” idea was a thing of the past, but Spence has gone further than Arianna Huffington did in her 1980 biography. Taking a tabloid’s list of Callas’s 1965 weekly diet – which is low on carbs and on the light side, but nothing drastic – Spence claims (unjustifiably) that she liked to “abuse food” because of Onassis’s preference for “androgynous figures”. Callas wasn’t even really skinny at this time, but at a healthy weight. When she had been skinny back in the late 50s (before the Onassis relationship), it was an extreme reaction to her wanting to resemble her characters onstage (all you to have to do is go on YouTube and find her 1967 interview with Edward Downes to hear her say this).
The opera singer’s dedication to her art – which Callas spoke about so much in interviews now all on YT – isn’t really mentioned. Spence’s lack of interest in opera and music in general is disappointing. At one point she writes: “Many began to wonder if Maria’s slimness had compromised the range of her voice, as she no longer had a large diaphragm to support it.” The diaphragm is a muscle. Does that mean a person’s heart expands and contracts according to their weight too?!
Sorry for the rant. Sadly the author’s attitude to Callas is belittling and just reeks of old-age sexism.
December 31, 2022
This was….ok. Her life was overwhelmingly tragic and the author spends a lot of time covering the minute details of every hardship. It was engaging at first but quickly became tedious. I wish also that more focus had been placed on Maria’s voice and musicality. The author primarily includes snippets of harsh reviews about Maria’s singing. If you haven’t heard her young recordings before reading this book, I encourage you to do so. Otherwise you’ll finish reading this thinking that Maria Callas was a poor singer who somehow made it to the global stage, as that’s essentially the portrait painted here due to the author’s omissions.
I also think that the people predominantly attracted to this book are either singers or devoted opera fans. So I don’t get why the author didn’t do more to research Maria’s technique, the pedagogy of her vocal decline, compare and contrast performance when talking about the Tebaldi rivalry, etc. Overall this biography reads as a sensational work with too much emphasis placed on Maria’s social life and too little placed on her musicianship and singing.
I also think that the people predominantly attracted to this book are either singers or devoted opera fans. So I don’t get why the author didn’t do more to research Maria’s technique, the pedagogy of her vocal decline, compare and contrast performance when talking about the Tebaldi rivalry, etc. Overall this biography reads as a sensational work with too much emphasis placed on Maria’s social life and too little placed on her musicianship and singing.
October 27, 2021
I’ve never written a review for a book before and only use this app to keep track of what I’d like to read. However, after going through the only 2 reviews available I felt compelled to talk about my experience with the book and try to do it justice.
I am obsessed with Maria Callas. I am not an “opera buff” and I only listen to arias/ operas sung by her. I feel a visceral connection to Maria and have limitless empathy for her.
Some people find it hard to believe that someone like Maria Callas would endure such horrific treatment from the men in her life and that she would go to such lengths for “love”. What most people don’t understand is the way in which Callas experienced feelings. She lived in a world of principles and mythology and she felt everything with an intensity which if not experienced in one’s personal life would rarely be understood.
I think Lyndsy Spence did for Maria what she had always wished for in her lifetime: to be seen, understood, her feelings justified and embraced and, above all, loved for who she was as a woman. It’s seemingly ironic to use the phrase “lost soul” when describing someone whose very spirit could evaporate an entire theater but Maria- the person- never learned how to tend to herself and discover who she was outside of her work. Her personality was constructed around the genius that was Callas.
The author was thorough in outlining Maria Callas’ psychological portrait, spoke at length about her artistic achievements and losses, went in depth in justifying her thoughts and feelings and triggered my empathy all throughout the book. She brought me closer to Maria than any other author/ interviewer/ filmmaker.
I believe Ms. Spence gave Maria the voice she could never truly grasp while being alive. Maria’s voice was always outshone by the Callas and its otherworldly voice and I feel for her deeply. I wish I could’ve been there to hold her hand while she was still alive.
I am obsessed with Maria Callas. I am not an “opera buff” and I only listen to arias/ operas sung by her. I feel a visceral connection to Maria and have limitless empathy for her.
Some people find it hard to believe that someone like Maria Callas would endure such horrific treatment from the men in her life and that she would go to such lengths for “love”. What most people don’t understand is the way in which Callas experienced feelings. She lived in a world of principles and mythology and she felt everything with an intensity which if not experienced in one’s personal life would rarely be understood.
I think Lyndsy Spence did for Maria what she had always wished for in her lifetime: to be seen, understood, her feelings justified and embraced and, above all, loved for who she was as a woman. It’s seemingly ironic to use the phrase “lost soul” when describing someone whose very spirit could evaporate an entire theater but Maria- the person- never learned how to tend to herself and discover who she was outside of her work. Her personality was constructed around the genius that was Callas.
The author was thorough in outlining Maria Callas’ psychological portrait, spoke at length about her artistic achievements and losses, went in depth in justifying her thoughts and feelings and triggered my empathy all throughout the book. She brought me closer to Maria than any other author/ interviewer/ filmmaker.
I believe Ms. Spence gave Maria the voice she could never truly grasp while being alive. Maria’s voice was always outshone by the Callas and its otherworldly voice and I feel for her deeply. I wish I could’ve been there to hold her hand while she was still alive.
January 12, 2024
3.5 stars bumped to 4 stars.
February 9, 2025
Quite a sad life for someone with such a gifted voice who only wanted what everyone wants. A family of her own and a happy life
December 20, 2021
Διαβάστε το review στο site μας:
https://www.culture21century.gr/2021/...
Οι βιογραφίες είναι ένα δύσκολο συγγραφικό είδος, πολύ περισσότερο όταν αφορούν τη ζωή ανθρώπων που το όνομά τους όχι απλά έχει γραφτεί με χρυσά γράμματα στην Ιστορία, αλλά που αποτελούν σύμβολα. Γιατί, όταν κάποιος ανήκει στην κατηγορία αυτή, τείνει να εξιδανικεύεται μέσα στο μυαλό των ανθρώπων, οπότε αν βγουν στην επιφάνεια πτυχές και αλήθειες που δεν είναι τόσο κολακευτικές για εκείνον, προκαλούν αντιδράσεις -και πολλές φορές πολύ έντονες, τόσο που προσωπικά δεν μπορώ να τις κατανοήσω, αλλά αυτό είναι δικό μου θέμα, υποθέτω.
Ωστόσο, πρέπει να παραδεχθούμε πως κανείς δεν ενδιαφέρεται να διαβάσει μια βιογραφία η οποία θα του προσφέρει μόνο όσες πληροφορίες γνώριζε ήδη, έστω κι αν αυτές είναι συγκεντρωμένες σε μια έκδοση, και πως το πραγματικά ενδιαφέρον βρίσκεται στα πιο... "πιπεράτα" γεγονότα της ζωή του, εκείνα που μπορεί να μην είναι τόσο ευχάριστα, λαμπερά και όμορφα, αλλά που αποδεικνύουν πως ακόμα και τα σύμβολα, οι θρύλοι, υπήρξαν κι εκείνοι άνθρωποι με αδυναμίες, πάθη, προσωπικά δράματα, που υπέπεσαν σε λάθη κι ακολούθησαν, πολλές φορές, καταστροφικά μονοπάτια. Άλλωστε, όπως έχει αποδείξει η ίδια η ιστορία και ο χρόνος, οι πιο σπουδαίοι άνθρωποι φέρουν μια βαριά σκιά από πάνω τους, τη προσωπική τους νέμεσις, που ζητά να ξεχρεωθεί το μεγάλο τους ταλέντο με κάποιον άλλο τρόπο.
Το "Casta Diva - Μαρία Κάλλας: Η κρυφή ζωή της" της Lyndsy Spence, που πρόσφατα κυκλοφόρησε και στα ελληνικά από τις εκδόσεις Παπαδόπουλος, σε μια ομολογουμένως εξαιρετική και προσεγμένη σε όλα της τα σημεία έκδοση, κάνει αυτό που υπόσχεται ο τίτλος της. Μοιράζεται μαζί μας κρυφές πληροφορίες σχετικά με τη ζωή της κορυφαίας ντίβας της Όπερας, που όσο θυελλώδης υπήρξε ως καλλιτέχνης, άλλο τόσο θυελλώδης υπήρξε και ως άνθρωπος, αφήνοντας την προσωπική της ζωή να παρασύρεται στη δίνη ανέμων που δεν μπορούσε να ελέγξει και που αποδείχτηκαν, σε πολλαπλά επίπεδα, καταστροφικοί για εκείνη.
Η συγγραφέας έχει στηρίξει το μεγαλύτερο μέρος της βιογραφίας αυτής στην αδημοσίευτη αλληλογραφία της Μαρίας Κάλλας, γεγονός που θεωρώ πως "ερέθισε" ορισμένους αναγνώστες, και σε έναν βαθμό το κατανοώ λόγω της προστασίας της ιδιωτικότητας του ατόμου, όμως από την άλλη, ούσα άνθρωπος που έχω μάθει να διαχωρίζω την καλλιτεχνική ιδιότητα ενός ατόμου με την προσωπική του ζωή, γιατί στη δεύτερη είναι όπως εγώ κι εσείς, διάβασα με μεγάλο ενδιαφέρον όλες αυτές τις μικρές και μεγάλες σκοτεινές αλήθειες γύρω από τη ζωή της τεράστιας αυτής κυρίας της Όπερας, που στα μάτια μου δεν την μείωσαν καθόλου, αλλά αντίθετα, με έκαναν να την δω με περισσότερη συμπάθεια και συμπόνοια. Μια βιογραφία γραμμένη με σοβαρότητα, αρκετή ευαισθησία -παρά την αποκαλυπτική της διάθεση-, που όσοι αγαπούν την Κάλλας, νομίζω, πρέπει να διαβάσουν.
https://www.culture21century.gr/2021/...
Οι βιογραφίες είναι ένα δύσκολο συγγραφικό είδος, πολύ περισσότερο όταν αφορούν τη ζωή ανθρώπων που το όνομά τους όχι απλά έχει γραφτεί με χρυσά γράμματα στην Ιστορία, αλλά που αποτελούν σύμβολα. Γιατί, όταν κάποιος ανήκει στην κατηγορία αυτή, τείνει να εξιδανικεύεται μέσα στο μυαλό των ανθρώπων, οπότε αν βγουν στην επιφάνεια πτυχές και αλήθειες που δεν είναι τόσο κολακευτικές για εκείνον, προκαλούν αντιδράσεις -και πολλές φορές πολύ έντονες, τόσο που προσωπικά δεν μπορώ να τις κατανοήσω, αλλά αυτό είναι δικό μου θέμα, υποθέτω.
Ωστόσο, πρέπει να παραδεχθούμε πως κανείς δεν ενδιαφέρεται να διαβάσει μια βιογραφία η οποία θα του προσφέρει μόνο όσες πληροφορίες γνώριζε ήδη, έστω κι αν αυτές είναι συγκεντρωμένες σε μια έκδοση, και πως το πραγματικά ενδιαφέρον βρίσκεται στα πιο... "πιπεράτα" γεγονότα της ζωή του, εκείνα που μπορεί να μην είναι τόσο ευχάριστα, λαμπερά και όμορφα, αλλά που αποδεικνύουν πως ακόμα και τα σύμβολα, οι θρύλοι, υπήρξαν κι εκείνοι άνθρωποι με αδυναμίες, πάθη, προσωπικά δράματα, που υπέπεσαν σε λάθη κι ακολούθησαν, πολλές φορές, καταστροφικά μονοπάτια. Άλλωστε, όπως έχει αποδείξει η ίδια η ιστορία και ο χρόνος, οι πιο σπουδαίοι άνθρωποι φέρουν μια βαριά σκιά από πάνω τους, τη προσωπική τους νέμεσις, που ζητά να ξεχρεωθεί το μεγάλο τους ταλέντο με κάποιον άλλο τρόπο.
Το "Casta Diva - Μαρία Κάλλας: Η κρυφή ζωή της" της Lyndsy Spence, που πρόσφατα κυκλοφόρησε και στα ελληνικά από τις εκδόσεις Παπαδόπουλος, σε μια ομολογουμένως εξαιρετική και προσεγμένη σε όλα της τα σημεία έκδοση, κάνει αυτό που υπόσχεται ο τίτλος της. Μοιράζεται μαζί μας κρυφές πληροφορίες σχετικά με τη ζωή της κορυφαίας ντίβας της Όπερας, που όσο θυελλώδης υπήρξε ως καλλιτέχνης, άλλο τόσο θυελλώδης υπήρξε και ως άνθρωπος, αφήνοντας την προσωπική της ζωή να παρασύρεται στη δίνη ανέμων που δεν μπορούσε να ελέγξει και που αποδείχτηκαν, σε πολλαπλά επίπεδα, καταστροφικοί για εκείνη.
Η συγγραφέας έχει στηρίξει το μεγαλύτερο μέρος της βιογραφίας αυτής στην αδημοσίευτη αλληλογραφία της Μαρίας Κάλλας, γεγονός που θεωρώ πως "ερέθισε" ορισμένους αναγνώστες, και σε έναν βαθμό το κατανοώ λόγω της προστασίας της ιδιωτικότητας του ατόμου, όμως από την άλλη, ούσα άνθρωπος που έχω μάθει να διαχωρίζω την καλλιτεχνική ιδιότητα ενός ατόμου με την προσωπική του ζωή, γιατί στη δεύτερη είναι όπως εγώ κι εσείς, διάβασα με μεγάλο ενδιαφέρον όλες αυτές τις μικρές και μεγάλες σκοτεινές αλήθειες γύρω από τη ζωή της τεράστιας αυτής κυρίας της Όπερας, που στα μάτια μου δεν την μείωσαν καθόλου, αλλά αντίθετα, με έκαναν να την δω με περισσότερη συμπάθεια και συμπόνοια. Μια βιογραφία γραμμένη με σοβαρότητα, αρκετή ευαισθησία -παρά την αποκαλυπτική της διάθεση-, που όσοι αγαπούν την Κάλλας, νομίζω, πρέπει να διαβάσουν.
December 11, 2021
https://dominicamat.blogspot.com/2021...
Δεν ξέρω αν το έχετε παρατηρήσει,αλλά πολλά πρόσωπα με παγκόσμια φήμη καί πηγαίο ταλέντο,είτε έφυγαν από τη ζωή με ανέλπιστο τρόπο,είτε πίσω από όλη αυτήν την δόξα καί τα φώτα της δημοσιότητας έκρυβαν μία τραγική προσωπική καί οικογενειακή ιστορία. Σαν τα φώτα των προβολέων να μας ''τύφλωναν'' καί να μην μπορούσαμε να δούμε την όποια ασχήμια καί δυστυχία. Πολλές φορές,επίσης,πιάνω τον εαυτό μου,ασυναίσθητα,να συγκρίνει αυτά τα πρόσωπα με τους ήρωες καί τις ηρωϊδες των αρχαίων τραγωδιών. Σαν το μεγάλο ταλέντο,με το οποίο γεννήθηκαν,να αποτελεί μία αλλιώτικη ύβρι,που η νέμεσίς της σημαίνει να ζουν στην μοναξιά,χωρίς να έχουν δικούς τους ανθρώπους γύρω τους καί εντέλει,η πολυπόθητη λύτρωση να επέρχεται μέσω της κάθαρσης,δηλαδή του θανάτου τους. Σαν το αντίτιμο για αυτό το χάρισμα να είναι πιο βαρύ καί δυσβάσταχτο. Καί ξέρετε,τί πιστεύω; Άν ποτέ ρωτούσαμε αυτά τα άτομα αν θα επέλεγαν να ''πασπαλιστούν'' με ταλέντο καί όλα όσα εκείνο συνεπάγεται,ή,αν θα επιθυμούσαν μία ήρεμη ζωή πλημμυρισμένη με ευτυχία καί αγάπη,είμαι βέβαιη πως θα διάλεγαν τη δεύτερη επιλογή...
Όταν ενημερώθηκα πως θα λάμβανα ένα αντίτυπο του νέου βιβλίου της συγγραφέως καί ιστορικού Lyndsy Spence,με τίτλο ''CASTA DIVA – ΜΑΡΙΑ ΚΑΛΛΑΣ: Η ΚΡΥΦΗ ΖΩΗ ΤΗΣ" που κυκλοφόρησε πρόσφατα καί στη χώρα μας από τις εκδόσεις Παπαδόπουλος,το οποίο βασίζεται σε άγνωστο μέχρι σήμερα υλικό,η χαρά μου ήταν μεγάλη. Πείτε το ένστικτο,ή,όπως αλλιώς θέλετε,μα για κάποιον ανεξήγητο λόγο,ένιωθα πως θα διάβαζα πολλά παραπάνω από μία απλή καταγραφή γεγονότων. Σαν να μπορούσα να προσεγγίσω τον άνθρωπο,Μαρία καί όχι,την ντίβα της όπερας,την Κάλλας. Ειδικά,αυτη η φράση ''Η ΚΡΥΦΗ ΖΩΗ ΤΗΣ'' στον τίτλο του βιβλίου με προ(σ)καλούσε να χαθώ μέσα στις σελίδες του βιβλίου,όπερ καί εγένετο...
"Ποιο,πραγματικά,ήταν εκείνο το μικρό κορίτσι που μεγάλωσε μεταξύ Νέας Υόρκης και Ελλάδας,εκβιαζόταν για να τραγουδά από τη συναισθηματικά βίαιη μητέρα της,παντρεύτηκε έναν άντρα που την έκλεβε κι ερωτεύτηκε έναν κροίσο που της φερόταν βίαια και απαξιωτικά;" (Απόσπασμα από περίληψη οπισθοφύλλου)
Για μένα,το να διαβάζω τη βιογραφία ενός διάσημου προσώπου καί πληροφορίες σχετικά με το έργο του,που μένει ως παρακαταθήκη για τις επόμενες γενιές,σε καμία περίπτωση δεν σημαίνει να δω μέσα από την κλειδαρότρυπα,παραβιάζοντας την προσωπική του ζωή. Θεωρώ πως έτσι μας δίνεται,απλόχερα,η δυνατότητα να έρθουμε πιο κοντά σε αυτό το άτομο. Να γνωρίσουμε την ουσία του απαλλαγμένη από τα φανταχτερά στολίδια με τα οποία κοσμεί το σώμα καί το πρόσωπό του καί παρουσιάζεται στο κοινό. Λανθασμένα -κατ'εμέ- τους/τις αποκαλούμε ''μεγαθήρια'' καί περιμένουμε/απαιτούμε κάτι ανάλογο από εκείνους/ες,ξεχνώντας πως είναι απλοί,καθημερινοί άνθρωποι ίδιοι/ες με εμάς. Άνθρωποι με ψυχή που νιώθουν έντονα συναισθήματα,όπως αγάπη,θυμό,ελπίδα,πόνο κ.α. Δεν θέλουν μόνο τον θαυμασμό μας,αλλά καί την κατανόησή μας. Καιρός,λοιπόν,είναι να μάθουμε να διαχωρίζουμε τον άνθρωπο από την ιδιότητα του καλλιτέχνη. Δεν τίθεται εδώ κάποιο ζήτημα κριτικής,-άλλωστε κανένας καί καμία δεν έχει δικαίωμα να κρίνει τη ζωή ενός άλλου ανθρώπου-,αλλά να ακούσουμε την ίδια την Μαρία Κάλλας να μιλάει μέσα από τις προσωπικές της επιστολές.
"Μέσα από μια αδημοσίευτη αλληλογραφία της Μαρίας Κάλλας,η Lyndsy Spence ρίχνει φως στην τραγική ιδιωτική ζωή της μεγάλης Ελληνίδας ντίβας. Με τα λόγια της ίδιας της Κάλλας,μαθαίνουμε πως ο Ωνάσης τη νάρκωνε,ο Μενενγκίνι έγραφε τα κέρδη της στο όνομά του και ο πατέρας της προσποιούνταν ότι πέθαινε πάμφτωχος σε νοσοκομείο,σε μία προσπάθεια να της αποσπάσει χρήματα… Η γυναίκα που πάλεψε με τη νευρομυϊκή διαταραχή,που έχασε τη φωνή της λόγω της ασθένειάς της και λόγω των καταχρήσεων και που στο τέλος της ζωής της,μόνη στο Παρίσι,ζητούσε από την αδερφή της ηρεμιστικά,είναι ο ίδιος άνθρωπος που μέχρι και σήμερα προκαλεί τεράστια συγκίνηση μέσα από τις αριστουργηματικές ηχογραφήσεις της." (Απόσπασμα από περίληψη οπισθοφύλλου)
Η συγγραφέας με προσοχή καί σεβασμό,αρχικά απέναντι στον άνθρωπο Μαρία κι έπειτα στην πρωταγωνίστρια της όπερας,την Κάλλας,προβαίνει σε μία άρτια καταγραφή της βιογραφίας της όπου περιέχονται τα πάντα. Ο λόγος ουσιαστικά είναι στην ίδια την Κάλλας,αν καί κυριαρχεί η τριτοπρόσωπη αφήγηση. Εδώ έχουμε μία εξαιρετική κι εις βάθος σκιαγράφηση του ψυχισμού τόσο της μεγάλης καλλιτέχνιδος,όσο καί των λοιπών προσώπων. Ο λόγος της συγγραφέως είναι μεστός καί μας οδηγεί προς το φινάλε με συνέπεια,αποφεύγοντας υπερβολές,ή,άλλες τάσεις βερμπαλισμού. Δεν ωραιοποιεί καταστάσεις,μα μένει στην αλήθεια. Ολοκληρώνοντας την ανάγνωση του βιβλίου,είδα με άλλη ματιά τη Μαρία Κάλλας. Είδα την μικρή Μαρία Καλογεροπούλου που ζητούσε διακαώς αγάπη καί συντροφιά. Καί η άηχη μελωδία που έπαιζε από πίσω ήταν σαν το κύκνειο άσμα που το συντροφεύει ένας λυγμός οδύνης.
Καλή ανάγνωση!
Δεν ξέρω αν το έχετε παρατηρήσει,αλλά πολλά πρόσωπα με παγκόσμια φήμη καί πηγαίο ταλέντο,είτε έφυγαν από τη ζωή με ανέλπιστο τρόπο,είτε πίσω από όλη αυτήν την δόξα καί τα φώτα της δημοσιότητας έκρυβαν μία τραγική προσωπική καί οικογενειακή ιστορία. Σαν τα φώτα των προβολέων να μας ''τύφλωναν'' καί να μην μπορούσαμε να δούμε την όποια ασχήμια καί δυστυχία. Πολλές φορές,επίσης,πιάνω τον εαυτό μου,ασυναίσθητα,να συγκρίνει αυτά τα πρόσωπα με τους ήρωες καί τις ηρωϊδες των αρχαίων τραγωδιών. Σαν το μεγάλο ταλέντο,με το οποίο γεννήθηκαν,να αποτελεί μία αλλιώτικη ύβρι,που η νέμεσίς της σημαίνει να ζουν στην μοναξιά,χωρίς να έχουν δικούς τους ανθρώπους γύρω τους καί εντέλει,η πολυπόθητη λύτρωση να επέρχεται μέσω της κάθαρσης,δηλαδή του θανάτου τους. Σαν το αντίτιμο για αυτό το χάρισμα να είναι πιο βαρύ καί δυσβάσταχτο. Καί ξέρετε,τί πιστεύω; Άν ποτέ ρωτούσαμε αυτά τα άτομα αν θα επέλεγαν να ''πασπαλιστούν'' με ταλέντο καί όλα όσα εκείνο συνεπάγεται,ή,αν θα επιθυμούσαν μία ήρεμη ζωή πλημμυρισμένη με ευτυχία καί αγάπη,είμαι βέβαιη πως θα διάλεγαν τη δεύτερη επιλογή...
Όταν ενημερώθηκα πως θα λάμβανα ένα αντίτυπο του νέου βιβλίου της συγγραφέως καί ιστορικού Lyndsy Spence,με τίτλο ''CASTA DIVA – ΜΑΡΙΑ ΚΑΛΛΑΣ: Η ΚΡΥΦΗ ΖΩΗ ΤΗΣ" που κυκλοφόρησε πρόσφατα καί στη χώρα μας από τις εκδόσεις Παπαδόπουλος,το οποίο βασίζεται σε άγνωστο μέχρι σήμερα υλικό,η χαρά μου ήταν μεγάλη. Πείτε το ένστικτο,ή,όπως αλλιώς θέλετε,μα για κάποιον ανεξήγητο λόγο,ένιωθα πως θα διάβαζα πολλά παραπάνω από μία απλή καταγραφή γεγονότων. Σαν να μπορούσα να προσεγγίσω τον άνθρωπο,Μαρία καί όχι,την ντίβα της όπερας,την Κάλλας. Ειδικά,αυτη η φράση ''Η ΚΡΥΦΗ ΖΩΗ ΤΗΣ'' στον τίτλο του βιβλίου με προ(σ)καλούσε να χαθώ μέσα στις σελίδες του βιβλίου,όπερ καί εγένετο...
"Ποιο,πραγματικά,ήταν εκείνο το μικρό κορίτσι που μεγάλωσε μεταξύ Νέας Υόρκης και Ελλάδας,εκβιαζόταν για να τραγουδά από τη συναισθηματικά βίαιη μητέρα της,παντρεύτηκε έναν άντρα που την έκλεβε κι ερωτεύτηκε έναν κροίσο που της φερόταν βίαια και απαξιωτικά;" (Απόσπασμα από περίληψη οπισθοφύλλου)
Για μένα,το να διαβάζω τη βιογραφία ενός διάσημου προσώπου καί πληροφορίες σχετικά με το έργο του,που μένει ως παρακαταθήκη για τις επόμενες γενιές,σε καμία περίπτωση δεν σημαίνει να δω μέσα από την κλειδαρότρυπα,παραβιάζοντας την προσωπική του ζωή. Θεωρώ πως έτσι μας δίνεται,απλόχερα,η δυνατότητα να έρθουμε πιο κοντά σε αυτό το άτομο. Να γνωρίσουμε την ουσία του απαλλαγμένη από τα φανταχτερά στολίδια με τα οποία κοσμεί το σώμα καί το πρόσωπό του καί παρουσιάζεται στο κοινό. Λανθασμένα -κατ'εμέ- τους/τις αποκαλούμε ''μεγαθήρια'' καί περιμένουμε/απαιτούμε κάτι ανάλογο από εκείνους/ες,ξεχνώντας πως είναι απλοί,καθημερινοί άνθρωποι ίδιοι/ες με εμάς. Άνθρωποι με ψυχή που νιώθουν έντονα συναισθήματα,όπως αγάπη,θυμό,ελπίδα,πόνο κ.α. Δεν θέλουν μόνο τον θαυμασμό μας,αλλά καί την κατανόησή μας. Καιρός,λοιπόν,είναι να μάθουμε να διαχωρίζουμε τον άνθρωπο από την ιδιότητα του καλλιτέχνη. Δεν τίθεται εδώ κάποιο ζήτημα κριτικής,-άλλωστε κανένας καί καμία δεν έχει δικαίωμα να κρίνει τη ζωή ενός άλλου ανθρώπου-,αλλά να ακούσουμε την ίδια την Μαρία Κάλλας να μιλάει μέσα από τις προσωπικές της επιστολές.
"Μέσα από μια αδημοσίευτη αλληλογραφία της Μαρίας Κάλλας,η Lyndsy Spence ρίχνει φως στην τραγική ιδιωτική ζωή της μεγάλης Ελληνίδας ντίβας. Με τα λόγια της ίδιας της Κάλλας,μαθαίνουμε πως ο Ωνάσης τη νάρκωνε,ο Μενενγκίνι έγραφε τα κέρδη της στο όνομά του και ο πατέρας της προσποιούνταν ότι πέθαινε πάμφτωχος σε νοσοκομείο,σε μία προσπάθεια να της αποσπάσει χρήματα… Η γυναίκα που πάλεψε με τη νευρομυϊκή διαταραχή,που έχασε τη φωνή της λόγω της ασθένειάς της και λόγω των καταχρήσεων και που στο τέλος της ζωής της,μόνη στο Παρίσι,ζητούσε από την αδερφή της ηρεμιστικά,είναι ο ίδιος άνθρωπος που μέχρι και σήμερα προκαλεί τεράστια συγκίνηση μέσα από τις αριστουργηματικές ηχογραφήσεις της." (Απόσπασμα από περίληψη οπισθοφύλλου)
Η συγγραφέας με προσοχή καί σεβασμό,αρχικά απέναντι στον άνθρωπο Μαρία κι έπειτα στην πρωταγωνίστρια της όπερας,την Κάλλας,προβαίνει σε μία άρτια καταγραφή της βιογραφίας της όπου περιέχονται τα πάντα. Ο λόγος ουσιαστικά είναι στην ίδια την Κάλλας,αν καί κυριαρχεί η τριτοπρόσωπη αφήγηση. Εδώ έχουμε μία εξαιρετική κι εις βάθος σκιαγράφηση του ψυχισμού τόσο της μεγάλης καλλιτέχνιδος,όσο καί των λοιπών προσώπων. Ο λόγος της συγγραφέως είναι μεστός καί μας οδηγεί προς το φινάλε με συνέπεια,αποφεύγοντας υπερβολές,ή,άλλες τάσεις βερμπαλισμού. Δεν ωραιοποιεί καταστάσεις,μα μένει στην αλήθεια. Ολοκληρώνοντας την ανάγνωση του βιβλίου,είδα με άλλη ματιά τη Μαρία Κάλλας. Είδα την μικρή Μαρία Καλογεροπούλου που ζητούσε διακαώς αγάπη καί συντροφιά. Καί η άηχη μελωδία που έπαιζε από πίσω ήταν σαν το κύκνειο άσμα που το συντροφεύει ένας λυγμός οδύνης.
Καλή ανάγνωση!
September 20, 2024
My biggest problem with this book is that while the author has done a tremendous amount of research which dispels certain old sensationalist claims, she also pepers the narrative with a LOT of unsupported heresay without even bothering to cite her sources. For example, where are all the claims of her going to the renowned Swiss hack's - Paul Niehans' - clinic coming from? Or getting iodine injections? Or the arm lifts? Or what about the story of the attempted sexual assault in Rio? It was interesting to read about her late life alleged diagnosis of dermatomyositis (based on correspondence with the professor's daughter that we have no way of fact checking), but then the author bravely leaps to the conclusion that this was the cause of Callas' health problems in the 1950s - unlikely from what I know of how dermatomyositis manifests. And there are many similar leaps in the book that make me wonder how much leap of fancy did the author rely on in this entire narrative.
This biography does attempt to humanize Callas the Woman, and yet, an exorbitant amount of time is spent on endless recitation of "scandals" and other events that don't seem to serve any real purpose. Much of the middle section is merely a recitation of "this happened and then this happened." The author did succeed (if that was her goal) in making me loathe almost every person in Callas' life, especially her family and husbands (since she apparently considered Onassis one). She had a very sad and lonely life. Fortunately, we have her lasting legacy in her recordings. The artist achieved what the woman couldn't - immortality.
I would say that it's a must read for any Callas fan but take it with a grain of salt, just like everything else that's been written about her over the years.
This biography does attempt to humanize Callas the Woman, and yet, an exorbitant amount of time is spent on endless recitation of "scandals" and other events that don't seem to serve any real purpose. Much of the middle section is merely a recitation of "this happened and then this happened." The author did succeed (if that was her goal) in making me loathe almost every person in Callas' life, especially her family and husbands (since she apparently considered Onassis one). She had a very sad and lonely life. Fortunately, we have her lasting legacy in her recordings. The artist achieved what the woman couldn't - immortality.
I would say that it's a must read for any Callas fan but take it with a grain of salt, just like everything else that's been written about her over the years.
February 4, 2025
LOVED IT
I have been intrigued with Maria Callas since the first time I saw her pictures and became familiar with her story. It's haunting. I know it has been said before and I will agree, her life seemed to be the story of an opera, played out as a true Greek tragedy!
Maria was gifted with a stunning voice which she worked hard to develop. She had an insatiable hunger for success including both fame and wealth. She wanted it all.
The emotional stress she endured as a young girl, literally being forced by a cold, abusive mother to sing for their food, was never far from her memories.
Unfortunately, the man she marries is detached and emotionally distant. He refuses to release her and fights vigorously to keep all that she has earned when she asks for divorce.
She has met and fallen in love with Aristotle Onasis who has literally swept her off of her feet and onto his yacht. They connect with each other on many levels, including their Greek heritage, difficult childhoods and ambition. Unfortunately, he decides to break her heart and marries Jackie Kennedy.
Maria's career continually puts her on stage in front of audience's and critics who both love her and hate her. They are either throwing roses or radishes! Talk about the need for anxiety medication! She is forever in fear of missing a note or catching a cold.
This book goes into much deeper detail of the reasons behind her hatred for her mother and the family that is constantly looking to take from her instead of giving anything.
I highly recommend this book. I not only experienced the thrill and difficulties of her Diva life, but was able to understand her pain and her truly gifted but haunting life.
I have been intrigued with Maria Callas since the first time I saw her pictures and became familiar with her story. It's haunting. I know it has been said before and I will agree, her life seemed to be the story of an opera, played out as a true Greek tragedy!
Maria was gifted with a stunning voice which she worked hard to develop. She had an insatiable hunger for success including both fame and wealth. She wanted it all.
The emotional stress she endured as a young girl, literally being forced by a cold, abusive mother to sing for their food, was never far from her memories.
Unfortunately, the man she marries is detached and emotionally distant. He refuses to release her and fights vigorously to keep all that she has earned when she asks for divorce.
She has met and fallen in love with Aristotle Onasis who has literally swept her off of her feet and onto his yacht. They connect with each other on many levels, including their Greek heritage, difficult childhoods and ambition. Unfortunately, he decides to break her heart and marries Jackie Kennedy.
Maria's career continually puts her on stage in front of audience's and critics who both love her and hate her. They are either throwing roses or radishes! Talk about the need for anxiety medication! She is forever in fear of missing a note or catching a cold.
This book goes into much deeper detail of the reasons behind her hatred for her mother and the family that is constantly looking to take from her instead of giving anything.
I highly recommend this book. I not only experienced the thrill and difficulties of her Diva life, but was able to understand her pain and her truly gifted but haunting life.
February 7, 2025
“I didn’t bring you into this world for nothing… I gave birth to you, so you should maintain me.” Maria Callas’ mother, Litsa
Maria Callas had a troubled life, much of it due to her dysfunctional relationships. Her mother and sister were ungrateful and publicly criticized her, while her two husbands exploited her both as a woman and for her money and fame. Her volatile involvement with Aristotle Onassis ended when he left her for Jackie Kennedy. This biography focuses on Maria’s personal struggles rather than her career achievements, highlighting her voice issues and conflicts with others. She often fabricated stories to improve her image, faked illness to avoid contracts, and clashed with family and colleagues. Maria died of a heart attack aged 53 on September 16, 1977.
Maria Callas had a troubled life, much of it due to her dysfunctional relationships. Her mother and sister were ungrateful and publicly criticized her, while her two husbands exploited her both as a woman and for her money and fame. Her volatile involvement with Aristotle Onassis ended when he left her for Jackie Kennedy. This biography focuses on Maria’s personal struggles rather than her career achievements, highlighting her voice issues and conflicts with others. She often fabricated stories to improve her image, faked illness to avoid contracts, and clashed with family and colleagues. Maria died of a heart attack aged 53 on September 16, 1977.
September 28, 2025
Having watched the film of Maria Calls i wanted to find out more. This well researched version was an eye opener. It brought out the loneliness Maria felt through her life, her struggles to be loved, her dedication to her singing and more. She struggled to be in charge of herself in an era of male dominance.
Admittedly there were times that she was incredibly naive and almost childlike in her behaviour which given her early childhood was understandable.
It was quite a revelation and at times was not an easy read due to the emotions it evoked. Life is not easy and Maria’s was an example of a troubled Diva.
I recommend this even though compared to the film it is like the other side of the coin.
Admittedly there were times that she was incredibly naive and almost childlike in her behaviour which given her early childhood was understandable.
It was quite a revelation and at times was not an easy read due to the emotions it evoked. Life is not easy and Maria’s was an example of a troubled Diva.
I recommend this even though compared to the film it is like the other side of the coin.
December 6, 2025
Sadly lacking in much analysis or reflection on major themes and controversies. Her voice? Her artistry? Opera as an art form and her place within it? Opera in the mid century and what made her celebrity so huge? The debates over whether her weight loss affected her voice? Almost completely silent on all these and more.
Very episodic in style. Sometimes awkward prose that left the meaning of statements unclear.
Overall disappointingly shallow.
Very episodic in style. Sometimes awkward prose that left the meaning of statements unclear.
Overall disappointingly shallow.
January 1, 2025
I really wanted to enjoy this but it was poorly put together. Most of the book is facts and figures and dates about performances which are ok but I want to know about the person.
I also found it near impossible to follow who is who as a person us referred to by their first name, or surname or nickname and it's just confusing.
Maria Callas is a fascinating person but the book is average.
I also found it near impossible to follow who is who as a person us referred to by their first name, or surname or nickname and it's just confusing.
Maria Callas is a fascinating person but the book is average.
February 4, 2025
The more I learn about Maria Callas & uncover in the various biographies on her, the more I crave to learn. There is so much mystery behind the real Callas and her final years based on the various accounts from those who knew her. Each book read gives one a little bit more added to who she was and all those involved with her in her career.
April 3, 2025
Sensationalist. I wanted to read it but couldn't get past the first chapter. The narrative is not engaging, the reading can feel choppy at times and truly feels like you're reading a tabloid. Gossipy and every single character is depicted on the worst light possible.
Apologies but I couldn't stomach this book.
Apologies but I couldn't stomach this book.
Read
January 25, 2023I enjoyed this book very much. I've read Arianna Huffington's book about La Divina and this one gave a slightly different perspective on her life which has given me a deeper appreciation for Madame Callas' unique talents and her amazing discipline and determination.
May 31, 2023
2.5 stars - a decent, insightful, often slow read. maria is one of the most captivating stars of all time. i feel sad when i think about all she endured. her family & partnerships were devastating.
i hate you, onassis
i hate you, onassis
November 23, 2021
A recent and well-written biography of Maria Callas. Especially well-referenced.
February 24, 2022
Maria callas' life is absolutely fascinating but this book was written like an encyclopedia and made it drag so much.
October 4, 2023
Stunning. Loved it and loved the narration. I couldn't keep it down
December 15, 2023
Intrigued to see how Larrain portrays this in film specially considering the complicated entanglement with Jackie Kennedy whom he has already previously portrayed
February 1, 2025
After seeing the movie about Maria Callas I was interested in learning more. A fair read.
August 21, 2025
Very well written biography and, very intrigued reading it after watching her biopic film with Angelina Jolie which I enjoyed a lot as well.
September 25, 2022
I don’t know, it was interesting as a whole but at times I felt the storytelling was a bit disjointed. There is no doubt the author knew the subject well just that the reading could have been a little smoother.
August 5, 2024
A cautionary tale for women.
May 13, 2023
Lots of gossip.
June 19, 2025
Overall a very thorough and good biography for someone who only knows surface level info on the figure of Maria Callas and such an enrapturing story that is interested in detailing the life of this woman uniting both tabloid gossip and objective information and making a more cohesive storyline. It did bother me however that a lot of times the author seemed to just make up or assume she knew better than Maria what she was feeling based on very little, and while the use of the narratives of works Maria was involved in and their parallels to the story of her life often strengthened the writing, sometimes it felt like the author was forcing a metaphor where there wasn't any. Regardless, the ending of the epilogue is one of the most chilling conclusions to a biography I've read ever.
January 18, 2022
Πριν από 2 χρόνια είχα παρακολουθήσει την παράσταση “Master Class” με τη Μαρία Ναυπλιώτου στο ρόλο της Μαρίας Κάλλας.
Ήταν η πρώτη φορά, που έμαθα τη δυστυχία που κρυβόταν πίσω από τα φώτα της τεράστιας επιτυχίας της αοιδού. Στενάχωρη η αίσθηση από όλα όσα είδα με τη συγκλονιστική ερμηνεία της ηθοποιού.
Το μόνο πράγμα, που ουσιαστικά αναζητούσε η Κάλλας ήταν αποδοχή και αγάπη.
Αγάπη, που δεν είχε από κανέναν.
Ούτε από την ίδια της τη μητέρα.
Μπορεί να ερμήνευε υπέροχα τραγωδίες, αλλά η μεγαλύτερη τραγωδία ήταν αυτή στην οποία ήταν η ίδια πρωταγωνίστρια, στην ίδια της τη ζωή.
Περισσότερα εδώ :
https://bit.ly/3rrOuQN
Ήταν η πρώτη φορά, που έμαθα τη δυστυχία που κρυβόταν πίσω από τα φώτα της τεράστιας επιτυχίας της αοιδού. Στενάχωρη η αίσθηση από όλα όσα είδα με τη συγκλονιστική ερμηνεία της ηθοποιού.
Το μόνο πράγμα, που ουσιαστικά αναζητούσε η Κάλλας ήταν αποδοχή και αγάπη.
Αγάπη, που δεν είχε από κανέναν.
Ούτε από την ίδια της τη μητέρα.
Μπορεί να ερμήνευε υπέροχα τραγωδίες, αλλά η μεγαλύτερη τραγωδία ήταν αυτή στην οποία ήταν η ίδια πρωταγωνίστρια, στην ίδια της τη ζωή.
Περισσότερα εδώ :
https://bit.ly/3rrOuQN
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews