| The 2004 Athens Olympics is over, but certain things | | | | most famous roles were Bellini's Norma in the title role, |
| linger on. My thoughts drifted to the ambitious opening | | | | and Amina in La Sonnambula, while her magnetic |
| ceremony that heralded its start. Only one among the | | | | stage presence as an operatic actress yielded |
| millions of television viewers, I saw with much | | | | memorable portrayals of Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata |
| excitement and expectation the grand opening | | | | and in the title role in Puccini's Tosca. Callas sang with |
| ceremony on yet another biggest sports show on | | | | great authority in all the most exacting soprano roles, |
| earth. I also marvelled at how the patrolling troops on | | | | excelling in the intricate bel canto style of pre-Verdian |
| land and air managed to guard the entire security | | | | Italian opera. Other operas include Madame Butterfly, |
| operation. All for the game. | | | | Aida and Medea, and many more. |
| Athens played host to a beautiful and moving Opening | | | | It's more than twenty-five years since her death, and |
| Ceremonies in Olympic history. The spectacular and | | | | yet Maria Callas continues to ignite the imagination of a |
| theatrical event featured a vast expanse of water | | | | new generation of opera goers who never |
| representing the beautiful seas that surround Greece, | | | | experienced her on the stage. I never did. My |
| massive flying artifacts, a rolling stage, among other | | | | discovery of Callas is through my collection of her |
| magical visual displays. The audacious performance | | | | records, some almost warped to let go, perhaps no |
| painted a dramatic picture of a country steeped in | | | | different from her recordings when she was just |
| pride for its remarkable cultural heritage - civilization | | | | beginning to reach an international market, or when her |
| and its contribution across the arts and sciences, | | | | career was still confined to Italy. Through the CDs, I |
| politics and society. And lest the world forgets, it was | | | | came to love Callas's exquisite voice with all my |
| the ancient Greece that created the Olympic Games | | | | senses engaged. Not that I don't admire the likes of Kiri |
| nearly 3,000 years ago. | | | | Te Kanawa, Ely Ameling, or Joan Sutherland, among |
| Then the Olympic ceremony presented the 'Book of | | | | others. I have Maria Callas's 'First Official Recordings', |
| Life' part, where Eros swooped down to greet a | | | | mono dated 1953. And as I compare this recording |
| pregnant woman, the final figure of the 'Clepsydra' | | | | with a more polished production, a recent 1997 EMI |
| parade. The background music clearly came from a | | | | recording of a lifelong favourite Bellini's Norma, I can |
| distinct voice that I swore could only belong to one | | | | feel the same intensity of feeling, the ever engaging |
| operatic diva, to me, the greatest of all: the voice of | | | | sound of the voice itself. |
| Maria Callas. By impulse, I got excited and stood up | | | | I can go on and on and rave about this operatic diva, |
| when I heard it. I said, "It can't be. It's Callas!" I was | | | | this legend whose greatest role was herself. For her |
| under the assumption that all performances were live. | | | | life was an intense opera in itself - her tempestuous |
| Naturally, I was right about the voice. Within a minute, | | | | outbursts as sensational as her entrances and exits, |
| the television commentator said so. Obviously, the | | | | as well as her doomed relationships. From 1959 until |
| Greeks are ever proud of the voice and the singer. | | | | her death, she had intense relationship with the shipping |
| Nevermind that she was born and raised in the USA. | | | | magnate Aristotle Onassis. But always, she remained |
| But she was born of Greek parents. Besides, a legend | | | | the ever-consummate professional in her art. |
| should be shared with the world. A legend is a child of | | | | While writing this piece, I'm up to Callas Rarities. and |
| the universe! | | | | almost always, I end my listening satisfaction with her |
| The American operatic soprano Maria | | | | interpretation of my all-time favourite: "Casta |
| (Kalogeropolous) Callas (1923-1977) was born in New | | | | Diva"(Chaste Goddess) from Bellini's Norma. Her |
| York of Greek parents. She studied at Athens | | | | exquisite voice lulls me to divine slumber: "Casta diva ... |
| Conservatory and made her debut there in 1941. With | | | | tempra, o Diva, tempra tu de' cori ardenti, tempra |
| a voice of fine range and a gift for dramatic | | | | ancora lo zelo audace ..." Translated in English: "Chaste |
| expression, she excelled in opera. In 1947, she | | | | goddess, ... temper thou the burning hearts, the |
| appeared at Verona in La Gioconda, winning | | | | excessive zeal of thy people." |
| immediate recognition. In 1949, she was married to | | | | To experience the magical voice of Maria Callas, I |
| Giovanni Battista Meneghini. She appeared at La Scala, | | | | need only listen and take pleasure in the solace of her |
| Milan in 1950, at London's Covent Garden in 1952, and | | | | recordings. |
| at New York's Metropolitan Opera in 1956. Among her | | | | |