Happy Birthday, La Divina!

Maria Callas—or Maria Anna Cecilia Sofia Kalogeropoulos—was born in New York City on December 2. 1923. She was a supernova who blazed across the opera world (and beyond) and it will never be the same. “The new Callas,” “The next Callas” still resound across stages around the world. But that’s a fantasy. She was one of a kind.

If you need proof, take a listen to the Warner Classes/Erato boxed set, “La Divina: Maria Callas In All Her Roles,” which was issued in September, consisting of 131 CDs of La Callas in all her 74 roles. It includes never-before-heard alternate takes and working sessions from her studio work in the ‘60s, in addition to her most famous studio recordings, live performances and masterclasses at Juilliard.

Or look at YouTube to see her in action, particularly in the 1964 clip of Act II of TOSCA from London’s Royal Opera Covent Garden in Franco Zeffirelli’s production, with Tito Gobbi as Scarpia. (If you’re a medici.tv subscriber, you can also find it there.)