OVERVIEW
This remarkable tribute to the life and achievements of legendary opera singer Maria Callas will delight music lovers from all over the world. It is the only museum of its kind to chart the career of one of the most important singers of all time, whose performances changed the course of opera. It is also a fascinating insight into Callas’ personal life, which included a high-profile marriage to shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis.
Born in New York in the 1920s, Callas trained at the National Conservatory in Athens and became known for her extraordinary combination of power, flexibility and vocal range, although her artistry transcended mere technique. Her genius was in her personal interpretation of operas and her remarkable ability to convey deep emotion. Many of her recitals are considered unmatched and she was described simply as ‘la divina’, meaning ‘the divine’.
Awe-inspiring performances
A recent addition to the museums of Athens, the Maria Callas Museum is easy to incorporate into a day out in the Greek capital. It includes video and voice recordings of some of Callas’ most famous performances, as well as personal items such as gowns and jewellery that she performed in, her personal photo album (1947-1959), and private letters.
The ambience of three of Callas’ most famous operas, Norma, Tosca and La Traviata is captured in dedicated spaces on the second floor, where you also learn about the masterclasses that Callas facilitated at the esteemed Juilliard School in New York.
The first floor is dedicated to Callas’ captivating life story, including personal and career milestones. She took her first leading role in 1942 as Puccini's Tosca, launched her international career in 1947 with a performance in Ponchielli's Gioconda, and made her official debut at Milan’s La Scala in 1951 in Verdi's I Vespri Siciliani. During the 1950s, she graced the world's most prestigious stages, including the Royal Opera House in London, the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Paris Opera. Her powerful and captivating performances left audiences in awe.
Extraordinary highs, high-profile lows
Although renowned for her style and grace on and off the stage, Callas’ early career included struggles with weight and, in her later years, her private life was defined (at least publicly) by her often stormy marriage to Onassis, who eventually left her for Jacqueline Kennedy.
Perhaps her most memorable performance in Greece was at Epidaurus in 1960, when a rendition of Norma included the release of two white pigeons during the opera’s most iconic scene. Maria Callas died on 16 September 1977, aged just 53. She requested that her body be cremated and her ashes scattered in the Aegean Sea.
