Maria Callas - La Divina - A Portrait

Starring: Maria Callas Original UK Premiere: 1987 Dvd Release: 3rd July, 2000 Number Of Discs: 1 Format: Black & White, Colour, Full Screen, PAL, Region 2 Encoding Subtitled In: French

Article Index: [Background Info] [DVD Review] [Articles/Resources] [Link To This Article] Looking To Buy? Buy This DVD Here

The Greek soprano Maria Callas was the most famous opera singer of the postwar period. Callas combined an impeccable bel canto technique with great dramatic gifts, making her the most famous singing actress of the era. An extremely versatile singer, her repertoire ranged from classical opera seria, such as Spontini s La Vestale to late Verdi & the verismo operas of Puccini. Born Maria Anna Sofia Cecilia Kalogeropoulos to Greek parents in New York City, she moved back with her mother to Athens, Greece at age 13. There she received her musical education & became a pupil of the well-known soprano Elvira de Hidalgo at the Athens Conservatory. After a few appearances as a student & in secondary roles, she made her true debut at the Athens Opera on 4 July 1941 as Tosca, going on to sing Santuzza & Leonora during the next three years. In 1947, Callas made her Italian debut at the Verona Arena in La Gioconda. under the baton of Tullio Serafin. Together with Serafin, Callas subsequently recorded & performed many bel canto operas, contributing greatly to the bel canto revival of the 1950s.

The Greek soprano Maria Callas was the most famous opera singer of the postwar period. Callas combined an impeccable bel canto technique with great dramatic gifts, making her the most famous singing actress of the era. An extremely versatile singer, her repertoire ranged from classical opera seria, such as Spontini s La Vestale to late Verdi & the verismo operas of Puccini. Born Maria Anna Sofia Cecilia Kalogeropoulos to Greek parents in New York City, she moved back with her mother to Athens, Greece at age 13. There she received her musical education & became a pupil of the well-known soprano Elvira de Hidalgo at the Athens Conservatory. After a few appearances as a student & in secondary roles, she made her true debut at the Athens Opera on July 4, 1941, as Tosca, going on to sing Santuzza & Leonora during the next three years. In 1947, Callas made her Italian debut at the Verona Arena in La Gioconda. under the baton of Tullio Serafin. Together with Serafin, Callas subsequently recorded & performed many bel canto operas, contributing greatly to the bel canto revival of the 1950s. Posters Of La Divina

It is almost a quarter of a century since Maria Callas died. But the passing years have done little to diminish interest in this most iconic of divas. The debate surrounding the real quality of that voice continues to be fanned by her devotees & detractors, intermittently reaching fever pitch with the arrival of another biography or the commercial release of a newly discovered live recording. Tony Palmers 1987 film portrait, now available on DVD, towers over the bulk of contributions to the Callas industry because it manages to be both passionate about its subject & objective about the forces that shaped a great musical talent & then left it in ruins.

Lengthy interviews with colleagues & confidants embrace both Callas undoubted theatrical genius & the emotional traumas that propelled her stumbling private life. The scene is set from the moment this documentarys producer John Ardoin, himself a Callas biographer, declares the story of Callas the woman to be one of the great tragedies of our time. From that point, the film forges potent links between the evolution of the divas artistry through her great performances, Tosca, in particular, & the defiant soul captured in a considerable archive of media encounters that range from the intense & contemptuous to the coquettish. This is 90 essential minutes for anyone interested in the Callas legend. Her story will never be better told. , Piers Ford

©2004-2008 DVDArk.co.uk