RTÉ lyric FM's Liz Nolan introduces her new Lyric Feature documentary revisiting the life and career of legendary opera star Maria Callas - listen to Maria, La Callas above.
As a teen, it was me and Callas against the world.
I'd never heard of the great Greek soprano - warbling at the local Feis was about the extent of my involvement with the vocal arts - when I was presented with a double LP of Callas arias. First record, first track: Catalani’s Ebben? Ne andro lontana from Act I of La Wally, and my first thought was 'Oh God, that’s not pretty! That’s not nice or safe, it can’t be corralled into tasteful background listening.'
Instead, here’s this woman who pulls at the very heart of me, with this thrilling, metallic sound. This was dangerous, I somehow knew: the passion and the strength in everything she sang, her Olympian command of range and ornamentation. You weren’t charmed, you were overwhelmed by Callas. I’d sit in a daze, lip synching to her arias, charting the trajectory of her high wire cadenzas, huddled in my room, a pudgy, awkward schoolgirl in thrall to this terrible beauty.
December 2023 sees the centenary of Maria Callas - La Divina, as she’s hailed, was the opera star who’d become one of the most famous people on the planet. Like Elvis and Marilyn, her image attained iconic status; an imperious beauty staring at the camera, with an off-stage story that proved catnip for tabloids - poor girl made good, ugly duckling turned to swan, the tempestuous diva unlucky in love… and so on.
Hers was a career that lasted barely over a decade at its peak - yet Callas remains an enduring presence in the world of opera.
In the Lyric Feature: Maria, La Callas, I wanted to look behind the headlines to the artistic legacy of this prima donna: the dramatic integrity she brought to her roles, her place in the revival of the great bel canto operas of the 18th and early 19th centuries, and above all, her absolute commitment to art, which made a Callas performance a uniquely visceral, compelling experience.
To truly understand her greatness, and also the continuing legacy of Callas, we turn to leading figures in the industry today. Opera star Tara Erraught is world-renowned for her performances in bel canto opera: she takes us behind the scenes to discuss the demands and discipline placed on a singer, and her own insights into the art and career of Callas.
More than anything, Maria, La Callas presents the human achievement of this great artist.
Dr. Paul Kwak is a world authority on the human voice: the New-York based surgeon is also a Juilliard music scholar, and works with the Metropolitan Opera as consultant oto-laryngologist to the stars. With Paul, we were able to shed light on the mystique around Callas’ voice; her astronomical vocal feats, the distinctive nature of her voice, and reasons for its precipitous decline.
To understand the opera world in which Callas operated, Diego Fasciati offers an authoritative view. The Executive Director with Irish National Opera gives her career context in the fast-moving, complex enterprise of opera productions and the relationship between opera house and singer.
For a fuller understanding of the person behind the legend, we also talk to Lyndsy Spence, author of the new biography Cast a Diva: The Hidden Life of Maria Callas. Featuring previously unpublished correspondence between Callas and her colleagues, friends and family, Lyndsy outlines the life of a vulnerable, often exploited woman who struggled under the impossible demands of her status as 'La Divina'.
More than anything, Maria, La Callas presents the human achievement of this great artist; placed within the context of her time and profession, and neither idolised nor objectified. Maria Callas deserves more than mere hagiography or clickbait scandal - she was a singer, an artist and a woman, and in this Lyric Feature we aim to do justice to her memory.
The Lyric Feature: Maria, La Callas, RTÉ lyric fm, Sunday Dec 3rd at 6 pm - listen to more from the Lyric Feature here.
