This year marks the centennial anniversary of the birth of Maria Callas, born on the 2nd December 1923. RTÉ lyric fm celebrates the iconic soprano with special programmes and features marking the anniversary.
Click here to listen to our exclusive Callas content.
Highlights include:
OPERA NIGHT WITH PAUL HERRIOTT
Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor with Maria Callas
Maria Callas sings one of the repertory's most formidable and storied roles, the haunted heroine Lucia, Giuseppe de Stefano adds to the bel canto fireworks as Lucia's beloved, Edgardo, Titto Gobbi is her overbearing brother Enrico, Raffaele Arie as her tutor, Raimondo, Valiano Natali sings Arturo, Anna Maria Canali is Alisa and Gino Sarri sings Normanno with Tulio Serafin conducting the Chorus and Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in a 1953 recording from Florence, Italy.
RTÉ lyric fm, Saturday 25th November, 7pm-10pm
Listen back to Lucia di Lammermoor here
OPERA NIGHT WITH PAUL HERRIOTT
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Maria Callas, we hear Maria in Verdi's La Traviata. Before that, Jon Tolansky presents part two of his documentary memoir in which artists and others who knew and experienced the great diva explore how and why it is that 46 years after her death she still captivates the musical world in a unique way. There are spoken contributions from sopranos Maria Callas and Mirella Freni, conductors Sir Edward Downes and Nicola Rescigno, tenor John Dobson, opera experts Ian Fox and the Earl of Harewood, and others. Callas is heard singing extracts from operas by Bellini, Ponchielli, Puccini, Rossini, Verdi, and Wagner.
Verdi’s La Traviata with Maria Callas
We delve into the archives to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of the legendary Maria Callas. La Traviata, an opera by Giuseppe Verdi, is a love story shrouded in sacrifice and misunderstanding. Maria Callas sings Violetta, Francesco Albanese is Alfredo Germont, Ugo Savarese is Giorgio Germont, Ede Marietti Gandolfo is Flora Bervoix, Ines Marietti is Annina, Mariano Caruso is Gastone, Alberto Albertini is Il Barone Douphol, Mario Zorgniotti is Il marchese d'Obigny and Il Dottore Grenvil, and Tommaso Soley is Giuseppe and Cora Cetra and the RAI Symphony Orchestra of Turin is conducted by Gabriele Santini.
RTÉ lyric fm, Saturday 2nd December, 7pm-10pm
Listen back to La Traviata here
THE LYRIC FEATURE
Maria, La Callas
To mark the centenary of her birth, Liz Nolan explores the life and legacy of Maria Callas, the iconic Greek soprano, widely regarded as the most significant, inspiring and provocative opera star of the modern age. From a background of childhood trauma, Callas emerged as a successor to the soprani sfogati- the 'limitless' soprano voices of opera legend. It was Callas who led the revival of 18th century bel canto opera, and who gave indelible portrayals of Verdi and Puccini heroines. But alongside the stature of Callas the singer, there was Maria the woman, her life, characterised by unrelenting pressure, the tabloid gaze, and in the end her desolate farewell to art and to love.
'Maria, La Callas' follows the trajectory of the singer's career, with contributions from acclaimed artists and vocal experts of today; as we investigate what made Callas great and how her legacy continues to enrich opera today.
Presenter: Liz Nolan | Producer: Peter Curtin
RTÉ lyric fm, Sunday 3rd December, 6pm-7pm
Listen back to Maria, La Callas here