Maria Callas: Sacred MonsterThis is the authoritative biography of one of the great icons of the century, Maria Callas, the most brilliant and controversial singer-actress of modern times. Written by a music scholar, opera critic, and, toward the end of Callas' life, a close friend, Sacred Monster is an account of the singer's triumphant and tumultuous public career and her private life. Sacred Monster is not only the definitive portrait of one of the greatest artists of the century, it corrects the many misguided books about Callas that have appeared since her death in 1977 at the age of fifty-three. Galatopoulos writes about Callas objectively - recognizing her flaws, her temperament, and the signs of premature vocal deterioration. Galatopoulos attended more than a hundred of Callas' performances and he describes not only the brilliance of her many triumphs, the disappointments of her setbacks, and the poignance of her premature decline, but also her legacy, which resides in her continuing influence and her extensive and valuable discography. Callas chose to share many of her most frank judgments about her professional problems with Galatopoulos. Perhaps most dramatically, in this book, which might almost be called "Callas Has the Last Word," Galatopoulos sets straight the soap opera portrait some have drawn of a shattered and reclusive woman abandoned by her lover, Aristotle Onassis. In fact, Callas and Onassis resumed their friendship shortly after his marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy. This portrait of Callas shows her in retirement every bit as forceful and engaged as she was on stage. - Publisher. |
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Adalgisa Aida Alfredo Anna Bolena appeared aria artistic Athens Opera audience Bagarozy barbiere became began Bellini Bing Callas sang Callas's Callas's voice career Casta Diva character Chicago Christina concert conductor Covent Garden début Don Carlos dramatic duet Elvira Elvira de Hidalgo Evangelia expression feelings friends gave Ghiringhelli Gioconda Gobbi Greece Greek Hidalgo high notes husband Ifigenia Il pirata Il trovatore Italian La Scala La sonnambula La traviata later libretto London Lucia di Lammermoor Lyric Macbeth Maria Callas marriage Maxwell Medea Meneghini Metropolitan Milan mother never Norma November Onassis Onassis's opera opera house Oroveso Paris performance pirata Poliuto Pollione portrayal Puritani recording rehearsal Rescigno role Rome Rossi-Lemeni Scala Scarpia scene season Serafin Simionato singers singing sonnambula soprano stage Stefano success sung Teatro Tebaldi theatre told Tosca traviata trovatore Turandot Verona Violetta Visconti vocal resources Votto wife woman wrote York Zaccaria Zeffirelli