She strutted onto the stage like a true diva, demanding attention with every step.3. The pop diva’s album soared to the top of the charts within days of its release.4. Her reputation as a diva preceded her, causing anticipation and excitement wherever she went.5. The fashion diva effortlessly pulled off the latest trends, setting the style for others to follow.6. Despite her diva persona, she had a heart of gold and regularly donated to charity.
- These women were considered the stars of the show, possessing exceptional talent, confidence, and sometimes demanding personalities.
- The image of Callas as an archetypal diva, and the notion that the goddess-star should suffer for her art, is loaded; there is no equivalent that positions a male divo on quite the same pedestal, or exposes them to the same judgements.
- Davis wrote in her memoir, The Lonely Life, “I have always been driven by some distant music — a battle hymn no doubt — for I have been at war from the beginning.
- Callas maintained her poise in the face of astounding cruelty, and long before mainstream notions of artist wellbeing or body positivity; it’s hard to imagine people camping out for Beyoncé or Gaga shows solely to jeer or pelt the stars with vegetables.
- A Hollywood star whose diva label has arguably more legs to stand on, at least from an outside perspective, is Bette Davis.
- A new documentary explores the highs and lows of Callas’s life, as well as what her legacy is today.
Callas at 100: ‘This is the stuff legends are made of’
- There were just as many hard-to-work-with men in the industry – and continue to be – who do not receive the diva label.
- Despite her diva persona, she had a heart of gold and regularly donated to charity.
- Considering that much of what we know about celebrities has been constructed through the media, we can never be sure of what a person is really like unless we know them personally.
- She strutted onto the stage like a true diva, demanding attention with every step.3.
- By using a term that reduces a person to a flimsy stereotype, you strip a person of their identity and complexity.
- «I’ve almost never seen a great musician who had an upper-class background. There’s something good about ghettos because if you come from there, it makes you want more. It makes you say, ‘One day I’ll be someone’.»
In the 21st Century, Callas has taken the form of a hologram on tour (though it’s unlikely that the real-life perfectionist star would have approved of the glitchy tech), and been portrayed by actresses including Fanny Ardant (in Zeffirelli’s 2002 biopic Callas Forever) and Angelina Jolie (set to star in Pablo Larraín’s upcoming film Maria). Her exacting standards underpinned a high-maintenance reputation; she also made no secret of her impoverished upbringing or early career. «Be careful when you say ‘ghetto’… music comes from there,» she told French journalist Philippe Caloni in her final interview (1977). «I’ve almost never seen a great musician who had an upper-class background. There’s something good about ghettos because if you come from there, it makes you want more. It makes you say, ‘One day I’ll be someone’.» If you’re not running to call a man a diva, then why are you calling a woman one for similar behaviours?
By using a term that reduces a person to a flimsy stereotype, you strip a person of their identity and complexity. Considering that much of what we know about celebrities has been constructed through the media, we can never be sure of what a person is really like unless we know them personally. We travel to La Scala in Milan, Italy the iconic stage where every opera singer dreams of performing. The posthumous veneration of Callas might deflect from the media industry’s original malice, but it also reflects her inimitable force. There is only one Callas, yet there are seemingly countless incarnations; as listeners, we project our personal desires, and distresses, onto her expressions – and we continue to bond with her music, in unpredictable ways. A new documentary explores the highs and lows of Callas’s life, as well as what her legacy is today.
While Garbo’s reclusiveness might have been perceived by many as snobbish, and her arguments with MGM executives deemed unprofessional, we cannot truly know the reasons behind her actions. «Perhaps Maria Callas, beyond her genius as a musicienne assoluta, so timeless and perpetually modern in the sensory impact it has on the listener, continues to fascinate because she actually has no true descendants.» Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has enjoyed one of the longest careers in operatic history.
The diva’s powerful voice filled the concert hall, leaving the audience in awe.2. As the diva exited the limousine, paparazzi eagerly snapped photos, desperate to capture her every move.3. Behind the scenes, the diva was known for her meticulous attention to detail and perfectionism.5. The diva’s extravagant wardrobe was filled with designer gowns and sparkling jewelry.6. The diva’s glamorous lifestyle was the envy of many, with private jets and luxurious vacations.8.
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For a female star to lean into ‘hustle culture’ and creative perfection is to become selfish, arrogant, over-confident, and a diva. Callas maintained her poise in the face of astounding cruelty, and long before mainstream notions of artist wellbeing or body positivity; it’s hard to imagine people camping out for Beyoncé or Gaga shows solely to jeer or pelt the stars with vegetables. Derided in her youth for being fat, Callas was later slated for being too thin; her weight loss was said to contribute to her vocal decline, although the intensity and range of her work was surely a factor.
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A Hollywood star whose diva label has arguably more legs to stand on, at least from an outside perspective, is Bette Davis. Known for her short temper, love of gossip, and Diva drive for perfection, many people have labelled her a diva. While these facts are likely very true – Davis might have very well been an insufferable person to be around – how much of this criticised behaviour was enacted by male stars, too?
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There were just as many hard-to-work-with men in the industry – and continue to be – who do not receive the diva label. And even worse, many of these men committed acts far worse than arguing with directors or looking down on others – like sexual harassment or abuse. Callas united so-called high culture and pop culture, without compromising her repertoire. She was also beamed to prime-time TV audiences, such as her 1956 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show,where she sang Vissi d’arte (I lived for art), an aria from Giacomo Puccini’s 1899 opera Tosca. Davis wrote in her memoir, The Lonely Life, “I have always been driven by some distant music — a battle hymn no doubt — for I have been at war from the beginning. I was going to conquer the world.” Her determination for cinematic excellence is outlined here, loud and clear.
Level up work, life, and creativity with world-class online courses from the world’s greatest teachers. Opera lover Zeinab Badawi travels to Paris to meet the acclaimed conductor and music director Gustavo Dudamel. Zeinab Badawi heads to Athens to celebrate the centenary of the birth of opera soprano Maria Callas. If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features, videos and can’t-miss news delivered to your inbox every Friday.
If you would like to comment on this story or anything else you have seen on BBC Culture, head over to our Facebook page or message us on Twitter. So together we engage and educate to create sustainable behaviour change to help people thrive. The role leading the renovated Jersey Opera House is advertised with a salary of up to £90,000.
