Inspiration from the Life of Maria Callas

Maria was an iconic opera singer and many people lauded her for her vocal range, dramatic interpretations, and bel canto technique. Born on 2 December 1923, her birth name was Cecelia Sophia Kalos, but her parents changed it to Maria Callas. The family immigrated to the United States from Greece a few months before her mother gave birth to her. Here are some interesting facts about Maria Callas.

Maria Had a Bad Relationship with Her Mother

Maria Callas’s relationship with her mother, Evangelia Dimitriadou, was less than ideal. In fact, Evangelia did not look at Maria for four days after she had given birth to her. The reason for this hostility towards her baby girl was that she wanted a boy. Moreover, Evangelia pressured Maria into music. Consequently, Maria started singing when she was three years old. Fortunately, Maria handled this pressure positively and she turned it into something useful.

Maria Received Praise from Her Trainers

Evangelia moved back to Athens when she divorced her husband and she took Maria with her. She enrolled her daughter in a prominent music conservatory in Athens. According to Maria Trivella, a trainer at the conservatory, Maria had a warm, intense, and lyrical voice. Moreover, Trivella described Maria’s voice as a melodious reverberation that resembled the sound made by a carillon.

Maria Used Her Talent to Earn Money for Her Family

In subsequent years, Maria started training with Elvira de Hidalgo. Hidalgo nurtured her talent in addition to helping her secure secondary roles at the Greek National Opera. These appearances helped her earn some money for her upkeep in addition to helping her family members. Her first professional debut took place in 1941 when she played the role of Beatrice in an operetta titled ‘Boccaccio.’ Maria returned to the US in 1945.